March 21, 2010

John 12: 1-8; Philippians 3: 4-14
“Smell The Sweet Aroma Of God’s Love Here?“

Today’s lesson is the last event before Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time on the day we now call Palm Sunday.

Bethany is a small community less than two miles and within easy walking distance of Jerusalem. His raising Lazarus from the dead in Bethany not too long ago had become the final straw for the Judean authorities. After that, they began plotting his death because they were afraid of what the Romans would do to the Temple and their nation because of him.

It is a dangerous time for Jesus who has stayed outside Jerusalem in Ephraim in the region near the wilderness. But as the Passover Festival draws near, Jesus heads to Jerusalem for the final revelation of God's glory, stopping off in Bethany, which is near by, to see his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.

When he does, the Judean authorities (the chief priests) find out and, John says, they begin plotting Jesus’ arrest and his eventual death, as well as that of his close friend Lazarus. There is a sense that Jesus knows what’s going on and the danger he and his friend are in. Yet he is not deterred.

This is the setting and context that helps us to understand, I think, the significance of Mary's anointing of Jesus' feet at this particular moment in time. Smell the sweet aroma?

It was a normal custom of hospitality in the homes of influential leaders for the host to have his slaves wash the feet of guests. But this is entirely different - this is Mary, one of the hosts. She performs this act of hospitality herself; what she does is not at all customary; it is almost scandalous in the way it was done; it seems recklessly extravagant and costly; and it is so different and strange, it makes those looking on wonder, “What in the world is going on here?” Like when you know something important is about to happen, but you are not sure what. At any rate, Mary’s action is a statement that something very important is about to take place. It seems to have been a sign of sorts marking an end and a new beginning.

Paul, in Philippians, speaks about becoming “like Christ,” of “knowing Christ,” and of “knowing the power of the resurrection.” Paul considers this his goal and the goal of all Christians. And in pressing on toward that goal, and “for the prize,” there are things that must be left behind. Paul doesn’t say what those things are but he does say, “…this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (13-14)

To be like Christ Paul knew he would need to end what he had been in order to begin what he was now to do, which is the very same thing that happens in Jesus’ life at this moment in Bethany at the house of his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He enters their house, from a ministry of teaching and healing, and will leave, as Paul wrote about himself, “straining forward to what lies ahead… the heavenly call of God.”

Some have suggested it is significant when John points out this event takes place six days before the Passover, a period of time which hints of the creation. God created everything in six days and rested on the seventh. If the Passover/Last Supper is the culmination of the New Creation of Jesus, then what is happening in Bethany could very well be the lead in to a this new, creative “week” of shadow, darkness and light, a week where everything changes.

Mary represents a family whose very life has been restored and for which there is nothing too costly to give in honoring their Lord. She has poured out her whole bottle of perfume without thinking twice, knowing it is only a small thing compared to the love of God she sees in Jesus. And as she does, the sweet aroma and fragrance of new life fills the house. Mary, grateful for new life, understands. Jesus is there, and so, a sweet smell fills the house.

By anointing him now, as opposed to after he’s been put to death, Mary is essentially giving the very best she has (literally, the most expensive thing she owns) to the living Jesus. The real waste would have been to honor and gave her expensive gift to the dead Jesus. Rather than give what she has in memoriam, she gives it in witness to the living, breathing, presence of Christ.

Her great act of devotion has a clear implication for the church today. There’s a danger that our churches become, as Barbara Brown Taylor says, “museums for Jesus, and that our existence will reflect more about his death than his life.” In The Preaching Life, she writes, “I cannot take my own ministry and the ministry of the whole church for granted. If we do not attend to God’s presence in our midst and bring all our gifts to serving that presence in the world, we may find ourselves selling tickets to a museum.” (p. 6)

If that is true, then what are we to do? Is it to devote our gifts, even the most precious, to serving Christ’s presence in the world? Otherwise our churches run the risk of becoming only museums. In other words, rather than devote our time, our attention, and our energy to merely preserving the memory of Jesus, in a building or things we can affix brass plates to, we are called to give the very best we’ve got to the living Christ. Mary’s extravagant act reminds us that an authentic commitment to Jesus will involve giving him the best we’ve got right now to continue his living ministry. Smell the sweet aroma of God’s love here?

It challenges us to let our life be centered on the living Christ in our midst, rather than only telling others about what he once did. It challenges us to respond wholeheartedly to God’s gift of love to everyone. Richard Rohr, who has written a lot about spiritual formation, says: “God does not love us because we are good. He loves us because God is good.” Then he says, “Why can’t we surrender to that?” Smell the sweet aroma of God’s love here?

Mary was responding to God’s love and acceptance she felt in the person of Jesus. For her, it was not the time to talk budgets, but to value the person of Jesus Christ; not a time to be fearful but a time to rejoice. Unlike Judas, and even the other disciples, who were so good, so devout, and so busy being his ‘disciples,’ that they missed the point, she simply breaks the perfume container open and generously spreads its contents over Jesus’ feet. Smell the sweet aroma of God’s love here?

When Christ is everything to us, the future is big. It’s risky. It’s creative. It’s fulfilling. It’s sweet. What lies ahead is no longer scary. Our vision is clear. The goal is within reach. And, the prize is ours. Smell the sweet aroma of God’s love here?

March 14, 2010

2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-32
“As Long As”


The people running things have asked Jesus a question, “Why do you eat and associate with sinners?” And his reply is, ”Let me tell you a story.” His parable of a father and son is one of three – including that of a widow and her coin and a shepherd and his sheep.


This story, like the others, is more about the persistence of the concerned than the lost, found but about - appropriate for our Lenten journey as we continue to examine who we are and “rethink” our life in relation to God. Return to relationship (or reconciliation) is a powerful theme, but it is not an easy thing. It can call for changing habits, changing minds, and changing lives. In this story, we have been asked to see ourselves in its characters – in the young son, the father, the older son, even the neighbors who have watched (and talked about) everything as it has unfolded.


However, a different perspective on today’s reading from Luke might also reveal what a ‘kingdom life’ requires of us, as the church, the body of Christ – in our actions toward “the one who was dead but is now alive.” Whether it is the hungry, desperate for food; the jobless, at the end of their resources; the lonely, with no one to turn to; or those who have turned their back on the church, and yet want to be closer to God - what do we do? How do we respond? What might it mean, this Lent, to be a prodigal church that like the father unconditionally welcomed home his son? How would we behave then?


Barbara Brown Taylor reminds us, "There were not extra steps between the younger son's return and his welcome home party, no heart-to-heart with the old man, no extra chores, no go-to-your-room-for-a-week-and-think-about-what-you-have-done, just a clean robe for his back, and a fine ring for his hand, and a pair of new sandals for his feet." It hardly seems fair, does it?


Are we being asked to allow ourselves to attend ‘their’ party, to celebrate ‘their’ having been found when we have been here all along? When we have been taught or come to believe God loves those who are good more than those who are not, it can be hard to get our minds around the idea God’s love and grace are so unconditional. Is Jesus implying, as a church, we should show a little grace too, loving and accepting others in the same way - unconditionally? Is that what he is saying?


Taylor helps us understand the significance of the parable when she points out the love of a father who "does not love either of his sons according to what they deserve. He just loves them, more because of who he is than because of who they are." " (Taylor's sermon, "The Prodigal Father," is in The Preaching Life) It is easy to focus on our faults and imperfection, thinking ourselves unworthy of God’s love. We might even think that about others. But the way we see things isn’t necessarily the way God sees it.


Paul says, “Regard no one from a human point of view.” In other words, look at others as God does – as “becoming new.” He says “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”


Ours is a persistent God, a god who doesn’t give up on us, or anyone else. That is the good news today.

March 7, 2010

1 Corinthians 10:1-17; Luke 13:1-9

“Rethink or Perish”

In today’s text (Luke 13:1-9), I hear Jesus saying:

The people (those Galileans) who perished at the hands of Pilate or the people who perished when the tower of Siloam fell on them – it is terrible they were not able to live a full life. Likewise, your not being able to live a full and fruitful life (a kingdom of God kind of life) because you have not had “a change of mind and heart”* would be even more terrible.

And yet, a patient God gives all of us (fig trees), even those of us who have yet to produce, the opportunity to live the kingdom life and to be fruitful – from here on out – and that is the good news I share!

The ones who died by Roman hands, and in the collapse of the tower, died suddenly, unexpectedly, and undeservedly. They perished, these people, because they lived in a world of earthquakes and evil people. It wasn’t a matter of their sin. They didn’t bring it on themselves. God didn’t punish them. Their deaths shouldn’t have happened, but they did. Their lives should have been lived, but they weren’t. All that potential, snuffed out in the blink of an eye. What a waste. Jesus reminds his listeners that death can come to us, right now, in the same way. That too would be terrible.

Jesus has been teaching the people “the kingdom is near, as close,” he says, “as my standing here before you – in the ‘kingdom life’ I live.” Come over,” he says, “here with me, and God’s kingdom will be yours. It would be terrible for you to miss out.” The question for all of us today is this: have we moved closer to God or do we hesitate like those who first heard his story of the fig tree and the new life God offered? And do we, like them, run the risk of missing out on something that could be ours now because of our thinking?

It seems pretty clear Jesus is saying, “Repent or perish.” He is very definite that our whole being is at risk if we don’t turn and do something different. There is no question about what he says, but only what his words mean? We probably have a number of ideas what he meant by ‘repent’ and maybe almost as many definitions of ‘perish.’ We might even agree, some of us. And then there may be those who are not really sure what they mean.

If a little word study would be helpful, then please note that ‘repent’ comes from the Latin, "repense." As pense is the root for pensive – thinking, thoughtful, we can assume correctly that implied in the notion of repent is “to rethink.” The Greek word from which the Latin ‘repense’ was translated is metanoia, a compound word meaning “to perceive or think differently after” - a change of mind, a rethinking, with a change of behavior. So, basically, and literally, to repent is to rethink.

That puts a different light on things, doesn’t it? There is no mention about feeling sorry for things done or the regret of things left undone or disappointment with our selves. No mention of sins or personal faults needed to be changed. These are all important in setting things right, but its not really what Jesus is talking about. He’s not talking about my “not being what I should be” but rather my not being where I need to be - “in the kingdom of God that is near.” That requires a “rethinking” of things, doesn’t it? It requires our getting our minds around the idea that Jesus came not to get us into heaven but to get us into God’s kingdom – where we belong – living a ‘kingdom life’ in the here and now - and embracing its possibility. That though requires rethinking what is required of us and for what purpose. It requires us, as Jesus said, to “repent or perish.”

Anglican Reverend Anne Le Bas, reflecting on the Parable of the Fig Tree and our own productivity says, “We are, in a sense, hampered by our "here-and-nowness" - we see the world with a limited view, limited by where we are, who we are, when we are, and it takes real courage to put that aside and consider where others are, what the world looks like to them, or what will happen beyond our own lifetimes.” Imagine, God’s time might not be ours! I don’t know if she would agree, but I might suggest, in the story of the fig tree, Jesus is saying in God’s kingdom, placing our life under the care of the ‘gardener,’ and living life as we are intended to live, our potential to be fruitful will be realized.

The promise of God’s kingdom people is found in the water of baptism – the promise of light, of rainbow, of freedom, of a promised land, of an anointed Son, savior of all the world, of cleansing, of righteousness and of a final victory. It is also found in the bread and the cup of the Lord’s Table – the promise of communion, of sacrifice, of love, and of forgiveness – for all, not because of what we have done but to make us one. Paul writes: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” – 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

Rethink. Look around. The kingdom is near.

[*Brian McLearen, A New Kind of Christianity, writes: “Repent means, literally, become pensive again or have a change of mind and heart.”]