O By The Way

I have been preaching over the past several weeks on the Beatitudes of Jesus, one version of which is found in Matthew 5.   They are the opening introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, either one teaching he presented on one day or, more likely, a compendium of many messages he proclaimed over his three years of open ministry.  In either case, the sermon comprises the fullest and most thoughtful and concise presentation of life in the kingdom of God we have ever seen.  Every sentence, thought and parable is chock full of wisdom and deep insight about life as God made it to be.  And the first twelve verses, known as the Beatitudes, set us up for what is coming.

But it all seems so backwards, upside down, inside out compared to the life we know in the twenty-first century.  I suppose that is why we must spend time looking at what these words are all about.  I have not preached with this much focus on each beatitude ever in my years of preaching.  They are worth the look! 

Jesus begins each one with the word “blessed.”  It is a hard word to carry over into English without some explanation.  It is sometimes translated “happy,” but that leaves us short of its true meaning.  He means to impart a godlike joy to the recipients, a setting on the right path that can only bring deep fulfillment in life.  And we see the pure grace of God when we see who he includes for this blessing, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek and even those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  They are blessed with the “kingdom of heaven,”  “comfort,” an inheritance “of the earth,” and  a satisfied, full life.  We were taught the victorious, the exuberant, the assertive and, at the least, those who did good and righteous things, they were the ones who came out on top. 

Jesus comes at life from another direction and comes up with a newly creative approach to how we experience God’s blessing.  By the way, the Beatitudes have many times been preached and taught as commands about life.  As if to say, live poor in spirit, in mourning while living in meekness.  And above all be righteous in all you do.  But that is not what he seems to say.  I have thought, we don’t have to try and be that way.  Life will find us poor in spirit, broken hearted and defeated, hungry for righteousness.  It is these whom he blesses. The composite of those states leaves us hungry for putting things right and wanting to see renewal and he is there with his blessing for all those who find themselves in those hard places.  Quite a text, even if it seems upside down!

This Memorial Day weekend, may we all remember to give thanks to God for his goodness and his faithfulness to us.  Let it be gratitude which remembers all those who have shared life with us, particularly those who have given their lives for us.  Seems to me the greatest gift anyone can offer is his or her life for another.  Jesus is the supreme example, and his life and gift is unique.  But this weekend we thank God for those who made the supreme sacrifice that our life might be lived in freedom.  Enjoy the holiday, and remember.

There is something to be said about periodically getting some time aside (and away) to get caught up on reading and gather new material for the ministry of preaching.  I suppose it is the same in any line of work, but I think especially so for anyone who is called on the make presentations frequently to the people of God.  And frankly, I love what I am called to when I can give from a full well of resources!

This week I have been able to spend five days with pastors I have been with off and on for  many years and mine the depths of Scriptures, share ideas and pray together over one another.  this year I have been able to bring along my wife Ruth and together we have been able to situ under the extraordinary Bible teaching of our old friend, Dale Bruner, renew acquaintances and talk together about our futures and the future of the church.

All this is done in the beautiful confines of the California Redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains and the hospitable environment of Mt. Hermon Christian Conference Center.  My mother came here frequently  as a child and renewed  her faith and Ruth and I are staying in a room not far from the exact spot where mom ignited her faith in Christ.

This week has again reinforced my sense of what sabbath is all about.  The need for rest and renewal is fundamental to what we do as pastors.  On some occasions, I have tried to teach and preach from a dry well, and it can lead to disaster and even more.  My thanks to those in our congregation and presbytery who have made sure we get this time away.  It always pays off when any congregation offers this kind of resource to their pastor.

One of the most awkward things I have faced in a ministry as pastor and preacher is to preach and be working through rugged terrain personally.  It is not unusual, as many of my colleagues will attest, but it is nonetheless one of most trying.  I keep recalling M. Scott Peck’s first line in his intro to his famous book, A Road Less Travelled, which read “Life is difficult.” Three simple words were never so true.  Nonetheless, this is why God allows such challenges, in order that we not speak from the sterile vacuum of a cloistered perspective.

I find myself in a set of challenges that as myself, my family and our congregation progress, we are shaping a defining moment.  Having to stand before my congregation each week, especially during this high and holy season of the church year and preach prophetically calls on all I have to bring.  It is interestingly ironic that Scripture texts I chose months ago seem to speak not only to our people, but into my circumstances.  Such are the hazards of being a preacher of the gospel. 

Recently, more than ever, I find myself wrestling personally with the truth of the Scriptures I have chosen.  A case in point is this past week.  We were celebrating Palm Sunday and I was preaching on II Corinthians 4:8-12, where Paul writes about, guess what……digging through the travails of life. He says, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ^ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.”  I spoke about how my impression of Paul was that he derived strength in the Holy Spirit because he could see through his present circumstances along the way.  He could deal with what was on his plate and endure whatever came his way because he had his eye on the great hope that was his in Christ.  Funny the comments I heard while greeting people at the door following the service.  There have been numerous other comments these past few days, encouraging me to listen to the sermon from this past Sunday.  Oh well!

I have an increasing sense that God is in all of this and is making me a stronger follower and a more in-tune pastor, even as I deal with missteps I may have made.  I am reminded of one of the most amazing pieces of art any preacher could ever see and appreciate.   It is a statue of Phillips Brooks outside the Trinity Church in Boston, where he was pastor in the 19th century.  Brooks was a great preacher but is also known as the composer of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  The statue shows Brooks at his pulpit with a towering figure of Christ behind him with a hand on his shoulder. 

So the work continues even in hard times and in the high calling as a pastor, I can truly say this Easter week that God is so good and I am so blessed!

How important is clarity?  In my worst moments I am all over the map, uanble to get any singular focus on any one significant task or direction in all the scramble.  As many of you who know me are aware, I get a real kick out of watching and participating (though less as time passes) in sports of various kinds.  When we see an athlete who trains and prepares for his or her events, we can see focus and clarity of purpose in the very best of them. 

It is said of one local sports icon here in So Cal, Kobe Bryant, that his

 focus on preparing for a basketball game is intense. He spends time with his family, but is so determined and geared in on his mind and body being ready it is almost frightening to opponents and even teammates at times.  His rigorous and daily grind to be in the best of shape, especially during is daunting to any of us who try to eek out a few days a week in the local gym.

This past week, I preached on the story of Jesus’ first public message.  It happened in the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown, among the people who knew very well who he and his family were.  Here was this one they first knew as the one from the home of Joseph and Mary, who had learned the carpentry trade and had somehow managed to become a rabbi, a teacher of note.  He had returned to his village and was now in the local synagogue reading and commenting on the Holy Scriptures.  And it what he said turned heads.  After first being positively impressed  people were aghast, so much so they tried to kill him.  Read about it in Lukc 4.

In his words, he clearly lays out his mission to those closest to the heart of his father and to proclaim God’s favor on  the poor, the blind, the imprisoned and to proclaim the good news of liberation for all people.  This is what he intended to do and what he has called on us, his church, to continue to do in our own place and time.  And our message is to be active and verbal all in one.  I have come to believe this is what preaching, the kerygma, is meant to be.  One without the other is empty of meaning and substance.  These two focused on Christ offers a rich clarity.

The same Sunday I preached on this, Scott Williams, a member of our church and fellow blogger (www.creationhope.com)  stood to tell of the work coming out of our community garden project. A portion of our church property has been divided into plots so that members can prepare, plant and harvest various organic foods which are then cleaned and delivered to families in our community who are in need.  He spoke of how some of them have expressed their amazement at how anyone would take the time and effort to do so for people they don’t really know.  My sense is that a door has been opened to share the message of Christ and it comes in word and deed, action and proclamation.  This is the result of a focused idea of ministry with a rich clarity of purpose.

What wonderful opportunities we all have in days like this!  Find clarity for your life and ministry.  Don’t miss out, the Spirit of God is stirring!

I love watching the Olympics.  This time, I have been able to watch more than most others and having been to Vancouver recently (the banner photo at the top of this page is one I took of Whislter-Blackcomb Mountains in 2008) makes this one most enjoyable.  Anytime there is an Olympic Games, there are certain buzz words we hear that have a myriad of stories behind them.  These winter games have given us the word “redemption.”  Certain names have been used, from skaters to skiers to whole teams of people.  However, one hangs with me, and it is Bodie Miller.  Here is an athlete who has been called the greatest American Alpine skier of all time, but in the last Winter Games in Turin in 2006, 

he failed to medal and was a huge disappointment to many.  In the build up to these games, he even went thorugh a bail-out, leaving the US team and his hopes to medal in Vancouver.  A change in his lifestyle, building a family and a new attitude has brought him to this point and a new opportunity in which he has found “redemption” as a highlight in these games.

Our opportunity for redemption comes along in life for us all.  Sometimes, personal failure helps us to learn about ourselves in new ways and new horizons appear.  We have many in our own church family who have experienced a successful marriage after meltdowns the first time around.  Others have failed in business, only to learn and later find what their niche is and go on the great things.  I know one who had a huge catastrophe as a career law enforcement officer, only to find redemption in a successful career as an executive in a successful company.

But the Scriptures are full of stories of people who have found new life, real life, deep spiritual life with God in Christ.  Take Zaccheus for example.  You can read about him in Luke 19.  Here was a successful tax machine, who bilked everyone of his kinsmen he could find and as a result had so friends, hated by all his townsfolk in Jericho.  Then Jesus came to town and singled him out, ate with him in his own home and changed his life.  It was dramatic too, as he returned the money he had taken from his people, four times over.  Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house!”  This was real redemption.

Have you experienced this kind of life change?  Jesus promises this to us all.  This is what true faith is about.  It can change your life and lead to true redemption!