Tag Archives: Jesus

Solving “problems”

16 Wednesday Aug 2017

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How do we solve problems?  It depends on what the problem is.  How do you solve the problem of some homeless guys who the church is helping?  How do you solve the problem of people learning to hate other people because of skin color, or nationality, or language, or sexuality, or…?  How do you solve the problem of North Korea?  How do you solve the problem of drugs?  How do you solve the problem of ______?

I don’t think there is an easy answer.  That’s because all of these “problems” involve people and people are messy.  They aren’t black and white.  They aren’t either us vs. them.

There are people who try to classify the world this way.  But the problem with this way of thinking is that people themselves become the problem – another thing to be fixed, another box to be checked off.  People lose their humanity that way.  When people lose their humanity then it becomes acceptable to dehumanize others in terms of words, physical violence, killing, and extremists belief systems.  When we dehumanize people – we no longer see people as people – but rather as things.

How do we change this?  You can’t force others to change for one thing.  We can only model a different way to live.  One change is identifying names and using people’s names.  It might seem small and pointless, but we know that a person’s name is the most important word they know.  Further, when a name is attached to a person, they are no longer seen as the problem, but in a problem situation.

It’s really difficult to judge someone when you know them by name and you have met them face to face and you see their humanity.  Not impossible obviously, but a lot harder.

The crappy part about this is actually doing it.  As much as I just want to give the one finger salute to the white supremacists and yell at them and call them evil to their face (boy, wouldn’t that feel good and I get to feel all self-righteous), that is not modeling a better way to live.  It’s dehumanizing someone who I frankly abhor and makes no sense to me.

For those of us that are Christians, Jesus calls us to live differently.  It’s not easy, by any means.  I’m not saying that I’m going to go and make a friend with a white supremacist just so I can better understand him.  I’m not inviting a white supremacist over for dinner either.  But I am a bit more aware of how I respond to white supremacy.  First, by not adopting the tactics, language, or attitude of extremists.  Jesus calls us to live differently.  Sometimes that really sucks.  Sometimes I’d rather just let my real feelings rip out and let someone have it.  Sometimes I’d rather dehumanize because it would be easier, feel better, and show my obvious opposition.  But opposition to evil doesn’t mean we adopt evil ways.  We change the message and show a different way of living – an alternative way of living.  A better way of living.  And we pray for those who are blinded by fear and hatred because that’s about the only thing I know how to do right now.

Jesus walks on water…you can too!!!

11 Friday Aug 2017

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This Sunday is the Gospel reading about Jesus walking on water and Peter giving it a try, only to realize he isn’t God and starts to sink.  I’ve always found the reading a bit odd to be perfectly honest. I never really liked the passage.

I don’t the words from Jesus – “Oh you of little faith.”  Often I don’t like it because what I hear in my head when I hear this is a voice that is condescending – As in “Oh Peter, you have got to be kidding me, try harder home boy. That was pathetic.”  Heard that way, this passage of Gospel is really disheartening and can just be a really killer for people.  That’s the danger of it anyway.  It’s a message of “try harder or else you’ll sink.”  That’s not gospel – that’s the message of the world.

Yet here we are – a statement by Jesus that sounds just like the world.

But wouldn’t you know it, Jesus doesn’t let Peter drown. He doesn’t give Peter what he deserves.  Instead, Jesus reaches out his hand and pulls Peter to safety.  Jesus embodies grace and does the exact opposite of this world and its gospel message.  How great is that.

But really, what’s the deal with Jesus walking on water?  Maybe it’s the message that Jesus can not be controlled by the chaos of the sea.

Imagine if this story were told today.  You’d see News Team 21 going to the scene to interview the guys on the ship and report what they experienced.  Then there would the viral selfies of James and John showing Jesus in the background, but it wouldn’t be too clear – it was stormy you know.  And finally, we can’t for get about the tweets.  Thomas: Jesus walks on water.  You’d think he was God or something. #doubting, #gottogetmeapairofthoseshoes

Then the 30 seconds of fame would die off because one of the Kardashians would have walked across something and tried to outdo Jesus.  And then Jesus walking on water would be so last week.

At any rate, what does this mean for us today?  Good question.  I don’t think it’s God’s call for us to try crazy things that might get us killed.  And I don’t think it’s God’s call to do publicity stunts either.  I think it’s about this.  We get sent out into a messy world that tosses us and turns us all over the place.  And it’s scary and messy and we feel like we’re going to get thrown out of the boat. And just when we think it can’t get any worse, Jesus shows up in unexpected ways – ways we have trouble believing.  And bam, grace happens.  And boy do we need that.  And when grace comes, all the chaos doesn’t matter any more.

Sound like modern life?  based on some recent conversations, it sounds exactly like what the passage about walking on water is all about.

Being fed and feeding

07 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by in Sermon Prep, Theology

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Yesterday’s reading in the Revised Common Lectionary were all about feeding.  Isaiah 55 spoke of coming to the water, and asked why spend money on that which is not food.  Our Gospel story was from Matthew 14 and told of the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000+ in a desolate place.

There is a great deal debate over this reading – did Jesus do a real miracle by multiplying the loaves and fishes, or was the real miracle that people saw Jesus sharing what little there was and they began to share.  I don’t think it matters – regardless of the how, thousands were fed – that’s a miracle.

Instead, I would rather focus on the fact that this was a desolate place – that’s the terminology we are given.  Desolate, deserted, empty – they all mean the same thing ultimately.  These terms signify that there is no life, nothing of value.  And this is where Jesus goes.

The people go to where Jesus is.  I think it’s quite fitting that the crowd would search out Jesus in a desolate place.  Desolation isn’t just a physical place – it’s a state of being for some people, maybe for many people.  So many people are empty, exhausted, and their state of being is desolate.  There is no life where they are.  Yet, if they are searching, they are hungry.  They are hungry for food, for love, for attention, for care, for mercy, for forgiveness.

But where there is desolation, Jesus shows up and amazing things happen.  Jesus shows up and people are fed.  Not just enough to kill the hunger pains, but we are told to their fill.  But it doesn’t stop there – the disciples collected the leftovers and found 12 baskets full.  That’s because when Jesus shows up, there is overflowing abundance – never to run out.

Jesus shows up and amazing things happen.  People are fed love – in overwhelming ways.  Where they had only received conditional love, Jesus gives unconditional love – to the point of death.  We are overwhelmed by God’s love and have more than enough to give to others.

Jesus shows up and we receive forgiveness.  Forgiveness that we don’t deserve and can’t possibly do enough to earn.  Yet, it is given – in overflowing abundance.  So much so that we take the extra and give it our to others who need forgiveness.

Jesus shows up and we receive mercy and grace and so much more.  And we receive these things in overwhelming abundance.  So much so that we give it away.

The miracle isn’t that God is this good.  The miracle is that we are invited to participate in handing out God’s overwhelming abundance to others.  The miracle is that it doesn’t run out – ever.  When Jesus shows up to places where there is desolation – to lives where desolation runs rampant – lives change in overwhelming and abundant ways.  Thanks be to God!

Where is our faith?

01 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Church, Humanity, Politics, Theology

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For regular readers of my blog, you know that I have a long history of political activity.  I learned a great deal from those experiences and am grateful for that.  I also learned some things that make me glad I’m no longer in politics professionally.

Now that I’m in ministry, all that politics is brushed away, right?  Not.  Not even close.  In fact, in many ways, it’s much more difficult.  I have a fine line to walk when I preach and when I wear a collar publicly representing the church.

I’m not a big fan of pastors taking up partisan arms for a political party.  I can understand why some do, but I think it blurs the line of what we are.  Are we proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus or partisan political party?  Are we claiming that our faith is in Jesus, or in some politician in Washington, DC or another capitol?

This of course doesn’t mean faith and politics never intersect. I think that’s a big naive and dangerous too.  We are called to be in the world and call out injustice.  And often that happens in political ways.

When I see pastors that make excuses for politicians or political parties – for what they stand for, or the policies they promote – I have to wonder.  Are they a partisan preacher preaching the good news of political party with its vision for how the nation will look when the party has power?  I recently saw a video of a conservative pastor who was praising the current administration in Washington and made comparisons of the president’s leadership style with Jesus.  I’m not sure what that had to do with the preaching of the Good News, but I do know that it advanced the Gospel of the administration.

Likewise, I remember pastors equating the previous administration with Jesus too – labeling the president as a messiah-like figure.  Again, I’m not sure why that was necessary or how that promoted the kingdom of God.  It sounded more like the advancement of the kingdom of partisan political party.

Where does our faith lie?  Where is our hope?  If it is in Jesus, then partisan politics can be seen for what it is – secondary.  It is certainly not to be ignored.  But neither should we put all of our attention and energy to it either.  When we do that – when we obsess about politics and give it all of our attention, then we have made it into a god.

When our politics becomes the basis for our decision-making, when we feel the need to pay attention to every tweet and press conference and announcement from a politician or political party, when we believe that we will have a brighter future (almost heavenly) if only we fund a specific candidate and work to get them in office – then I have to wonder where our faith lies?  Where does our hope lie?  When politicians supposedly have all the answers to all of life’s questions and problems, then where is there room for mystery and faith?  What is the point of faith at all then?

Too often I have seen Christians who are well-meaning turn to partisan politics.  I get it.  I’ve been there.  Religion and politics are not very different at all.  Both offer a vision for the future – of what is possible.  Both deal with immaterial things.  Both offer a gospel message.  Both claim to be able to save people.

By all means, participate in politics.  It’s how we advance policies.  But be careful.  When politics becomes the center and the foundation for making decisions, for the way we live our life, for how we spend our money and attention, then know that we have just exchanged our faith in God with a faith in a broken humanity.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like…

31 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by in Theology

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This past Sunday’s Gospel had Jesus proclaiming what the kingdom of heaven is like five times.  (Read Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’

The Parable of the Yeast

33 He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’

Three Parables

44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Treasures New and Old

51 ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ 52And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’

I was always amused by verse 51 where Jesus asks the disciples if they understood all of this and they answer “Yes.”  Yeah right.  I don’t know of a single person who understands all of this so very clearly.  It’s not designed to be understood very clearly.  That’s why these are parables.

So often we want to cut to the chase.  We want Jesus to stop telling us what the kingdom of heaven is like, and just tell us what it is.  If Jesus would just tell us exactly what it is, think of how much better it would be.  He could lay out the boundaries.  He could just list the names and groups that fall inside the boundaries and who falls outside.  If Jesus would just cut to the chase, gosh, I’d be able to know for certain.

But here’s the thing, that desire to know for certain – it’s not always a good thing.  Knowing what the boundaries are and who’s in and who’s out – that’s a dangerous thing.  It’s divisive and creates walls of separation in God’s kingdom – walls that don’t exist in God’s kingdom.

In the kingdom of heaven there aren’t walls erected to keep people out.  In the kingdom of heaven, fear is not proclaimed, but rather good news.  In the kingdom of heaven Jesus comes into our lives, and takes over – much like a mustard seed that takes over a field like a ravaging weed.  Jesus wants it all – our whole lives, not just sections here and there.  We don’t get to say – “Well, Jesus, you can have my time on Sunday, but I need Wednesday – I’m pretty busy that day.  And you can have my TV viewing, but don’t mess with my social media habits.  I have fans and followers.  You should be familiar with that Jesus.  Oh, what’s that – you want my wallet and bank account!?!  Are you crazy.  No way Jesus.  There are limits to this thing you know.”

Yeah, well, bad news there people – the kingdom of heaven is like a weed that just takes over everything.

But it’s actually good news.  It’s good news for those on the outskirts and margins of society and its good news for those who benefit the most from culture and society.  The old ways and divisions are put aside with the kingdom of heaven – not sometime in the far and distant future – but right now.  Jesus says “The kingdom of heaven is like.”  That means right now.

What is the kingdom of heaven like?  I think that it partly depends on who is answering the question.  What would the kingdom of heaven look like for an African-American in the US?  What does the kingdom of heaven look like for someone who is LGBTQ+?  What does the kingdom of heaven look like for a homeless veteran?

What does the kingdom of heaven look like for someone who has great wealth?  What does the kingdom of heaven look like for someone with high education?  What does the kingdom of heaven look like for someone with 2.3 children and 1.2 dogs and a picket fence?

The kingdom of heaven looks like the weed taking over the field and changing it.  It looks like the divisions that our world spends a great deal to enforce are torn down. It looks like community – people walking together in common interest, caring that each other exist, tapping into each other’s value, and growing together.

Many days that I drive to the church, I stop at a particular corner in town.  Other cars do too.  There is a man who stands on the sidewalk, who clearly has some mental disabilities.  Too often, all of the drivers, including myself, keep our eyes peeled on the light, waiting for it to change.  But this past week, this man caught my attention and I made eye contact with him.  He waved at me and smiled.  I waved back and smiled at him.  He gave me a thumbs up and I returned the favor.

What happened? The kingdom of heaven happened right there.  Both of us had our humanity acknowledged.  This was no longer just some guy on the street that I didn’t want to be bothered with.  This was a man who touched my life and reminded me of my own humanity and I returned the favor.

What is the kingdom of heaven like?  The kingdom of heaven is like making eye contact with a stranger at a stop light, acknowledging one another’s humanity, and beginning a journey that I have no idea where it goes.  But I love the smile, the wave, and the thumbs up.  The kingdom of heaven is like a smile, a wave, and thumbs up all in one experience.

How do you finish the statement – the kingdom of heaven is like…

Trump and the Boy Scouts

26 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Politics, Society, Theology

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Do I dare?  Do I touch this?  Sure, why not.  Everyone else seems to be commenting on this, so why not me.  Maybe I can offer a different perspective.

I know it’s dangerous to talk about partisan politics – so many people have their loyalties to one party or the other and hence have a cemented opinion about political leaders, including the President. I’m just as guilty.  But I’m wondering what we can learn from this latest episode of the President speaking in front of the Boy Scouts.

Before I go on, I have to say, I haven’t seen the speech, nor read it.  There’s a pretty good chance I never will.  What I’m more interested in is the reaction to his speech.

Trump doesn’t really interest me.  I think he’s pretty predictable.  Say something outlandish in order to get a response – that way everyone is talking about him.  Whoever controls the conversation, is the one with real power.  If we have learned anything it is that he’s really good as drawing attention to himself.  And many people feel the need to be sucked into whatever the latest tweet or thing he said is.

When I contemplate this episode, I can’t help but think of this past Sunday’s Gospel lesson in Matthew 13:24-30 – the parable of the wheat and the weeds.

“He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

I’m not interesting in determining if Trump is the sower of the weeds or the seeds (depending on your political leanings), or is a weed, or something else.

What I’m interested in is this – What are we called to?  How are we to relate and react to the President or any other politician we may disagree with, or as some believe, find to be a danger?  Remember, every President, since Washington was president, had an opposition that couldn’t stand them.  Every President has faced threats of impeachment – yes, even the “universally” loved Washington.  Every President has been viewed as evil by some and as a wonderful leader who can save the nation by others.

And in each case, the faith and hope in that person is misplaced.  Or rather, too much faith and hope is placed in that person.  It doesn’t matter if that person is Trump or if it was Obama.

Christians are called to be wheat in the world of weeds.  We are called to live differently.  To, dare I say it, have different loyalties – (sounds so un-American, doesn’t it?)

So what do we do with a politician who desires to be the center of the universe?  The same thing you do when you deal with a black hole – avoid being sucked in.  You live your life.  You stay in control of your emotional state.  You realize that you aren’t going to like what the person says or tweets and you determine the best way to stay informed without being controlled by the person.  You don’t allow this person to determine what you do each day or what your emotional state will be.

Most important – you live out your calling, no matter what.  To feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to house the homeless, to visit the imprisoned, to care for the sick, to acknowledge the humanity in others, to tap into the value of those that feel valueless.

In other words, to build up the kingdom of God, regardless of what happens in DC or who sits in the Oval Office. Yes, some people make that easier and some make it harder.  You don’t have control over that.  You have control over how you react and what you do going forward.

Our hope isn’t in the person of the President – regardless of who it is.  It’s in the person of Jesus.

Our future isn’t tied to the President, our future is in Jesus.

Our loyalty, dare I say it, isn’t to the President first, but to the kingdom of God first.

Whether you are thrilled that Trump is president or dismayed, this administration isn’t permanent – nothing here is.  At some point in time, his name will be forgotten to the ashes of history.  But God, and God’s kingdom, will not.  In the end, God’s kingdom prevails.  That is where our hope is – that is where our faith lies.

Responding to a politician with anger isn’t going to change the politician or how they act.  It certainly won’t make us feel better either.  You can’t change weeds into wheat.  You can only be wheat.  We need wheat in the world of weeds.  We need to be wheat in relation to politics.  There are plenty of weeds in the world.  Plucking the weeds is a never-ending battle that is exhausting.  Being wheat though is different.  Wheat actually feeds people and gives life to those around us.  It’s time to be wheat, and plant more seeds.

The mission of the church

25 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Church, Theology

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I’ve read many thoughts and ideas about what the mission of the church is.  I’ve heard lots of debates about it to.  And for all the debates, there still seems to be a whole lot of uncertainty.

I saw this quote from Gary Vaynerchuk the other day talking about Apple and why Apple is so unique as a company –

“Apple focuses on building a relationship that will last by deploying all of their energy into branding and showcasing how your life will change once you switch to iphone.”

Read it again.  Let it sink in.

Now, substitute a few words.  Instead of Apple, insert your church’s name.  Instead of iPhone, insert Jesus.  Take out the word branding and slightly alter the ending.

Now read it.

Here’s a sample – I’ll throw in the name of the church I serve – St. Stephen Lutheran Church

St. Stephen Lutheran Church focuses on building a relationship that will last by deploying all of their energy in showcasing how your life is and will be changing once you have an encounter with Jesus.

This quote is about as good of a mission statement for a church as I have ever read.

And it is exactly what we as a church are called to be and do.

Are we showcasing how our lives are changed because of an encounter with Jesus?

If not, why not?  If not, what has to change?  Does Jesus change our life when Jesus encounters us, becomes incarnate and dwells among us?  If not, then are we really encountering Jesus?  And what’s the point of church anyway then?

If Jesus is changing our lives when we encounter him, yet we are afraid to share these stories, then I have to ask – why?  Why is it ok to talk openly about how the iPhone changed our life, but we become shy when it is Jesus?

What makes the church unique – different from any other social service, community group, club, or anything else is Jesus and how Jesus changes our lives when Jesus encounters us.

Tell that story – it’s our mission.

 

Wheat and weeds

24 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by in Humanity, Theology

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Are you tired of reading social media posts of “friends” that you are connected to who spend a great deal of time showing why they are right and their opposition is wrong?  I am.  Lately, as soon as I see what the post is, it just skip it and move on.  There are more important things to do, and frankly, I have enough stress in my life, I don’t need to add reading these kind of posts.

Tired of reading partisan political rants and posts about how (insert party or politician here) is just terrible, wrong, and yes, on the cusp of evil for the things that they supposedly say, do, or the policies they support?  Instead, (insert a more preferred party or politician) is so much better!  They have common sense of course with their common sense solutions.  They aren’t making (pick a group that can used for political gain) choose between (pick something that people need and/or makes their life better) and (pick something else). I am tired of this.  How do you all read all of these posts? Again, when I see that someone is posting something that becomes nothing more than an unsolicited ad for a political party or politician, it’s time for me to move on.

It’s the same stinking message, just change the players and the names.

It shows up in relationships where someone doesn’t like the fact that their (daughter, son, friend, coworker, etc) is (dating/seeing someone with a different skin color, speaks a different language, has a different religious faith, comes from a different country, is gay/lesbian/trans/bi/etc, etc., etc.)  It’s the same story, just the players in the story are different.  But the same arguments show up.

I’m right and you are wrong and you better conform your life to my way of living, being, doing, thinking, and believing – or else damn it!  Why don’t you see how clearly right I am?!?

Never mind that people’s lives are vastly different, that their histories are different, and there are innumerable other differences.  Clearly, I’m right and that’s all that matters.

Tired of this?  So am I.

So what to do about it?

Well, you could try to correct all the people who do this.  You’ll be exhausted and create tons of enemies.  You’ll get called names and threatened and all sorts of other fun things.  And you won’t change a single mind or heart – just like the folks who are doing this.  But hey, you’ll be right and they will be wrong.

Why on earth would you adopt the strategy of the people who supposedly upset you?  Why?  Yet, this seems to be the answer for so many people – do the exact same thing that you don’t like done to you.  That makes literally no sense what so ever.  Yet so many people do this.  Why?????

Want another option?  Try reading the parable of the wheat and the weeds from Matthew 13.  It was the Gospel reading from this past Sunday.

Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

In this parable, Jesus talks about the wheat and weeds and how they grow together.  The sower of the seeds doesn’t tell the wheat to go and try to change the weeds to become wheat.  He doesn’t go and scold the wheat for not changing the weeds.

Jesus doesn’t call on us to change the weeds that surround us to become wheat.  Instead, we are called to be wheat – live like the wheat among the weeds.  Not to judge the weeds, or hack down the weeds, or condemn the weeds, or sow something terrible among the weeds because that’s what happened to the wheat.

Instead the wheat and weeds are allowed to grow together.  The wheat grows with the weeds.  This is our life.  To be with those who are like weeds.  But to be wheat.  To be wheat among the weeds is to live your life differently – to be in the world, but not of the world.  To love those around us – even the weeds.  To care for people – even the weeds.  To show that our lives are different because Jesus has entered our life.

If Jesus has entered our life, then it’s got to be changed.  We don’t act like weeds or the sower of weeds if Jesus is a part of our life.  Instead, our lives are changed and the methods of the sower of the weeds make no more sense and we don’t do them.

We are either wheat or weeds.  Wheat acts like wheat.  Weeds act like weeds.

 

Seeds

21 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Theology

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Last Sunday the Gospel lesson was the parable of the Sower and the Seeds.  This Sunday the lesson is about the wheat and the weeds.  Both of these are in Matthew 13 and both are rather interesting.

You can read the typical commentary on these parables, but I want to point out something a bit different.  It’s an observation about the two parables.

I argue that these two parables aren’t primarily nice stories designed to teach a lesson.   Rather, I see these stories as Jesus telling about his own life.

Take the parable of the sower and the seeds.  The sower goes around and spreads seed and the seed falls on various ground – sometimes the birds pluck it up, sometimes the seed gets trampled on, sometimes the seed shoots up quick and dies right away.  And sometime the seed falls on good soil and produces more seed.

Isn’t this exactly what Jesus did.  He went around and spread the Good News about the kingdom of God far and wide – in lots of different places.  In some cases the message was trampled by those who didn’t like it.  In other places, the message grew quickly, but died off when the person understood that Jesus wanted their entire life.  And in other cases, the message found good soil and bore fruit in that person’s life and spread to others.

In this week’s message, Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds and how they are allowed to grow together.  Again, I see Jesus’ story here.  Jesus doesn’t send down hellfire and condemnation to separate the weeds from the wheat – he allows both to grow together as he goes about his ministry.

And this is what we are called to also – to spread the Good News, to not be the culture police.  Our job isn’t to change the culture around us to our way of thinking and believing.  Rather it is to live differently and be an open invitation to a different way of living.

Changing the world

06 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Humanity, Organizational theory, Theology

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Just a quick thought for the day:

Even if you think most people aren’t capable or competent, remember, Jesus did some amazing things and started a movement with a group of uneducated men and women – outcasts in their society.  Because of the people Jesus surrounded himself with and empowered, he changed the course of history and changed the world.  And it is still changing today.

You don’t need only the best and the brightest.  Just like on a sports team – you don’t really want a team of superstars.  It’s a recipe for failure.  Instead, you just need people who are willing and able, and have nothing to lose.  People who make the mission and vision their own and do what they can to move everyone closer to that vision.  With that, you can conquer and/or change the world.