Category Archives: Jesus

Light Work

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Shoemaker as Light to the World

Jesus declared, “You are the light of the world. . .  Let your light shine before others so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14). I am convinced that our light is to shine in our workplaces, however challenging that might be.  The challenge can come in various ways as we seek to love our neighbor through our work.

I have adapted a story (attributed to Martin Luther?) that helps illustrate the idea that our vocation (calling) is to love our neighbor and by doing that we glorify God.  A cobbler was noted for making very good shoes and he had many customers who valued his craftsmanship.  One day the cobbler had a spiritual awakening and decided he needed to make a more overt witness to Jesus.   He determined that he would place a cross on every pair of shoes as a testimony to God.   At first his customers had no strong reaction, they liked his shoes and the cross was okay.  However the cobbler began to spend more and more time on the crosses and less and less time on the shoes themselves.  The quality of the shoes began to suffer and his customers were disappointed   They first came because they needed good shoes; now they had to go elsewhere to find the shoes they needed.

The cobbler loved his neighbor when he made good shoes for them.  When he neglected that calling, his neighbor and his business suffered.  The cobbler had a good intention when he wanted to bear witness to Jesus by attaching crosses to the shoe.   To bear evangelical witness to Jesus is part of our calling as Jesus’ disciples.  We can pray for opportunities to bear witness to Jesus at work.  There are  times and ways to speak to our faith in Jesus, even at our work place.  Yet the very quality of the work we do can be a light to the world.     

We all have gifts and talents that are needed in the world.  By doing that work well we glorify God in heaven.  We make “Light Work.”

How does God’s light shine at your workplace?

God at Work

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God at Work

Today I read Pastor Tim Keller’s comments about serving God in the work place.  Tim is no relative of mine, but I like the way he thinks, especially being a Presbyterian quoting Martin Luther.  You can check his remarks yourself at http://bit.ly/i77xMD.  A key concept for Keller is Luther’s “Priesthood of All Believers.”  Luther was commenting on I Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.”

One does not need to be in the church to serve God.  As a pastor I like it when people volunteer and serve in our congregation.  I often give them special recognition and encouragement.  But the congregation is only one place where a Christian can serve God.  God’s work is not limited to congregations, important as they are.  

I serve God as I love my neighbor, which I can do in various ways.  I love to quote Dr. Marc Kolden, “God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does!”  And we love our neighbor through our daily work as a spouse, parent, worker, community leader and citizen.  The home, the office, and the community are as vital to God as the congregation.

For example, if one owns a small manufacturing company that makes machine parts for cars, the owner loves his neighbor in at least two key ways.  The company is helping provide necessary transportation (car parts) as well as providing employment to the workers.  God would want the owner to be fair and equitable with the employees and with the customers.   In this way God is working through the owner.  God does this with farmers, salespersons, artists, nursing aides, and even politicians.  As Luther wrote, these are the “masks God wears” to accomplish God’s task on earth. 

For sure, we live in sinful, broken world, in which people take advantage of each other.  As sinful human being we can turn work into a false god that consumes our lives.  We can make monetary profit the god that rules our lives.    We need God’s grace mediated through Jesus Christ to call us back to the vibrant life.  And the church can be a community that helps us stay faithful to God’s call at work.

How have you loved your neighbor this past week?

Salt of the Earth?

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A Mountain of Salt

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt loses it taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot” (Matthew 5:13).  Such a metaphor raises all kinds of questions for me.  Salt seems so ordinary and mundane, something we take for granted.   Yes, it is necessary for making a fine meal, but it is the exotic spices and herbs that get the attention.  Salt brings out other  flavors, but who wants a dish with too much salt?

Years ago, on April 1st, my older sister pulled a practical joke on my siblings by mixing a large quantity of salt into the sugar bowl.  At breakfast, as they spooned sugar on to their cereal, she watched us carefully, saying nothing.  When they took their first bite and then spit it all out, she burst out laughing.   But my mother was not too pleased with the wasted cereal. My sister had to clean up the mess from too much salt. 

When Jesus spoke, salt was used in Jerusalem for temple sacrifices, “You shall not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant with your God; with all your offerings you shall offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13).  Could Jesus be inferring that our lives are to be an offering to God, a gift for God to use?  Could we be part of God’s covenant to renew and restore the earth?  Do I enhance God’s flavor in the world?

And just how does salt lose its saltiness?   Perhaps it means that the salt is polluted with impurities and stray matter.   In Exodus 30:35 God instructs the Israelites to make a prayer incense that includes salt, “seasoned with salt, pure and holy.”  I know that my own life at times becomes polluted in ways not pleasing to God.  How will I know when I have lost my saltiness?  Does the community have a role in helping me stay salty?

Jesus’ last phrase about salt being trample under foot makes me smile. In Minnesota there is plenty of salt being spread on roads, bridges, and sidewalks for us to trample upon.   Jesus did not concern his audience with the ice-melting properties of salt, but it is a critical part of our culture. Road salt covers my car after yesterday’s snowstorm, yet I am thankful for its ability to clear road ice. 

What thoughts comes to your mind when Jesus declares, “You are the salt of the earth“?

Celebration of Vibrant Life

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Celebration in the midst of the darkness

What a celebration of talent and joy I experienced  Saturday night at Resurrection’s Variety Show!  I was amazed not only at the wealth of talent displayed, but by the audience participation in the show.   People were clapping, shouting, cheering and affirming all who stood on stage.  It was truly a community celebration of life and joy.  Even the Silent Auction was a  noisy buzz of activity and friendly competition.

It was a creative expression of Epiphany, the light coming in the midst of darkness.  Perhaps I have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder (perhaps all Minnesotans have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder in January) but I needed a celebration in this snowy winter and the Variety Show provided it.   Joy is a hallmark of Jesus’ followers and I felt that this was a brilliant witness to that joy.  Thank you to all who made the evening vibrate with holy hilarity!

I am also struck that it was a community event in which a large part of the congregation participated.  From children to seniors, from set-up to clean-up,  each person gave to the whole.  As the body of Christ, we each have different gifts and strengths to add to the work of God in the world.   Earlier Saturday morning, a group from Resurrection went to the Disable Veteran Camp on Big Marine Lake to help assemble furniture for new cabins.   Though there was not wild cheering or applause, people experienced God’s joy as they helped others in need.  It was a celebration of service, which is a key part of the vibrant life in Christ.  

 I look forward to seeing how Resurrection Lutheran Church will continue to bear witness to Christ’s power in the world.   Every congregation is called by God to used its gifts, strengths, abilities, and passion to bring God’s light into a dark world.  Every congregation will celebrate and serve in unique ways with its own creative twist.  I am so excited to serve among God’s people here.

What creative ways have you seen congregations live out Christ’s mission?

“Come and See” Invitation or Command?

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Jesus said, "Come and See"

After Jesus’ baptism, two of JB’s disciples began to tag after Jesus (John 1:35-39).  Jesus spotted these secretive observers and asked a deep question, “What are you looking for?”  I could write my whole Sunday sermon on Jesus’ question. What are we looking for when we come to prayer, Bible study, or worship? 

The two responded with their own question, “Rabbi, where are you staying?”  Again, one could dwell with that question for a long time; where is Jesus staying today?  Where do we find him?  Is he in the obvious or in the hidden? 

Then came Jesus’ response, “Come and see.”   I have often thought of these words as a gracious invitation to explore a relationship with Jesus Christ.  As if Jesus were giving the two followers the choice on whether to stay with him or go someplace else.  In our American culture, we like to have choices, options, possiblities.  We want to decide what we do or don’t do.   And so we see this word of Jesus as a choice.  A choice that seems to ebb and flow in our lives among the many choices.  Some days we respond with joy; some days with hesitation or fear. 

But could “come and see” be more like a command or declaration?   Like when Jesus commands the sea to be calm or when Lazarus is raised from the dead (John 11)?   Later Jesus declared, “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me” (John 6:44).  The two disciples responded as if it was a command. “They came and saw where he was staying” (John 1:39).  

Could it be that our faith is more a gift of God than a heroic choice by us?  I find comfort and hope in the promise that the Father draws me to Jesus.  Some called it “irrestible grace.” Jesus pulls me along, rather than me running to catch up.  The more I think about it the more I am looking forward to preaching on Sunday!

How have you experienced the pull of God in your spiritual life?

Microwave or Crockpot?

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This Sunday the gospel text will center on Jesus’ call of his first disciples (John 1:35-42). I am amazed at how quickly the first disciples responded to the call to follow Jesus.  They expressed no hesitation or reluctance.  In all four gospel  they immediately dropped everything and followed Jesus.  Their instant faith surprises me.

Are you like a microwave?

Several  years ago Pastor John Hogenson introduced me to the concept that some people are like microwaves, others are like crock pots.   He was not referring to their taste in foods, but to their speed in making decisions.   Some people are quick to process information and make decisions.  They see the opportunity and take it right away.   People may see the microwavers as courageous and decisive while others see them as brash and reckless.  I think many of Jesus’ disciples were like microwaves.  The best example may be Peter when later he asked to join Jesus in walking on the water (Matt 14:28-29).

Or like a crock pot?

Other people may be more like a crock pot.  They need time to process information before they make a decision. They want to “sleep on it” before they discern the proper couse of action. They may appear methodical or sluggish to others.  Over the years, I have learned that I am more like a crock pot (not to be confused with crackpot!) than a microwave.   I do eventually decide, just not immediately.  I struggle with the quickness of the disciple’s embrace.   I identify more with Moses and his hesitation at the burning bush (Exodus 3).  

Whether you are a microwaver or a crockpotter, all of us are called to respond to Jesus’ call eventually.   To push the analogy, we need to “get plugged in” to the true source of power so that we can “serve the meal.”  We need to trust in Jesus and discover our specific call in God’s kingdom.   All of us have a role to play, whether in a hurry or in time.

What image or analogy would you use to creatively describe your spirituality?

Is Baptism Required?

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Yesterday, after preaching on Jesus’ baptism, a confirmation student asked, “Do you need to be baptized to go to heaven?”   My quick response is that baptism is a gift from God for us.  God’s grace is not limited or restricted to baptism. It is not required. Rather baptism is a way for God to show us his love for us so why not be baptized?  

In college I was active in a multi-denominational Christian fellowship with Roman Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians and others.  We all shared a love of Jesus and God’s Word.  We studied, prayed and shared life together without rancour until my senior year when a new student arrived with a different message.   She believed that the only true Christians were those who followed a set pattern of conversion and baptism.   A person needed to confess Jesus as Lord, be taught certain doctrines and then baptised in a special way to be a true Christian.   Her teaching pulled people out of our collaborative fellowship group and caused painful conflict within our Christian community.   I believe she took what was the gift of baptism and turned it into legalistic ritual.  She took the gospel and turned it into law. 

Still, even as a gift, baptism has a harsh quality to it.  The reluctance of cats to be baptized is a metaphor for our reluctance to die to our old self and live for Christ (Romans 6:6).   My old self does not want to die, but rather control life, religion, family, even God.  Yet that rebellious part of me, the old Adam, needs to die and be reborn: today, tomorrow and into eternity.  As Martin Luther says in the catechism,  our baptism is a daily reminder to repent of our sins and rise up to live before God.   I rejoice in that promise of God’s grace at work in us.

Does your baptism still hold meaning for you today?

Water Thoughts

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Elwah River in Olympic National Park

Water images have dominated my thoughts this week.  Gary Bailey’s funeral (see 1/5 post), the Life of Pi,  and my Sunday sermon all have strong water themes.   The Life of Pi centers on a sea survival story; my sermon will be on Jesus’ baptism.   Water evokes both fear and hope, death and life.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I saw a lot of water.  On a clear day my family home had a view of the Puget Sound, but I also experienced plenty of clouds and rain.   The abundant rain kept everything green and alive, but when I had to deliver the afternoon newspaper, rain could make the load and route miserable.  While backpacking in the  mountains I would marvel at how glaciers of ice carved such spectacular landscape.   Yet when it became necessary to cross glacier-fed rivers, I realized that with one wrong step I could easily become one of boulders tumbling towards the sea.

In the Bible water is a symbol of the chaos and destruction as well as life.  In Genesis 1:2, the water is part of the dark void before God’s creative Word is spoken.  In Exodus the Red Sea destroys the Egyptian army while providing a means of escape for the Israelites.   In I Kings  17-18, a drought is a sign of God’s displeasure with King Ahab, but later Elijah demonstrates God’s power to bring healing rain.  Jesus calms the stormy sea that threatens life in Mark 4 while in John 4 Jesus offers the Samaritan woman living water.  Water can destroy or give life.

What water image brings you life or hope?

“I am a Runner” video

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Grandma's Marathon with Son

Today a running buddy sent me a hilarious YouTube video that captures some of the zany conversations I have during my preparation to run a marathon.  http://youtu.be/Cw5MHsO-JI8   Some people see addicted runners as simply crazy.   Perhaps it is fortunate that I have been injured this winter, so the members of Resurrection Lutheran, my new congregation, have not been subjected to this conversation.  But come spring?!

On a more serious note,  I also wonder if conversations about spiritual matters can have a similar effect on the non-believer.  Can someone with a passionate faith in Jesus Christ come across as so weird, that it repels rather than attracts?   Especially if the conversation is so one-sided as this one.  On the other hand, it was the vitality and joy that I saw in so many runners that drew me into the fold.  Isn’t that true for the faithful as well?

Questions to ponder

River Prayer

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St. Croix River

Yesterday I preached at Gary Bailey’s memorial service and I was struck with his love of rivers.  He grew up on the Mississippi River, went to school in Winona, MN and often recreated  on the St. Croix.  His daughter remembered a shared St. Croix canoe trip in the rain.   A friend told a story about camping on a St. Croix Island and how Gary tried to share a sleeping bag with him (by mistake!).  Rivers flowed through Gary’s life.

The psalmist writes, there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High (Psalm 46:4).  God delights in rivers and the scripture is full of river images, from the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the river of life in Revelation 22.  I often visualize God’s grace and love as a river that flows all around us.  As a result rivers have flowed into my prayer life.

 My prayer has become, “Lord, lead me in your river of life.  Teach me to trust in your stream of grace and to work towards what you are doing.  I don’t want to fight your current, but rather flow with you.”  The Lord’s Prayer states, “your kingdom come, your will be done,” which means that I want to align my will and my activities with God’s will and activities.  Prayer is getting into God’s flow.  

Have you ever experience God’s grace flowing in your prayers?  Or had times of drought?