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Our Part in the Fifth Act

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N. T. Wright, the New Testament scholar, helps me understand the Biblical story as a drama with five acts.  The first act is creation, beautiful and good, Genesis 1-2.  The second act is the human rebellion against God (also known as the Fall), Genesis 3-11.  The third act is the entire story of Israel, from Abraham to the Messiah (Paul sketches this out in Galatians 3 or Romans 4).  The story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is the climatic fourth act of the drama, the hinge on which everything turns.  The fifth act is the story of the church beginning with the book of Acts, and this is where we live today.

Wright goes on to explain,   

When we read the story of Jesus, we are confronted with the decisive and climatic fourth act, which is not where we ourselves live – we are not following Jesus around Palestine, watching him heal, preach and feast with the outcasts, and puzzling over his plans for a final trip to Jerusalem – but which, of course, remains the foundation upon which our present (fifth) act is based.    Indeed, telling the story of Jesus as the climax of the story of Israel and the focal point of the story of the creator’s redemptive drama with his world is itself a major task of the fifth act. (The Last Word, N. T. Wright, p. 124)

This story structure is central to our understanding of scripture, how we read and interpret it.  We are still in the story and it has not been completely written, but the main outline is known.  Jesus’ death and resurrection is now our assurance that evil and death has been defeated.    We live in confidence that God has won the war.  There may be individual battles and struggles ahead, times we feel discouraged or in grief.   Yet God’s victory is assured.  The centrality of Jesus’ death/resurrection is why we retell over and over the Good Friday/Easter story every year.

That is also why we can read the story of John 11, the raising of Lazarus, as our story, thinking at times like Martha and Mary that death has won the day.  But we know that Jesus’ resurrection has happened and we live in that new reality.   A new creation is present now and will be fully realized in the future.

How has the story of Jesus become your story?

Trust Live Serve

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Mom and me enjoying a birthday treat

Today is my 57th birthday.  So I am planning to trust, live, and serve in a more intentional way.

First, I will continue to trust that Jesus has a purpose and plan for my life as his child.  I am called to pastor Resurrection Lutheran Church and I trust God is the author of that call.  I also continue to trust in the sinner/saints of this wonderful congregation.

I live as child of God.  Later today I plan to ride my new bicycle for the first time.  Playing is part of living.

I serve.  This morning, my mother and I will go to her lawyer to make some minor adjustments to the Durable Power of Attorney papers that I have for her care. She brought me into the world so the least I can do is make sure she is cared for as she lives with dementia.

 Trust Live Serve.  A good way to celebrate life as one of God’s children.

Martha Thompson Story

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Disappointed Martha

Martha Thompson faced a family crisis.  Her brother was gravely ill, near death, and she turned to someone she trusted.  She asked for her pastor to come, to pray with them.  Martha really loved her pastor and thought he was someone very special, very close to God.  His prayers for the family had always worked in the past and his ministry would be critical for her brother’s healing. 

 Unfortunately, the pastor was out-of-town.  Being the resourceful person that Martha was, she found out where he was vacationing and sent word that he should come right away.

This pastor loved Martha and her family.  He had spent time at their home, eaten at their table and laughed at their jokes.  But after he got the message, he did not come back to town right away.  He deliberately delayed two days before coming.

And by the time he arrived, Martha’s brother had died, a neighboring pastor had done the funeral and the brother’s body had been in the grave for four days.  Needless to say, Martha and her sister Mary were a bit ticked with their pastor.  When they heard he was in town, Martha marched right up to him said,

“Jesus, if you had been here, my brother Lazarus would not have died.” John 11:21

This is the point where our lives intersects with the Biblical story.  When we face disappointments, trials or set backs, we wonder where God is.   What happened to Jesus?  Isn’t Jesus suppose to protect us from such pain and grief?

What amazes me is Jesus’ response.  He reminds her of the resurrection, the hope of eternal life.   Martha responds that such a hope is in the distant future, not much comfort now.  Jesus then gives an incredible promise, a fantastic promise: I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).   Not in the future, “I will be the resurrection,” but right now, in the middle of disappointment, pain and sorrow.  I am the resurrection and the life.

Then to demonstrate the power of his promise, he raised Lazarus from the dead.  

Jesus makes the same promise to everyone who believes in him.  Either this is the promise of a crazy man, or the Son of God.

I get goosebumps when I read this story, especially now that I am serving Resurrection Lutheran Church.  

How have you experienced Jesus’ promise of resurrection and life?

Living Out Your Story

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Jon and Maggie's Story

Last Saturday, my son Jonathan wrote a story that had some odd twists.  He visited some friends in Chicago with his girl friend Maggie.  The main event was to see a Cub’s game at Wrigley Field.  On the way to the game, a friend mentioned that he had made reservation for the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock center.  Jon expressed surprise, while Maggie expressed joy.  She had visited it once before and knew what a special place it was.

Little did Maggie know that Jon was the one who actually made the reservations.  Jon’s plan was to ask her to marry him that evening.  He also arranged to have several of Maggie’s friends join them for the dinner immediately after the proposal.  But he wanted this all to be a surprise.  Even though the two had been discussing marriage for a couple of months, he had not formally asked. He had the ring and approval from Maggie’s parents.  Now he needed to ask prior to the guests’ arrival.

However, as Maggie and Jon approached the elevators for the restaurant, a new wrinkle in the story appeared. They were running a bit late and the line for the elevator was quite long.   Jon was sure one or two of the Maggie’s friend would show up while they waited in line, ruining the surprise.  All his carefully designed plans would be wrecked.

Then a simple act of grace appeared.  A hostess asked if anyone had reservations for dinner.   Since most of those waiting in the line were only going to the observatory, Maggie and Jon were escorted to the front of the line and whisked to the 95 floor.   There he found a quiet spot overlooking the city lights and proposed.  Maggie, surprised and pleased, said YES.  All the special guests arrived and the meal of celebration could begin.

I wonder if the elevator hostess knew what a special gift she was giving that evening.  In a small way it reminds me of the young boy who offers his bread and fish to Jesus; that offering became the feeding of the 5000 (John 6).  We each have parts (big and small) in stories that are being written.  

Jon and Maggie are planning an October wedding.  Their story of celebration continues to be written.

Love to Tell the Story

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One of my favorite hymns is “I Love to Tell the Story.”  

 The second stanza is
I love to tell the story: How pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet! 
I love to tell the story, For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own Holy Word.”

In Acts 10:34-43, Peter tells Jesus’ story to Cornelius and his household with a similar joy.  Peter is delighted to tell them about Jesus Christ and is amazed at how open and receptive they are.  Too often in our culture we have this perception that bearing witness to Jesus Christ is stressful and difficult.  Peter demonstrates that as we follow the Spirit’s prompting, it can be a joyous, amazing event that the Spirit can bless. 

Samaritan Woman meets Jesus at the Well

Tomorrow I am preaching on another story-teller, the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4).  Her encounter with Jesus leads to her spontaneous testimony about Jesus to others in her village.  It is as if a well of joy and excitement has bubbled up inside her.  She is the one of the first evangelist or story tellers in the Gospel of John.   She loves to tell the story!    

My prayer today is simple: 
Lord Jesus, grant me the joyous opportunity to bear witness to your life story.  Your life has changed my life in so many ways; may I bear witness to you today in some special way. Amen.

What story in scripture excites you?

Story “Time”

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Running With Joy?

When we tell stories, we usually leave out the boring, repetitive stuff.   Yesterday I mentioned my story about running or lack of running.  After finishing Grandma’s Marathon last June, I have not been able to run without pain.  I’ve mentioned this before, but have tried not to dwell on it, since my whining will not help me nor edify you.  

In mid February that I mentioned a new physical therapy called Muscle Activation Therapy (MAT).  MAT involved reactivating little used muscles to help stabilize my left hip.  Every morning I go down into the basement to do my series of MAT exercises, which are boring, tedious, aggravating, and humbling.  Each time I remember Shannon’s promise that they will work overtime.  That is the hard part – over time. If my story were a movie, these exercises would be the parts you would fast-forward through.   

But also, if this were a movie, I would yearn for the dramatic crisis point.  I would say something about giving up, packing it in, throwing my running shoes into the garbage can and slamming the lid.  Then I would talk to Shannon and she would tell me to give it one more try . . .  and, after some stiff coaching, I would meekly pull my shoes out of the garbage, tie them on and (drum roll ) begin to run with joy!

My life is not a movie.  I still have my shoes, I still have hope, and I will continue my exercises.  I have noticed that my left IT band is much better and I can walk without pain.  In time, I am hopeful that I will run again.  But right now, I am simply in the boring part of the story.

One caveat.   In my February 11 blog I compared MAT to PAT (Prayer Activated Therapy).   Part of my Lenten therapy is to learn the contemporary wording of the Lord’s Prayer.  Though I still stumble a bit, the stumbling has pushed me to deeper pondering on Jesus’ prayer.  “Lead us not into temptation” versus “Save us from the time of trial.”   Yes, Jesus, save me from my whining, complaining self.  Teach me to be patient in all things and to seek your kingdom.  Amen.

Is your story speeding up, slowing down, stopped or on track?

Stories Shape Us

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The Story of Coke

This morning Rolf Jacobson told a story.  His sixth-grade daughter had a science project in which she tested people’s taste and perceptions.  First she had people do a blind taste test of three cola drinks: Coke, Pepsi and a generic supermarket brand.   Not knowing which cola was which, they split pretty evenly, but the generic was the winner.  Then she had the taste testers go into a second room and try the same three drinks but this time they knew which drink was the Coke, Pepsi and generic.  Coke and Pepsi were the easy winners.   Rolf  saw this as the victory of American brand marketing, a kind of story telling.  We believe in the Coke’s (or Pepsi) story and identify with their products.  Their story has shaped us.

Rolf, a Luther Seminary professor, connected that successful story-telling to the church’s failure to tell the Biblical story in as convincing fashion.  For many the Bible has become a dusty ancient book about some strange people, events and ideas that are jumbled together with God and Jesus.  We recognize bits and pieces of the story, but it rarely has connection to our daily lives.  Though most Lutheran pastors use a Biblical text in their preaching, the over-arching story of the Bible has been lost or never known. 

Rolf has proposed a new worship schedule of Bible readings that would guide a congregation through the Old and New Tesatment story in nine months. More information is at narrative lectionary.

Stories shape us.  Today I had lunch with two running buddies and I realized that running has been one of the stories that has shaped my life for the past ten years.  Because of injury, I miss not being able to run, but I also miss my story/identity as a runner.  I continue my physical therapy in hopes of restoring that activity and identity.   

Still a deeper story is at work.  It’s a story I have heard over and over in worship and study.   My truest identity is as not as a runner, but as a child of God.  Jesus lived, died and rose again to give me that identity and I can not run away from his story.

How does your life story connect with the Biblical story?  Has worship and preaching helped make those connections?

Questions about God and Prayer

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At Resurrection, confirmation students complete sermon notes.  I enjoy reading the questions they write after the sermon is done.  Normally they offer just one, but this past Wednesday one student was truly inspired.  I had preached on Moses and his encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3.   I started the sermon with the verses that come immediately prior:

Hebrew Slaves Cry Out

The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out.  Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God.  God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them. Exodus 2:23ff

The cry of the Israelites created all kinds of questions for the student:

While God’s people were slaves, many died.  Why did He not save them? Why did he wait?  Were they the “bait”/sacrificed for us to grow closer to God? How do you know if God is listening? (you don’t feel he is there.)  Why did God “then” hear their “cries?”

Great questions!    

Though the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for generations (Exodus 1:8), this is the first record of their calling out to God for help.  They may have called out before, but we have no record of it.   God knew their struggle and was preparing a way out of Egypt through his preparation of Moses for leadership.   The cry of the people and God’s call for Moses to lead the people are linked here in Exodus.  God waited both for the people’s desire to leave and for the right leader to be ready.

As to the question of whether we know God is listening, the point is the Israelites did not know at first.   They cried out to God and God chose Moses, even though Moses has no desire to be God’s leader.   Moses was God’s answer to the Israelites cry for help, but they did not know it at first.  In fact, when Moses first arrives they reject him, Exodus 5:21!

The story demonstrates that God’s answers prayers, but not always in the time and way we choose.  We are called to trust God even as we wait.  It also demonstrates that we might become the answer to someone else’s prayers.

When was a time that you had to wait for God’s answer to your cries for help?

Images of Heaven

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Is this a Scriptural Image of Heaven?

Since it is still snowing in Minnesota, I need a brief glimpse of “paradise” to give me hope.  Many of us tend to recreate the new heaven and earth in our own favorite images and struggle with the images that scriptures uses.   Rob Bell in Love Wins has a comical reference to this:

Think of the cultural images that are associated with heaven: harps and cloud and streets of gold, everybody dressed in white robes. (Does anybody look good in white robes? Can you play sports in white robes? How could it be heaven without sports? What about swimming? What if you spill food on the robe?)

All of our images of heaven are somewhat speculative since they are describing something beyond our present ability to comprehend.  All language is symbolic, especially when it comes to God.  C. S. Lewis wrote a wise sermon, called The Weight of Glory.  In it he categorizes the Scriptural images of heaven:

The promise of Scripture may very roughly be reduced to five heads.  It is promised, firstly, that we shall be with Christ; secondly that we shall be like Him; thirdly, with an enormous wealth of imagery, that we shall have “glory”; fourthly that we shall, in some sense, be fed or feasted or entertained; and, finally, that we shall have some sort of official position in the universe — ruling cities, judging angels, being pillars in God’s temple.  The first question I ask about these promises is: “Why any of them except the first?”  Can anything be added to the conception of being with Christ?  . . . . I think the answer turns again on the nature of symbols.

Lewis goes on to describe how we each turn our perception of “being with Christ,” into our own version of what friendship or camaraderie or human love is like here on earth.  Lewis concludes,  

The variation of the promises does not mean that anything other than God will be our ultimate bliss; but because God is more than a Person, and lest we should imagine the joy of His presence too exclusively in terms of our poor experience of personal love, with all its narrowness and strain and monotony, a dozen changing images, correcting and relieving each other, are supplied. 

What image of heaven most surprises or unsettles you?  What could that say about you?

I can’t lose.

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Yesterday I posted on hell; not fun to write.  Today I promised heaven and wonder if it will be as difficult to create.   I certainly can write about “longing” for heaven. 

Life Wins!

Today a cold rain continues to fall with the promise of snow tomorrow.  The calendar says spring, yet my physical  surrounding says “not yet.”  I long for the green and warmth of spring, for the hope of life renewed.

I think yearning for heaven is an appetite within us.  C. S. Lewis wrote extensively about this yearning or desire in his autobiography, Surprised by Joy.   Lewis argued that just like a man in a desert longs for water, so we, as creatures made for heaven, yearn for God’s joyful presence.  This yearning is an indication that we are not just material creatures, but have a spiritual dimension.   How could this spiritual yearning have developed out of only material longings?  We are spiritual beings seeking our spiritual home.

 Rob Bell argues in Love Wins that Jesus came to reconnect heaven and earth.

What Jesus taught, what the prophets taught, what all of Jewish tradition pointed to and what Jesus lived in anticipation of, was the day when earth and heaven would be one. The day when God’s will would be done on earth as it is now done in heaven.  The day when earth and heaven will be the same place.  As it’s written at the end of the Bible in Revelation 21: “God’s dwelling place is now among people.”

Lewis and Bell both believe that Jesus accomplished the reconnection in his life, death and resurrection.  Though we do not fully experience heaven on earth, we do have a taste of the heavenly joy while living in this life.  We begin to become what God created us to be.   And in death we become even more alive in God.  Paul writes about this letter of joy, Philippians 2:21. “To live is Christ, and to die is to gain” or as Eugene Peterson translates it in the Message “Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.”  

In what ways have you tasted heaven here on earth?