Little Flowers Community

Part 11 – Don’t Worry, Be Righteous

Part 12 – Judging Others

Part 13 – Ask, Seek, Knock

Part 14 – Of Gates & Fruits

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” -Matthew 7:24-27

Pulled from the context of the wider Sermon on the Mount and reduced to a well meaning children’s hymn, the parable of the Wise & Foolish Builder is robbed of its place as the powerful conclusion to a powerful message. When a Jewish teacher finished such a significant teaching, the closing portion was significant, tying the whole thing together in the end. So then, what this story really mean?

Jesus’ listeners would have made a couple of connections when hearing His words. First, they would know from living in that arid land the importance of a strong foundation. It was standard practice to only build homes on solid rock, even if that meant digging quite deep to do so. This was just common sense. Alone, this would have been an anti-climactic, simple lesson at the end of a revolutionary teaching. However, His words would also have brought to mind something far more important.

When Jesus started talking about a strong foundation, the words of the prophet Isaiah would have surely come to mind (Isaiah 28:14-18). Israel, facing the invading armies of Assyria, decides to make a pact with the Egyptians rather than trust God for deliverance. Isaiah rebukes her for this unfaithful compromise, likening it to building upon weak foundation of clay that will wash away with the rain. Any compromise to complete submission and surrender to God would lead to the crumbling of the foundation of their faith.

However, in the middle of his rebuke, Isaiah eludes to a future promise, to a new and real foundation. The tool that will forge such a foundation? Righteousness and justice. Isaiah’s prophecy of this new foundation became a deeply held hope for many generations of Jews, even unto Jesus own time. At different times in their history, they would attempt to see that promise fulfilled, even establishing an actual stone which they called ‘the foundation’, which became a central aspect of the Temple itself.

Jesus’ words, then, strike at the very heart of their hope, making a claim so powerful that no one would have missed it. He clearly states that anyone who hears the words of the Sermon on the Mount and puts them into practice builds their life on the true Foundation. And like Isaiah foretold and Jesus repeated again and again, it is built through righteousness and justice- not merely adherence to the law, but it truly loving God with all that we are and loving others as we would have them love us. He extends the promise, the covenant hope, not only to the Jews, but to any who obey Him as Lord.

‘As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.’ -1 Peter 2:4:8

This is not a teaching about Christians vs. non-Christians. Just like in the previous section of the Sermon where both sides call Jesus Lord, here both sides build a house. It was not the act of “building” that was crucial, just as prophesying, casting out demons or performing miracles was not the point. It is not about going to church, being good or doing ministry (though they are important in their own right). Rather it is only upon the foundation of uncompromising submission to the Lordship of Christ, by living out His teachings to love God and others, that we have any hope of seeing His Kingdom.

John Stott warns us of this:

“In applying this teaching to ourselves, we need to consider that the Bible is a dangerous book to read, and that the church is a dangerous society to join. For in reading the Bible we hear the words of Christ, and in joining the church we say we believe in Christ. As a result, we belong to the company described by Jesus as both hearing his teaching and calling him Lord. Our membership, therefore lays upon us a serious responsibility of ensuring that what we know and what we say is translated into what we do.” (“The Message of the Sermon on the Mount”, IVPress, pg. 210)

“When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” -Matthew 7:28,29

When the scribes taught, they only taught with an authority given to them. Rather, it was the authority of Law and the Prophets. Jesus, on the other hand, taught from His own authority. This was demonstrated by the power of His words and the consistency of His example. They were amazed because the implications of His words was that He was, indeed, the promised Messiah and the very Son of God.

Jesus does not ask for our amazement, though we should be amazed as we hear and understand the words of the Sermon on the Mount and see the example of Love incarnate in His life, death, resurrection and ascension. No, Jesus does not ask for our amazement. He asks for our uncompromising and loving obedience, even until death. Jesus Christ is not only God to be worships, but He must also be a Lord who is followed.

Our Anabaptist Convictions

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:37:41 +0000

When we decided to partner with Mennonite Church Manitoba to plant Little Flowers Community, one of the core reasons for doing so was a sense of resonance with Anabaptist values and beliefs. Interestingly, the longer we explore this connection, the more convinced we have become that it is significant, even though almost none us grew up within an Anabaptist tradition. In addition to the “unchurched” and new believers, we have people who grew up in United, Baptist, Evangelical Covenant, Anglican, Pentecostal and others.

A Mennonite friend recently asked me what it actually meant to us to be Anabaptist. It was a good question, which I answered as best I could at the time. Since then I’ve started reading Stuart Murray’s upcoming book “The Naked Anabaptist: The Bare Essentials of a Radical Faith”, which explores seven core convictions of Anabaptism and how they relate to the whole Church. While each chapter unpacks them in more detail, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on them as they relate to Little Flowers.

1. Jesus is our example, teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord. He is the source of our life, the central reference point for our faith and lifestyle, for our understanding of church, and our engagement with society. We are committed to following Jesus as well as worshiping him.

While I think most Christians would affirm such a statement, what this has meant for us is that we want to be more intentional about following the example and teachings of Christ in our daily lives. Beyond living moral lives where we observed the expected Christian practices, few of us were discipled into a way of life that sought to do much of what Jesus taught, such as in the Sermon on the Mount.

Thus far, Little Flowers has been exploring Jesus teachings (most recently with an emphasis on the Sermon on the Mount), intentionally seeking to embrace the values and practices in tangible ways. We believe that we are, together, an incarnational expression of Christ’s Body to our community, thus committed to actively continuing Christ’s mission to our neighbours. This has been very rewarding, but difficult as we also wrestle with our own brokenness and sin.

2. Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation. We are committed to a Jesus-centered approach to the Bible, and to the community of faith as the primary context in which we read the Bible and discern and apply its implications for discipleship.

With the conviction that we are to collectively embody the presence of Christ to our community, it means that the whole community contributes to the process of discipleship and discernment. We affirm that different ones of us function in different giftings, but resist any hierarchy of value or authority in those giftings. To that end, while I function as the pastor, I refuse to claim exclusive (or even primary) rights to administering the sacraments or teaching the word. Yes, my responsibility means I have a degree of authority in that role, but it is not absolute nor any more important than the authority of the other giftings/roles.

It has also meant that, as we explore Scripture together, the teaching is very conversational- interactive and participative. This allows everyone to bring their unique perspective, while always seeking to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in guiding us. Again, my studying and understanding are respected in the community, but this does not mean that I am the final authority on all truth. A time of worship with us is less than typical, but it is very generative and multifaceted.

3. Western culture is slowly emerging from the Christendom era, when church and state jointly presided over a society in which almost all were assumed to be Christian. Whatever its positive contributions on values and institutions, Christendom seriously distorted the gospel, marginalized Jesus, and has left the churches ill equipped for mission in a post-Christendom culture. As we reflect on this, we are committed to learning from the experience and perspectives of movements such as Anabaptism that rejected standard Christendom assumptions and pursued alternative ways of thinking and behaving.

In some ways, our inner city context lives in extremes in relation to Christendom. On the one hand, as many of our neighbours are First Nations or immigrants, they have been subject to the some of the more costly aspects of colonialism. For many, their relationship to the Church has been as recipients of charity, though some times, also of judgment. On the other hand, because our community often functions on the margins of society, they are not impacted by many aspects of life at the center.

For those of us who have committed to Little Flowers, we decided that we would share life with our neighbours, making the community our own. While attempting to enter into the fabric of the neighbourhood, we also intentionally extended hospitality to others, which can mean anything from sharing a meal together or having a homeless friend live with us for a few months. These relationships form with greater ease when we participate on the margins of culture.

4. The frequent association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate for followers of Jesus and damages our witness. We are committed to exploring ways of being good news to the poor, powerless, and persecuted, aware that such discipleship may attract opposition, resulting in suffering and sometimes ultimately martyrdom.

We have not experienced much opposition for our commitments, but it has meant sacrifice. In choosing to live more simply, for example, we don’t merely make token sacrifices, but rather relinquish our right to the privileges we are so used to. We realized that it is not enough to abstain from status, wealth and force on occasion, but rather to embrace it entirely.

This is not an easy one, but we are working to embrace it more every. For some it has meant moving into intentional community, becoming ethical consumers or giving away much of their possessions. As we do this and other things, we find that the difference between “us” and “the poor” diminishes, as we share mutual life and faith with people of all walks of life. This has been very, very difficult for us.

5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission, places of friendship, mutual accountability, and multivoiced worship. As we eat together, sharing bread and wine, we sustain hope as we seek God’s kingdom together. We are committed to nurturing and developing such churches, in which young and old are valued, leadership is consultative, roles are related to gifts rather than gender, and baptism is for believers.

While our time of worship is important each week, our community is more defined by the relationships we share throughout the week. This relational commitment to each other is part of our missional devotion, submitting to very real mutual accountability. As was mentioned earlier, we lead as a community, believing that the Holy Spirit best opens God will and His written Word through the context of that community.

6. Spirituality and economics are interconnected. In an individualist and consumerist culture and in a world where economic injustice is rife, we are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.

Again, as already mentioned earlier, we believe that when the mission of Jesus is the organizing function of our community then we relinquish our rights to such things as materialism and individualism. While we do not have a “common purse” out of which we live, generosity often blurs the lines of ownership. Further, in seeking to live simply, we have began to do community gardening, which not only provides healthy and inexpensive food, but also allows us to relate more meaningfully to creation.

7. Peace is at the heart of the gospel. As followers of Jesus in a divided and violent world, we are committed to finding nonviolent alternatives and to learning how to make peace between individuals, within and among churches, in society, and between nations.

Starting within our own relationships, we are committed to keeping short accounts with conflict. Extending from our open commitment to each other, which requires honesty, humility and confession, we also hope to extend that shalom to our community. In a neighbourhood where violence is rampant, this has been a real challenge, but one in which we are continuing to pursue.

It should be noted, however, that we do not pursue peace because it is pragmatic. That is, we do not pursue peace because “it works”. While those who embrace peace experience many blessings as a result, in a sinful world it is also likely to get your hurt or worse. We are committed to peace, not because it works, but because it is right. Thus, our commitment comes with a willingness to suffer for that conviction. Thankfully none of us has suffered too personally for such a commitment, though we have come close to it many times.

Of Gates & Fruit – SOTM Series (13)

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:47:46 +0000

Part 11 – Don’t Worry, Be Righteous

Part 12 – Judging Others

Part 13 – Ask, Seek, Knock

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14

Once again, Jesus is pointing out to His listeners that follow Him is a singular choice- you either follow or you do not. There is no third (or any other) option. There is one Master and one path of obedience. But what is this path? Is the narrow path about doctrine? Is it about developing an idealistic life ethic? Of course these aspects are present, but this is not what Jesus is primarily calling us to. He calls us to an uncompromising fidelity of love. It is the single-minded faithfulness of a lover.

It many ways, a straight and narrow path is the easiest kind of path to follow. The way is clear and direct. Conversely, a wide and meandering path can leave much room for error. It reminds me of the men who were canoeing down the southern end of the Mississippi River during flood season. They were sure they were following the flow of the river until the floated past a mailbox and a stop sign. The path had spilled so wide that it had not clear direction at all.

The straight and narrow is not difficult because it offers an impossible ethic to live out (for Jesus constantly leaves room for grace in the face of mistakes), but rather it is difficult because of what it costs. Have you ever stood on the high board of the high dive at an Olympic sized pool? Jumping off that height is simple- you just take the step. Yet for most of us, we are crippled by uncertainty, fear and anxiety. It is reminiscent of G.K. Chesterton’s words: “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried”. This is so because the narrow gate is the gate of the Cross of Christ, where everything is left behind and we embrace death in order to find resurrection life.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus makes it clear that, as we seek to follow Him in obedience to how He calls us to live, there will be those who will seek to mislead us. Unlike the cartoonish villains of pop culture, these false teachers will appear to one of us. While their appearance will be that of a fellow believer of Christ, their hearts will have the intentions of a wolf. Again, in this Jesus is reminding us that it is the heart that is the source of our character.

However, He also reaffirms that out of the heart our real natures will be made evident in our lives. Just like a tree can be known by the nature of fruit it produces, so too does the fruit of our lives give evidence of what kind of person we are. Fruit is the outward product of the inward nature. But what are these fruit? What are we to look for? In the Sermon on the Mount we learn what such fruit is, especially in the Beatitudes. In Matthew 12:32-34, we learn that our words are the fruit borne of our hearts. In John 15, Jesus makes it clear that good fruit that is born from Christ within us will be characterized by sacrificial and selfless love. Later, in Galatians, Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

All of these things together represent the fruit that we should look for in peoples lives. However, like fruit that takes time to grow and come into maturity, we must not too quickly rush to judge people (remember this?), allowing instead for their fruit mature and become evident. Jesus is not giving us license to become heresy-hunter or truth-police. We must be careful and vigilant, but also patient and humble. Only God can truly judge.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23

In these words, Jesus is again call us into the tension between right belief and right action. He puts neither orthodoxy nor orthopraxy ahead of the other, but makes it clear that true obedience to Him will be reflect in both. However, even when we believe right doctrine and live righteous lives, this is not enough. Yes, we must confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts, but this is not suggesting allegiance to a moral, ethical or religious system, but rather to devotion to the very real God- Father, Son and Spirit. God must know us, be in real, active and dynamic relationship with us. He is a very present God who will not be satisfied by the most fervent devotion to His ideals. He wants us to love and worship Him.

Of course, this will produce belief and righteous living. However, Jesus makes it explicitly clear in the equivalent verses in Luke: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). We must do what He says. True belief- like truth- is fully manifested when it is incarnated. Jesus is that incarnation and, as His Body, we are to be incarnational expressions of our beliefs. We are not saved by our works, but faith without works is no faith at all.

This devotion must touch every part of our lives, both public and private. No time or place is exempt from this radical call to absolute obedience. It is the one path, the one gate, the one and only way. It is Jesus Christ.

Judging Others – SOTM Series (12)

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:45:35 +0000

Part 11 – Don’t Worry, Be Righteous

Having blogged for several years around topics of faith and theology, there is a phenomenon that occurs quite regularly that at the same time saddens me and amuses me. Someone posts a particularly harsh critique of another person (or groups) theology. That person/group respond by challenging them not to judge (sometimes quoting today’s text). The critic responds that, when the critiqued tell them (the critic) that they are judging, by in turn are doing the judging. The endless argument ensues about who is actually judging and who is actually “speaking truth in love”. Usually neither party is doing the latter, but it still illustrates the often sticky reality of this portion of Jesus teaching.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

As we have seen in the previous two chapters of the Sermon (Matthew 5 & 6), the righteousness Jesus is describing is His righteousness. There is no merit in our own righteousness beyond that which is the reflected righteousness of Christ. And we can only reflect that insofar as we are in loving and obedient relationship to Him. Therefore, if the righteousness is not ours to boast, then who are we to judge others? Why do we continually do so anyway?

There are many motivations that inspire us to judge. Some do so in an attempt to boost their own moral position, to distract from our own failure to live up to the expectations of Christ, and to undermine someone we have identified as a threat, an enemy or a proponent of “bad theology”. Some motivations are not so negative. Some judge to root our legitimate sin, to expose corruption or to correct blatant moral and/or doctrinal failing. Surely these issues need to be addressed? Jesus is not suggesting that the legitimate concerns need be ignored. Far from it! Rather, He reminding us that, if we believe ourselves worthy of the role of judge, we are blinded to the reality of our own sin, brokenness and equal need of forgiveness.

Stanley Hauerwas writes:

“The disciples are not to judge because any judgment that needs to be made has been made. For those who follow Jesus as if they can, on their own, determine what is good and what is evil is to betray the work of Christ. Therefore, the appropriate stance for the acknowledgement of evil is the confession of sin. We quite literally cannot see clearly unless we have been trained to see ‘the log that is in [our] eye’. But it is not possible for us to see what in our eye because the eye cannot see itself. That is why we are able to see ourselves only through the vision made possible by Jesus- a vision made possible by our participation in a community of forgiveness that allows us to name our sins”

Just prior to this portion of the teaching, Jesus said: “”The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness”. Just as the single-minded devotion to Christ and His Kingdom is compromised by anxiety and attention on material wealth and stability, so to is it compromised when we seek to become the “morality police” for everyone else. Why? Because His Kingdom and His righteousness are defined quite clearly- to love God and love others. Judging is left to the only one more qualified, the God of infinite grace and mercy.

Again, Jesus is not suggesting that we turn a blind eye towards sin. Too many of us use this Scripture to avoid or reject necessary correction from the community of faith. Rather it is the heart and the context of that correction that distinguishes it from judgment. First, repeated the ever present theme of the Sermon, Jesus is pointing to the motivation of the heart. We are not to judge out of anger, self-righteousness or impatience, but to correct with love, grace and patience. Second, as Hauerwas makes clear, this correction is an expression of love born out of a genuine community of faith, where relationship with God and each other is our foundation.

Like the blog wars mentioned above, when we allow ourselves to be drawn into the endless cycle of judgment, we are ultimately treated the same way as we treat others. The standard by which we treat others is the standard by which we will be judged. The ramifications of this truth are staggering.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6)

Perhaps it is through over-familiarity with Scripture, but most people hardly pause at these words of Jesus. And yet, when you consider them, they are incredibly harsh. The loving Jesus of grace and mercy are referring to people as dogs and pigs? What could He mean by this?

Jesus knew that, rather than judging people, we were to extend to them what we ourselves received. That is, the undeserved grace of the Gospel, both actively proclaimed and demonstrated by His people to a watching world. He also knew, however, that the fact that we do not judge (and instead love) was no guarantee that we would be well received. Even in the face of generosity, hospitality, love, peace and grace, some will reject us, even scorn us and cast us out. How then are we to respond?

Again, the temptation to judge would be most present (and seemingly, most justified). Jesus makes it clear that we are not to do so, but rather to move on (Matt. 10:15). However, when we see this verse in the context of the wider teaching on judgment, we realize that He is not calling these Gospel-resistant people dogs and swine. which would be a very harsh judgment in itself. Rather, He is confronting us (again) with our own self-righteousness. It is we who make the Gospel worthy only of dogs and pigs in our refusal to “shake the dust from our feet” and move on.

The very difficult tension between judgment and loving correction is not easy to navigate. The complexity of correction and discipline in the church is very, very difficult. Jesus is not laying out a comprehensive teaching on these topics in this passage, but rather reminding us that, in all things, we must serve in full humility and grace. These must be the guiding lights when engaging these more complex issues.

Don’t Worry, Be Righteous – SOTM Series Part 11

admin — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:09:50 +0000

(While Laura is preaching in this section this week, as she didn’t want to blog her notes, I thought I would put mine up anyway. Peace!)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

With the foundation of the Lord’s Prayer in place, teaching us the priority of the Kingdom in our lives, we learn that even our “daily bread” is secondary to such devotion. From there Jesus reminded us to fast with pure hearts and motives, a discipline that reinforces not only the selfish longing of our hearts and bodies, but also the importance of its denial in the face of God’s vocation for us. And it is here that Jesus addresses the inevitable tension these teachings build in our hearts and lives.

It might be easy to read the Scripture above as a warning against greed and materialism. While there is surely that caution present in His words, Jesus is talking about much more than this. After all, He does not deny our need for material provision nor that wealth itself is inherently evil. Rather, He warns us against storing it up, words that would have reminded His listeners of the daily provision of manna (see Part 9 of this series).

Are we therefore forbidden to be responsible with our money through saving? I don’t believe so, as Scripture affirms the wisdom of preparing for meager times (such as the ant who stores up for winter). Rather, Jesus looks to our hearts, the motives which drive us to save, leaving no room for selfishness. However, we must be careful to recognize the two faces of this takes. While most of us are aware of the dangers of greed, we too often miss the danger of fear. It is equally as dangerous to store up wealth out of a lack of faith that God will provide as it is from selfish greed. Here lies a difficult tension, one that requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the accountability of the community of faith.

When we understand this, we realize that the danger is not simply in the quantity of wealth we accumulate (though Jesus does warn us of the dangers to our heart that come with great wealth), but rather the condition and motivation of our hearts that shape our actions. In this way, even a lack of material wealth can be a justification for fear or selfishness, placing all under the same standard. Our hearts must be first and only with Christ.

Yet Jesus doesn’t reject our desires for treasures, instead promising us His treasures in Heaven. What are these treasures? Jesus is not clear, but I cannot help but think back to the blessings of the Beatitudes. Far greater than any earthly treasure, Jesus opens up to us the blessings of His Kingdom. What greater treasure could we seek?

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:22-24

For the Jews of Jesus time, the eyes represented the central access point to the heart. It was through our eyes that all we see and understand is taken in, allowing us to function properly and effectively in the world around us. Having two very close friends who are blind, I am well aware of the costly reality of their condition. While impressively adapted to the limitations of their sight, they know that they are still just that- real limitations that present real challenges.

In this way, Jesus is reminding us of our need for single-minded devotion on Christ and His Kingdom. Any other focus blinds us from what really matters, crippling our capacity to function in all other functions of life and faith- not absolutely, but primarily. In other words, Jesus is saying that when greed or mistrust leads us to focus on our material wealth and/or financial security, we inevitably lose sight of our true priority, thus stepping into darkness.

By saying this, Jesus is making this clarity of vision the single priority of His teaching. He is pulling no punches with the reality that it is a binary choice- either you are in light or in darkness; either you serve God or Mammon/money. There is no room for degrees when it comes to devotion to ones master. In a world where we may have several bosses, we fail to understand the uncompromising nature of a slaves devotion to his/her master. We are to be absolutely subject to our King and His Kingdom, leaving no room for compromise.

This raises some very difficult questions for us. Are we, in any way, living our lives and faiths in ways that accommodate materialism along with faith, even if in a subordinate position? Are we serving Mammon at all? If so, Jesus indicates that our devotion to Him is completely compromised. Few teachings of Christ are so explicit as this. It is a choice. It is a choice that requires immediate response and tangible changes. Lord have mercy.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:25-27

It is in these words that it becomes clear that Jesus is not primarily focusing on greed. The emphasis on greed has too often been a way for us to by-pass the harder implications of this teaching. However, in addition to the fact that, relative to most of the world, we are indeed very wealthy, we see here that Jesus is talking about the worry, uncertainty and fear that lead us to store up wealth. The Jews faced the risk of having what little security they had taken from them by the occupying Romans, so their desire to store up wealth is understandable. Yet Jesus saw that such storing would (and did) limit their ability and willingness to extend hospitality, charity and generosity. And yet Jesus still makes it clear that to do so, even in these circumstances, was a violation of their devotion to God. How much more, than, is our own storing up of wealth and security a compromise?

Jesus is not putting forth a “health & wealth” theology. It does not exempt us from having to work (and work hard) for our provision. Neither does it mean we are excused from our mandate to give and share what we have. Above all, it is not a promise that we will never experience trying times where things are lean. Rather than a law to be obeyed and through which we receive an immediate, material reward, it is about the the eternal fruit of obedience to the law of love and grace. It is a promise that we need to worry or be anxious about anything.

As the unlikely people of the Beatitudes, we are call live in eager and trusting expectation of our King and of His Kingdom. Rather than living in fear and uncertainty, we can instead live in single-minded devotion to serving our King and building His Kingdom, knowing that as we do so, He will provide for our every need (not whim). Even death cannot rob us that promise, thus liberating us from the uncertainty and fear that drive us to selfishness.

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:28-34

The beauty of this passage is summed up so eloquently here. While we live with the uncompromising devotion of a slave to their Master, that Master treats us, not as slaves, but as His beloved children. The bird and the flowers, while created by Him, are not His children, yet He provides for them in every way. How much more can we trust that He will meet our needs? This is the hope that banishes the fear, allowing us to embrace this seemingly reckless devotion to serving God and building His Kingdom. It is this very hope that the Kingdom offers to all of creation.

Like in the priorities of the Lord’s Prayer, we are again called to make His Kingdom our priority, even before our own well-being- not out of self-destructive neglect, but out of radical trust and obedience to our Father-King. And the nature of this King and His Kingdom? This has been the constant message through the Sermon on the Mount, even reflected in His temptation in the wilderness. In addition to seek first His Kingdom, we are commanded to seek also His righteousness. What is this righteousness?

This word “righteousness”, as we have seen previously, is better understood as justice. In addition to being call to live for His Kingdom, established in and through the community of faith, the Church, we are also called to champion justice in a world shattered by injustice. It is here that our role as ambassadors of the Kingdom propel us out of the context of our faith communities and actively into the wider world for which Christ came to save. This is the justice we are blessed for hungering and thirsting after. It is also the justice for which we can expect to be persecuted for. It is in seeking both His Kingdom and His justice that we see what it means to be both salt and light to the world.

We are called to believe the Gospel in our hearts and minds. We are called to proclaim the Gospel in our words and deeds. We are called to obey the Gospel at all costs and without compromise. This is what it means to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. Then, when we do this, all the other details of life and provision will be given to us by God. Therefore, crucify any worry that robs us of our single-minded devotion to Christ.

Fasting – SOTM Series (10)

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:56:49 +0000

Fasting was a practice that St. Francis and his followers were well acquainted with. In part out of self-denial, in part out of repentance for their sins and in part because they gave what little they had to those in need, fasting was a very regular reality. When Francis became better known, he would often be invited into the homes of wealthy merchants and nobleman. When rich food was placed before him, the humble saint would slip ashes into his food to dull the taste. Why would he do this? What did Francis think this would accomplish?

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18

Moments before stating these words, Jesus had said: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (6:1) He went on to explain three ways where this was critical to embrace- our generosity (giving to the poor), our prayer life (in contrast to actors & pagans) and then, here, in our fasting.

The Jews were very familiar with fasting. In addition to the 3 required national fasts- on the Day of Atonement, at the New Year and for Tisha B’Av- many practiced personal, voluntary fasts twice a week (every Monday and Thursday). These latter weekly fasts were commonly (and openly) practiced by the Pharisees. Fasting was normal and expected. Because Jesus said “When you fast…” it is clear that He is affirming the discipline, just as He did with giving and prayer. While the latter two, for the most part, are familiar and commonly practiced by most Christians today, fasting remains a far more rare and unpracticed discipline.

True and acceptable fasting is a response to God, not an effort to increase our “spiritual status”, especially not for the recognition of others. The outward act is necessary, but it is only acceptable insofar as is the genuine fruit of a changed heart. It is a discipline of obedience and submission to God, making His Lordship central to practice. When we fast (or do any act of Christian service or devotion), we must be mindful of our motivations and intentions. We must put to death any desire for public affirmation, even if we fear they’ll assume we are impious for not seeing it. Otherwise we are serving another master, defying the King to whom we are sworn to serve. This theme is repeated again and again throughout the Sermon on the Mount.

When Jesus told them to put oil in their hair and wash their faces while fasting, He was going against a longer history and tradition (such as the use of sackcloth and ashes in certain kinds of penitent fasts). He was not intending to reject or devalue these traditions, but was demonstrating how critical it was for His followers to fast in ways that were acceptable to God. The rewarding life of the Beatitudes cannot be fulfilled otherwise. The price is too high! In this light, we see that Jesus in not simply placing a burden of strict obedience on his followers, but is lovingly warning them of what they risk should allow compromise.

Proper fasting will not kill us. Yet, when we are faced with this discipline, our bodies resist in powerful ways. It is uncomfortable and dis-empowering. It reminds us in painfully real ways of the true discomfort and cost of true obedience to Christ. As powerfully as our bodies resist this, so too our hearts and minds work over time to conceive of short-cuts, excuses or exemptions that would lighten the cost. We are too busy, have other health concerns, are not bound by legalism- the list goes on. In a culture of such indulgence and wealth, this discipline is essential precisely because it is so particularly painful to us.

It is at the table of our Lord, in communion, that fasting takes on its deepest meaning. Christ alone is the Bread of Life, relieving the deepest of hungers. The passing fulfillment of food, wealth and power can blind us of our absolute hunger for that true Bread. Fasting strips us of the pretense that we what we have is enough, that it is even possessed apart from the grace and provision of God. We need Him for life in every sense and in every way.

Christ, You are the Bread of Life. None else can satisfy.

Lord, we take this moment of silence to consider anything & everything in our lives that has filled any cravings, longings or needs that are apart from you. We name them to You, repent of them & carry them to the Cross. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, by eating this Bread we declare that you are enough. You alone can give satisfy all that we need. We are Yours.

And so, as we eat this Bread, we do so in full submission to You.

Jesus Christ, You are the Fountain of Life. The terrible cost of your spilled blood quenches any & every thirst. Any temptations, expectations & rights are empty apart from You. In this moment of silence, we name them, repent of them & carry them to the Cross. Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, by drinking from this Cup we declare that you are all we need. Only You can quench the burning desires of our hearts. We are Yours.

And so, as we drink from the Cup, we do so in full submission to You.

Thank you, Lord, for the undeserved gift of grace and love, in which we become the willing slaves of Your will, yet humbled to be called sons & daughters of God.

All this we do and pray in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (2) – SOTM Series (9)

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:17:10 +0000

Having established that in prayer, as in life, the priorities of God must be first and foremost for all believers- even before the basic sustenance of life- we discover that God is both Lord and Father, wanting to provide for our every need.

“Give us today our daily bread”

This simple sentence has baffled Christians for centuries, largely due to the use of Greek word that seems to appear nowhere else in Scripture or other Greek texts. The writer, it seems, coined a term (yes, pun intended). While we cannot get into the fascinating debates around the word “daily”, the general topic of the debate is very telling. Is Jesus teaching us to ask only for the “bread” we need for each day as we face it? The bread for the day ahead? Just enough to survive or enough to be comfortable?

What is interesting is that, in this prayer, the request for our bread is the only explicit request for material provision. This led many early theologians to suggest that Jesus was not speaking of actual food, but rather the Bread of Life, Himself, a foreshadow to the broken bread of the Lord’s Table. While this might be a secondary interpretation, the later references to God’s provision at the end of Matthew 6 suggest that Jesus was primarily responding to the provision of actual food. This affirmation of our physical selves- its care and sustenance- is critical in our understanding of God’s provision for us.

Again, drawing from the rest of Matthew 6, Jesus seems to be suggesting that the provision He offers is day to day. While perhaps not explicitly a 24 hour period, the deeper meaning is that Jesus wants us to trust His provision, freeing us focus on Him (as opposed to storing up for our own survival) and on generosity and hospitality to others (as opposed letting our needs excuse us from charity). This is a practical affirmation and commitment to living our the Great Commandment to love God and love our neighbours. We can embrace this trust because He is our loving Father (Matthew 7:11).

Jesus also teaches us to prayer for “our” bread. As His Body, even as we ask for our basic provision, we ask for all. As we learned in the previous post, this prayer transcended the loyalties of family and race. Our new loyalty is primarily to God and those who we now call brother and sister through His adoption of us. Even after placing God’s priorities first, we are still taught to put aside self-interest for the great good of God and His people. Consider what this means to the money you make from your job. Despite the work we do to earn it, we recognize that God is the provider of all things, therefore even that is subject to the teachings of this prayer. How do we spend, save, give?

As a collective prayer for His provision, we also see that we are not to be ashamed of our need nor proud of our wealth. We must live together in such a way that those in need can ask without shame and those with plenty take no pride or even ownership, for all they have is God’s provision to His people. This cannot and should not be enforced, as this must be voluntary act of free will, inspired by genuine love and familial devotion, not moral, legal or social obligation. However, it should be our ideal. How do we do this without being taken advantage of? What does it mean to affirm the ideal, correct mistakes, yet refuse to enforce? These and other questions are difficult, often the very reason Christians drifted from this kind of commonality. However, they must be explored, tested and tried.

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors… For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Then, like today, people understood the power and bondage the came with debt. However, unlike today, the penalty for failing to pay your debts was much higher, often resulting in forced servitude and/or imprisonment. This was further underlined by the fact that usury- lending with interest- was forbidden to the Jews. Today, debt is a way of life, taught to be acceptable, normal, even expected. Yet, such debt forces us to make choices that limit our ability to submit to the priorities of God and His Kingdom.

Jesus is obviously talking about more than just monetary debt, likening sin and its bondage to that of debt. Yet He also uses this word, I think, in order to demonstrate that sin is as tangible as debt (and may actually include actual debt), forcing us to look past private moral failings and examine the whole of our lives. Without question, debt itself is seriously critiqued in this phrase and should therefore be among the first of the things we examine as Christians as we seek to truly and actively repent of the debts of sin.

It is also very telling to note the sequence of action in this sentence. We ask for forgiveness, having already extended the same forgiveness to those in our debt. Does this mean that God’s forgiveness is conditional? It is not that God is offering a transaction to us- that if we forgive others, He will forgive us. Rather, He is saying that to be forgiven by God requires genuine repentance and the truly repentant would not- could not withhold the grace that they themselves expected or received. Not only that, but just as Christian died for us while we were still in our sin, so to must we learn to extend forgiveness to others even before they ask for it.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Does God willfully or negligently lead us into temptation? Since Scripture teaches that God will never cause us temptation, why would we pray for something already promised to us? Some suggest that we should never take for granted the promises of God and therefore, even when we know He will not do this, we should still ask. Others believe that rather than temptation, it is times of intentional testing that we are being asked to be spared from. Both of these seem unlikely, given that the sentence goes on to ask for deliverance from our the evil one, who is Satan.

Rather, Jesus is teaching us to acknowledge our inability to stand against the enemy on our own strength or righteousness. The enemy cannot be defeated without the intervention of the God on whom we are fully dependent. The provision of that deliverance can take many forms, including the intervention of His people. We must therefore look to those things in our lives that we are seeking to overcome alone and bring them to God and His people with trust and humility.

This prayer cannot be prayed without looking at the way we live our lives, individually and together as the Church. The lines of this prayer presuppose a level of commitment and change already in place. Jesus, therefore, is cautioning us against insincerity and hypocrisy in our prayers, especially in this most wonderful and demanding prayer.

Lord God in whom we are united as one Body, one family, sister & brother,
May Your name be made holy by Your Word & by the witness of us, Your people.
May Your Kingdom be established here and now,
May Your will be our first & most immediate priority, just as it is to the angels above.
Provide for us the essentials for life together and obedience to You.
Let the gift of Your undeserved grace for us overflow from us onto those who have wronged us.
Lead us on Your path, away from the empty promises & hidden snares of temptation.
Rescue us from every scheme of sin & darkness which would take us from that path.
For you are King, this is Your Kingdom and we are Your citizens & servants.
All we are, all we have & all we will do is by Your power and for Your glory alone,
In the past, in the present and in the future.
Amen+

The Lord’s Prayer (1) – SOTM Series 8

admin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:27:52 +0000