The tension between doubt - hope - questions - faith is a very Christian one. Unfortunately, the latest breed of Christianity (in fear) has tried to snuff this tension out. Our inherited enlightenment sensibilities have no room for mystery, dialogue or pain, thus any talk about Heaven and Hell intersecting on planet earth makes for less than thoughtful conversation.
Our default (over the last hundred years specifically) has been to grin and bear this life until we can finally escape this planet. Here vocal branches of Christianity have assumed the role of fear mongering, doomsday prophets announcing a ‘turn or burn’ vendetta from a blood thirsty God.
Thankfully, the Bible makes no mention of such things. Instead we see a pattern, a series of course corrections, and a divine check mate from the Grand Master Himself. The Scriptures tell the story of a God who methodically and ultimately has and will cure humanity of its sin. It’s a tale of a people and planet reclaimed, restored, redeemed and reinvented. A narrative where humanity is invited, yet free to choose, whether or not to participate in the fix-it job. In fact, everyone is in unless they opt out. To opt out is to move in the opposite direction of God’s healing work which ultimately results in humans moving in the opposite direction of who they’re intended to be. So far removed in fact, as CS Lewis puts it, we stop being human all together. Separated from God and distanced from our true selves.
From here the big picture gains new clarity. We track with what God has done; biblical flash-forwards reveal what is to come, and in turn we become aware of the part we were always meant to play.
And what part would that be?
Renewal Artists, working hand in hand with God for the redemption of all things.
Here are some thoughts and ideas from outside sources that have helped influence our learning and action.
"I am and I am not a universalist. I am one if you are talking about what God in Christ has done to save the world. The Lamb of God has not taken away the sins of some — of only the good, or the cooperative, or the select few who can manage to get their act together and die as perfect peaches. He has taken away the sins of the world — of every last being in it — and he has dropped them down the black hole of Jesus’ death. On the cross, he has shut up forever on the subject of guilt: “There is therefore now no condemnation. . . .” All human beings, at all times and places, are home free whether they know it or not, feel it or not, believe it or not.”
But I am not a universalist if you are talking about what people may do about accepting that happy-go-lucky gift of God’s grace. I take with utter seriousness everything that Jesus had to say about hell, including the eternal torment that such a foolish non-acceptance of his already-given acceptance must entail. All theologians who hold Scripture to be the Word of God must inevitably include in their work a tractate on hell. But I will not — because Jesus did not — locate hell outside the realm of grace. Grace is forever sovereign, even in Jesus’ parables of judgment. No one is ever kicked out at the end of those parables who wasn’t included in at the beginning." (Robert Capon)
“Humans give glory to God by excelling at who they have been created to be – by loving one another, by enjoying themselves and each other, by reaching out to one another in cooperation and service, by tending the earth by participating in worship and fellowship, by embracing joy and forgiveness and generosity by seeking the good of all in the good of each.” (Michelle Bartel)
“Understanding your place within Creation means that you see yourself as a part of some greater organism, that the presence of something very holy permeates and unifies all being. It means that you play a sacred role in Creation’s unfolding. And that, when viewed from a point of high enough vantage, everything is revealed to be in the hands of God.” (Rabbi Lawrence Kushner)
“Even when sin is familiar, it’s never normal.” (Platinga)
“Our concern is not finally the origin of evil, the appearance of death or the power of the fall…it is rather the summons of this calling of God for us to be his creatures to live in his world on his terms.” (Walter Bruggemann)
“Hell is where sin eventually leads; it is the endpoint of the path away from God—a state of being outside the presence of God. When we see the worst of what goes on in this world, we can see that hell is not only a place people might go after death, but the condition of destruction and utter misery in which people can find themselves here and now.” (Debra Rienstra )
“In what sense, then, did Jesus declare that the Kingdom of God was present? Our answer must at least begin with His own answer to John: “The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the poor have the Gospel preached to them.” In the ministry of Jesus Himself the divine power is released in effective conflict with evil.” (CH Dodd)
“God will redeem the whole universe; Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning of that new life, the fresh grass growing through the concrete of corruption and decay in the old world. The final redemption will be the moment when heaven and earth are joined together at last in burst of God’s creative energy for which Easter is the prototype and source.” (NT Wright)
“Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth? Ooh heaven is a place on earth They say in heaven love comes first We'll make heaven a place on earth Ooh heaven is a place on earth” (Belinda Carlisle)
“When you set the table
When you chose the scale
Did you write a riddle that you knew they would fail
Did you make them tremble
So they would tell the tale
Did you push us when we fell?”
(David Bazan)
“When Jesus directs us to pray “thy kingdom come” he does not mean we should pray for it to come into existence. Rather, we pray for it to take over all points in the personal, social, and political order where it is now excluded: “On earth where it is in heaven”. With this prayer we are invoking it , as in faith we are acting it, into the real world of our daily existence.” (Willard)
“The gospel, you see, is not just a message for individuals, telling them how to avoid God’s wrath. It is a message about a kingdom, a society, a new community, a new covenant, a new family, a new nation, a new way of life, and therefore, a new culture. God calls us to build a city of God, a New Jerusalem.” (John Frame)
“The church latched on to that old doctrine of original sin like a dog to a stick, and before you knew it, the whole gospel got twisted around it. Instead of being God’s big message of saving love for the whole world, the gospel became a little bit of secret information on how to solve the pesky legal problem of original sin.” (Brian McLaren)
"Even a commitment to an inspired bible is not a commitment to inerrant interpretations." (Gregory Macdonald)
"The christian understanding of hell is crucial for understanding your own heart, living at peace in the world and knowing the love of God" (Tim Keller)
"The concept of eternal punishment does not occur in the Hebrew Bible, which uses the term Sheol to designate a bleak subterranean region where the dead, good and bad alike, subsist only as impotent shadows. When Hellenistic Jewish scribes rendered the Bible into Greek, they used the word Hades to translate Sheol, bringing a whole new mythological association to the idea of posthumous existence. In ancient Greek myth, Hades, named after the gloomy deity who ruled over it, was originally similar to the Hebrew Sheol, a dark underground realm in which all the dead, regardless of individual merit, were indiscriminately housed." (Stephen Harris)
"The only resource powerful enough to both passify the human hearts desire for justice and at the same time keep us from getting sucked into that cycle of blood and vengeance is to say there is a God and he will put everything right. If you think not believing in God is going to keep people from being sucked into the cycle of violence, you're wrong. If you don't believe that there is somebody that is going to make everything right, then you will pick up the sword and you will get sucked in. If you don't believe that the doctrine of of God's judgment is a resource for living at peace on earth you've had a sheltered life. Belief in a God of judgment is crucial for a Croatian to live at peace on earth." (Miroslav Volf)
"First they would threaten sinners with hell. Second, they would extend the reward of resurrection from the heroic martyrs to all good people--good meaning those who fulfilled the Pharisees' idea of good. Finally, they would use the language of hell to accomplish what they felt they needed to accomplish--to frighten sinners enough to repent and change their ways for the good of the nation." (Brian McLaren)
"We tend to try to turn the rich and varied biblical lexicon into a limited range of synonymous technical terms. For example, judgment for us equals hell or condemnation. Condemnation equals hell, etc. We should be more careful than this in assuming words are synonyms, because the Bible is horribly disappointing as a modern-style technical textbook, even of theology. The Biblical lexicon of judgment includes sheol, hades, tartarus, gehenna, the abyss, death, darkness, fire, lake of fire, unquenchable fire, where the worm does not die, the Day, the Day of the Lord, etc" (Maundet)
"Most of the passages in the New Testament which have been thought by the Church to refer to people going into eternal punishment after they die' is not about Heaven and Hell at all. The great majority of them have to do with the way. (NT Wright)
"There was no single concept of hell in Second Temple Judaism but a cluster of images and concepts that held in common the claim that God would bring the wicked to account and punish them. Jesus and his followers took and made use of some of the language and images employed in the discourse of the time without endorsing every aspect of Second Temple Jewish beliefs about this fate." (Gregory Macdonald)
"The Pharisees used hell language one way. Jesus turned it around and used it in the opposite way. They threatened marginal people will hell unless they submitted to their religious dominance. Jesus threatened the religious establishment with hell unless they showed compassion for the marginal people. Hell has been used and abused, back and forth, ever since. He uses power language of hell to disempower the injustice of the powerful and to empower the disempowered to seek justice." (Brian McLaren)
"Contrary to the usual opinion that the good go to heaven and the bad go to hell, Jesus sets up his stories so that goodness and badness don’t count at all in the final judgment. The only thin judged at the end of these parables is faith, not works." (Robert Capon)
"The doors of hell are locked from the inside." (CS Lewis)
"Like the Kingdom of God, the subject of Hell is treated differently among the gospels and other NT writings. In the synoptics, the primary command of Christ seems to be to follow and do the will of God. In John, and in Paul's writings, the prime detective is more often to believe in Jesus, or the gospel. Evangelicals tend to conflate the former into the latter, so that believing in some ways seems to negate the need to follow and do the will of God. Meanwhile, even in Paul's writings, judgment is consistently associated with the phrase 'according to their deeds,' not 'according to their beliefs.' Also, while the synoptics frequently use similar language regarding hell, John uses a different kind of language. So, it seems to me that we are left with an embarrassing failure to take all of Scripture seriously, and we are left with a difficult challenge: how (or whether?) to integrate the various approaches to hell found in scripture." (Maundet)
In the words of a distressed George Costanza, from a now famous Seinfeld episode, "World's are colliding Jerry!" Who knew such a profound theological statement could come from a 90's sitcom?
Worlds are colliding - Heaven and Earth; Hell and Earth. Daily. Each realm leaves its mark on our planet, and as humans we become the vehicles for the arrival and departure of both. Thus from this vantage point, Heaven and Hell are more present day realities than post-death destinations. To focus on the future at the expense of the present would be missing the point completely. So with this shift in perception, as Christians, we move from being escape artists to renewal artists.
Deeper still, any thoughtful conversation about Heaven and Hell eventually leads to a curiosity around God's credibility and character. On a good day, God appears to be a hero, saving the day for helpless humanity. Hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby put it this way:
To God be the glory, great things He has done; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life gate that all may go in.
On a bad day, He's a backstabbing traitor. Hymn writer David Bazan adds this observation:
When you set the table and when you chose the scale Did you write a riddle that you knew they would fail? Did you make them tremble so they would tell the tale Did you push us when we fell? What am I afraid of? Whom did I betray? In what medieval kingdom does justice work this way? If you knew what would happen and made us just the same then you, my Lord, can take the blame
It's going to be an interesting series to say the least.
Be sure then to be part of our Sunday gatherings this October as we talk about "Intersections: Where Heaven, Hell & Earth Collide"
In September of 2009 we discussed what theStory is all about. Call them values, distinctives, or whatever, these are the broad strokes that both shape and empower our community.
Rooted: That God's story (the alternative story to the empire that we find ourselves in) takes root in us and we in turn root wherever we find ourselves.
Tabled: That we are assured a place at God's table and in turn our hope is to be referred to as Jesus was, ‘drinking and eating, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners'.
Risked: That by embracing a holy insecurity, betting it all on God, fear is neutralized and in turn we become our true selves.
Along the way, the following authors and insights helped shape the position of our hearts and minds.
"The God of Scripture spends his time in history wading chin-deep with us through the mud of our sins." (Robert Capon)
"The way of the [Christian] is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much but the way of downward mobility ending at the cross. This might sound morbid and masochistic, but for those who have heard the voice of the first love and said yes to it, the downward-moving way of Jesus is the way to the joy and the peace of God, a joy and peace that is not of this world."(Henri Nouwen)
"It was not enough that we announce the gospel, explain it or whip up enthusiasm for it. [It must be] lived - lived in detail, lived in the streets and on the job, lived in the bedrooms and kitchens, lived through cancer and divorce, lived with children and marriage. (Eugene Peterson)
"The church is then not simply the bearer of the message of reconciliation, in the way a newspaper or a telephone company can bear any message with which it is entrusted. Nor is the church simply the result of a message, as an alumni association is the product of a school or the crowd in a movie theatre is the product of the reputation of the film. That men and women are called together into a new social wholeness is itself the work of God, which gives meaning to history, from which both personal conversion (whereby individuals are called into this meaning) and missionary instrumentalities are derived." (John Howard Yoder)
"The spiritual life is not something we add onto an already busy life. What we are talking about is to impregnate and infiltrate and control what we already to with an attitude of service to God." (Richard Foster)
"Salvation is not only a goal for the afterlife. Salvation is a reality of every day that we can taste here and now." (Henri Nouwen, "Can You Drink the Cup?)
"Over a table of bread and sauces, maybe lamb and spices, Jesus demands the costly allegiance of all present. In the ancient world, when kings and emperors demanded similar allegiance, normally it was done on the battlefield, an army ready to enforce their ruler's decree. From the lips of the Christ comes such a command, not trumpeted on the battlefield, but at, of all places, an ordinary dinner table." (Alan Hirsh, "Exiles")
"This is our vocation: to convert the enemy into a guest and to create the free and fearless space where brotherhood and sisterhood can be formed and fully experienced."
(Henri Nouwen, "Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life")
"The quality of their fellowship broke down their barriers...the home provided the most natural context for gossiping the gospel." (Michael Green, "Evangelism in the Early Church")
"Is the point knowledge, or should it be peace in the mystery of the unknown? Jesus said he came to make the unknowable known, but this is a different kind of known...Its not a ‘I've got all the answers and the corner on God' it's a ‘I know God. Not merely of him, but I know him. We know each other.' There's a beauty and simplicity to that, it takes the pressure off, and transforms Christianity back into its intent: not a system to be saved, but a fraternity/brother and sisterhood of the known."
"The will of God now becomes not the orders of a superior directing what a subordinate must do, but the longing of a lover for what the beloved is. It is a desire, not a performance, but for a person; a wish not that the beloved will be obedient, but that she will be herself - the self that is already loved to distraction. The will of God , seen this way, is not in order to something, but because of Someone." (Robert Capon)
"When the forms of an old culture are dying, a new culture is created by a few people who are not afraid to be insecure. (Rudolf Bahro)
"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
"When the story of these times gets written, we want it to say that we did all we could, and it was more than anyone could have imagined." - Bono.
C.S. Lewis once said that what the church needs is not better arguments, but better metaphors. As we revisit and refresh our values this month, our aim will be to capture through image and metaphor a sense of purpose and direction that will not only frame our learning over the next twelve months, but also influence the trajectory of our community.
"Collected and Told" is about how we gauge health at theStory. Simply put, it's about collecting and telling God stories. Though it may sound like a simplistic or even childlike way to measure success, when you stop and think about it, what has more power and sway than good story? Better yet, what on earth carries more weight than the greatest Story ever told?
"Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive that it gathers all the bits of our past and our present into a coherent whole, one that even shines some light into our future so that we can take the next step...If you want to change a society, then you have to tell an alternative story."
We're doing things a little different this summer with theStory. For starters we aren't doing services every week. Instead we thought we would split some of our gatherings up on Sundays and spread you all out across the city in each other's homes.
We concluded our series on the parables this month looking at the themes of forgiveness and grace. The crux of our exploration was remembering the grace and forgiveness extended to us by God, and in turn extending it freely to others.
It's been said that we need grace when we deserve it least, and at times its easier to agree with the idea of forgiveness then actually allowing it to implicate itself in our lives. As a individuals and a church community, may we see ourselves and others from God's perspective and move our understanding of the gospel from thought to action.
Below you'll find a video clip, key quotes, our original parable on the parables "The One about the Buildings" as well as a series concluding prayer.
"The creation of humanity, in the very image of God, demands full accountability, which means that one must be merciful in the same way that God shows mercy." (Brad Young)
"The kingdom comes with limitless grace in the midst of an evil world, but with it comes limitless demand." (Klyne Snodgrass)
"The creation of humanity, in the very image of God, demands full accountability, which means that one must be merciful in the same way that God shows mercy." (Brad Young)
"Woe to you if you stand on your rights, for God will then stand on his and see that judgment is executed." (Joachim Jeremias)
"But not only do they reject the host , they also prefer other things. God gives the Kingdom; but the accepting of the kingdom of God offers the greatest gifts; but it demands exclusive loyalty and whole-hearted devotion. The great feast is a feast and not a distribution of free rations. Those who wish to enjoy it must come in. They cannot have portions sent out for them to enjoy while they are busy themselves with other things." (TW Manson)
"We are raised, reconciled, and restored not because we are thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent but because we are dead an our life is hid with Christ in God - because, that is, Jesus has this absolute thing about raising the dead. In the Gospels he never meets a corpse that doesn't sit right up." (Robert Capon)
"To be broken is to stand in need of grace. Honesty keeps us in touch with our neediness and the truth that we are saved sinners. There is a beautiful transparency to honest disciples who never wear a false face and do not pretend to be anything but who they are." (Brennan Manning)
"None of the people who had a right to be at a proper party came, and that all the people who came had no right whatsoever to be there. Which means, therefore, that the one thing that has nothing to do with anything is rights. This parable says that we are going to be dealt with in spite of our deserving's, not according to them. Grace as portrayed here works only on the untouchable the unpardonable and the unacceptable. It works in short by raising the dead not by rewarding the living." (Robert Capon)
"Jesus does not here teach either a mechanically operating predestination which determines from all eternity who shall or shall not be brought into the kingdom. Neither does he proclaim that man's entry into the Kingdom is purely his own affair. The two essential points in His teaching are that no man can enter the Kingdom without the invitation of God, and that no man can remain outside it but by his own deliberate choice. Man cannot save himself; but he can damn himself...Jesus sees the deepest tragedy of human life, not in the many wrong and foolish things that men do, or the many good and wise things that they fail to accomplish, but in their rejection of God's greatest gift." (TW Manson)
The Pharisees had a concern for purity at meals that we can hardly appreciate. With such purity concerns, Simon, the host, was convinced that Jesus' tolerance of contact with this known sinner proved that eh could be neither righteous nor a prophet. Two passages from Sirach help to understand the Pharisee's conclusion: 12:14, "So no one pities a person who associates with a sinner and becomes involved in the other's sins"; and 13:17, "What does a wolf have in common with a lamb? No more than a sinner with the devout." One of the most certain facts about Jesus is he associates with the wrong people, people others thought caused defilement, but Jesus did not fear becoming unclean by contact with the unholy. He thought holiness was stronger and more contagious than defilement, and he accepted the woman's actions as righteous and loving. (Klyne Snodgrass)
GRACE BY U2 Grace She takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain She travels outside of karma What once was hurt What once was friction What left a mark No longer stings Because grace makes beauty Out of ugly things Grace finds beauty In everything
The One About the Building: A Parable about the Parables Concept by Darryl Silvestri
In an attempt to position itself for successful ministry, a certain church consulted a renown architect who hailed from outside their town to help design a building that would both meet their needs and propel their efforts forward.
All the usual types that are invited to preside over such decisions were there: The pastor; the rich guy; the general contractor; the visible minority and the token woman.
During the first consultation, the pastor began to explain to the architect what they had in mind. "We need a great building in a great location. It needs to be fresh and unprecedented. It must have landmark qualities and be a safe distance from both the sketchy part of town and the business district to avoid any sort of negative influence. Does that make sense?"
The architect began to furiously scribble down the details then took a moment to sort through his notes and said: "Sounds like you're looking for something that will separate you from the rest. Something that will render your competitors obsolete, an edifice that unmistakably makes a statement."
The committee inched to the edges of their seats and with giddy anticipation awaited the architect's insight.
"Sounds like you're looking for a skyscraper" he announced.
The committee, now shifting uncomfortably back into their seats, looked to the pastor who verbalized what he had quickly gleaned from his team's body language.
"Uh...well...er...I'm not sure if we've explained ourselves very well. What we are trying to say is that we want to serve the public - clean people up and show them the error of their ways. We need to create opportunities for our members to safely and efficiently spread the gospel because after all, this is what we believe God demands."
Feeling confident about their pastor's re-explanation, the team was now at ease. Glancing over the top of his glasses, the architect flipped the page of his notepad and started fresh.
After an extended pause, he smiled, and presented his idea.
"What about some sort of 9-5 drive-thru facility? Your goods and services could be neatly packaged and administered in a speedy fashion. For your protection, and to avoid potentially dangerous or compromising situations, we could outfit the space with state of the art automatic sliding windows, surveillance cameras..."
Before he could finish, and totally out of turn, the rich guy blurted out "No, no. You're not hearing us. You've got us all wrong."
The meeting was not going as smoothly has the pastor had hoped. He began to nervously fiddle with cell phone, flipping it open and closed, open and closed.
"Then help me understand your clientele. Describe your target audience, then perhaps we could bring our ideas closer together" the architect suggested.
"Our community" continued the rich guy, "is primarily comprised of good people that come from good stock. On average our parishioners have a minimum 4 year undergraduate degree, they vote conservative, they've worked hard and earned all they have and our records indicate that the majority live on or near the beach."
"So you want a members only country club?" smirked the architect.
An uncomfortable chuckle swept the room followed quickly by whispering and shaking heads. The pastor sensed that he may be losing control of the meeting. In hopes of re-establishing focus, he called all to attention then re-booted the discussion in a calm and peaceful manner.
"Friends, let's not get off track here. In order for the architect to help us, we need to be very clear with our purpose, mission, vision and values. He can't help us unless we can clearly articulate who we are."
The conversation seemed to suddenly dry up.
Uncomfortable with the awkward moment, the architect spoke up in an effort to jumpstart the conversation and ultimately earn his keep.
"What sort of thing do you people do?" he asked.
Matter-of-factly, the general contractor attempted to paint an accurate picture of their day to day operations.
"Well," he said, "we have staff members with various responsibilities that require rooms and offices to do their jobs. And we obviously hold a church service, so we'll need a space that will accommodate everyone showing up all at once for about two hours once a week. In addition, we're going to need a facility that will be able to track all of our assets to ensure that nothing ever gets misplaced or lost."
The tension was just beginning to ease until the architect suggested that perhaps all they really needed was an office building outfitted with various sized meeting rooms and work spaces.
"We could even install a swipe card system for everything from people to props...you'll never have to worry about losing anyone or anything ever again! We could design a perfectly controlled environment that is organized, professional and task oriented."
The suggestion went over like a lead balloon. The team stared back blankly.
Thoughtfully, the visible minority broke the silence: "Perhaps you misunderstood. We're not just ‘all-business' here. It's not about programs, or services here, what we really want is for people to go to heaven."
Looking around for affirmation from his team, he continued: "I mean, that's it right? Jesus is coming back soon, and we want to be ready. The scriptures say we'll be caught up in the sky with him, so we need something help us help people get to heaven."
The architect took that thought and ran with it. This time, instead of writing he drew up a quick sketch. Then, with best intentions and in all seriousness, turned the sheet over and proudly offered this idea: "What you all need is a sports stadium with a retractable roof. You'll have more than enough space to play in your Christian sport leagues, have your Christian concerts, and hold your Christian conventions, then, in the event that your saviour returns, you pull the roof back, and have easy access to the sky."
He grimaced. But a quick scan of the room revealed that he was alone in his sense of accomplishment.
Back to the note pad.
Again he sketched.
"Well how about this?" he said touching up the drawing as he spoke. "You previously mentioned that you need something distinct yet secure. Something edgy, but respectable. Something to meet the various needs of the individual. And if I'm reading accurately between the lines you need something that is easily accessible yet keeps the right people in and the wrong people out."
He paused to temporarily enjoy what appeared to be the verge of a breakthrough. He'd felt this vibe many times before. The chin holding nods were a dead giveaway.
This time he proudly stood and presented his thoughts and sketch: "I give to you a gated community! The walls will be high enough to keep out the riff raff, but low enough for people to be able to see the individual towers and temples that house and keep track of your people, property and programs. The moat, of course, would be optional."
After a few seconds of silence, the token woman took one last attempt to steer things in a better direction.
"Sir, we don't mean to waste your time, but I don't think you understand where we're coming from. We want to be a community that is known by our love. Grace, forgiveness, mercy are the things that help us understand our God, and we want to embody those very attributes. In essence, we are God's temple."
Confused and obviously disappointed, the architect collected his papers, and proceeded to snap his briefcase shut. Moving towards the pastor, he extended his right hand in closure. The shake was firm yet brief.
Stunned, the team watched as the architect headed straight for the door. Just before stepping out, he paused, turned, and addressed the room:
"I cannot help you."
The Parables Prayer
Father,
Help us understand your kingdom That when we fall asleep, it keeps on going That, for a time, good and evil inevitably co-exist Where we think it's small, it's how you like it When we think it's not there, it's everywhere That it has more value than our eyes can see
Give us grace to understand your grace That we receive your grace not based on who we are but because of who you are When we think we have arrived and have it all together Humble us quickly, for we are sinners
Give us courage to follow in Jesus' footsteps Point us to the better ground to build Help us see truth inside of ugliness Help us see love inside of foolishness Remind us that we are equal No better than our fellow man Remind us of our value as your sons and daughters Remind us of the cost of following you fully
We can't find ourselves We can't make it easier to find us We are just lost, waiting for you to find us When you find us, we will party We will party because you have brought us home
Even though your net of grace gathers up everything in its path We still want to do the sorting for you We have our own standards in what we think is good May we quit our book-keeping Your scales are different, and nothing like ours Your timing is different, we like to rush Eventually the bad will be sorted out Sorted by grace, not revenge
So many things get in our way Money is the worst We think it gives us security and hope for our future But it doesn't Money is to give, not to receive Money doesn't have value, and the lack of it doesn't remove value Help us not to be controlled by what we have or don't have Help us love, rather than control
Thank-you for forgiving us For our multitude of sins Let us wear your clothing of forgiveness Into every relationship we have May we forgive others, as you have forgiven us
May your stories sit in our minds Expressed through our hands Spoken from our mouths May we follow you to the end of the line May we follow you to the losers May we follow you to your death So you can give us true and beautiful life
The conversation and thought that has arisen from our "Uncommon Cents" series has been encouraging. As we've wrestled with the scriptures it seems they've put us at odds with ourselves. Facing into what Jesus said about money, possessions, stewardship and taking care of the poor forces us towards honest self-inventory and response.
May we, as individuals and a community, hold people tightly and possessions loosely. May we die to ourselves and live selfless lives, full of grace and love. And may we spend ourselves, on behalf of God and his Kingdom, for the benefit of those whom we are responsible for.
Below we've listed some the best quotes, video clips and article links from this past month. At the end of the post you'll also find a prayer & response written by Nathan that was part of our series.
"Churches and individuals rarely actually discuss or hold the community accountable for responsible, kingdom-driven decisions regarding finances. Such discussions would lead to the reduction of hoarding and consumerism, change how we view and attain security, enable various ministries and relieve the plight of the poor. Economic decisions are not easy, but the church should not only lead the way but demonstrate by its use of money the reality of its gospel." (Klyne Snodgrass)
"Christians are dominated by the same concern as the rest of society, but Jesus teaching is intended to give us a different set of concerns."(Klyne Snodgrass)
"We quit thinking of wealth as love to be shared and begin calculating it as power to be used. We reinterpret our wealth and position as something we are in charge of and others as the poor that we must organize and direct and guide. As we do it, it feels good. We are in charge. We don't need others. We are in control. We know more than others, we have more experience. We are going so much good! We need a bigger barn. In order to be more effective in our use of what we have we accumulate more, extend our influence. We become very busy doing good, because when we are very busy we don't have time for building the more demanding and difficult personal relationships of love. Building barns, which is so obviously a good thing, doesn't leave much energy left over for the time-consuming work of loving our neighbours, let alone our God." (Eugene Peterson)
"The parable is not, as often supposed, a description of the afterlife, warning people to be sure of their ultimate destination...The reality is uncomfortably different...it's about what was happening to the rich and poor in the present time. Jesus' welcome of the poor and outcast was a sign that the real return from exile, the new age, the ‘resurrection', is coming into being; and if the new age is dawning, those who want to belong to it will have to repent." (NT Wright)
"...personally, but not individualistically. In the biblical story repentance cannot be narrowed down to something private, such as being sorry for your sins and ready to make amends. The aim is to return to God and the ways of God with his people. To return to the Story and everything and everyone in the Story. It has to do with entering a new way of life, taking up membership in the kingdom of God. Jesus is calling men and women to join him in a way of life that wills inclusion in the kingdom." (Eugene Peterson)
"The kingdom of God is proclaimed as good news and everyone enters into it violently. Once again, Luke is on target: it is not success of any kind that saves - not even success in keeping the law; it is only the violent disruption of all success proclaimed by the Gospel of death and resurrection that can lead to true life in the kingdom." (Robert Capon)
"As early as Ambrose we are cautioned against sanctifying all poverty and vilifying all wealth, which is fair enough. Poverty is not a gift from God, but a problem - often the result of sin by numerous people - that needs relieving. Wealthy may indeed be a blessing of God and the result of hard work, but also ‘Property is a veil for many evils.' What the parable attacks is a particular kind of wealth, wealth that does not see poverty and suffering. It attacks the idea that possessions are for one's own use and that they are owned without responsibility to God and other people. This is not as some have feared an opiate for the poor which will keep them satisfied with a handout. The parable does not tell us how the wealthy are to assist the poor, but it insists that the poor are brothers and sisters of the wealthy and that the justice of the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty cannot be tolerated." (Klyne Snodgrass)
"We are the rich man. We belong to that third of humanity which is concerned with slimming cures, while the other two-thirds are concerned with hunger." (Helmut Gollwitzer)
"The way of the [Christian] is not the way of upward mobility in which our world has invested so much but the way of downward mobility ending at the cross. This might sound morbid and masochistic, but for those who have heard the voice of the first love and said yes to it, the downward-moving way of Jesus is the way to the joy and the peace of God, a joy and peace that is not of this world."(Henri Nouwen)
God, thank-you for your blessings Thank-you for our wealth Thank-you for our community
Let us not turn your blessings into curses Let us not hoard your wealth as if it's ours Let us not focus on ourselves but each other
God, thank-you for this story Thank-you for the barns we already have Thank-you for our full stomachs
Let us tell this story with humility Let us not be afraid of empty barns Turn our ears to empty stomachs and hearts
God, thank-you for your story Thank-you for grace when we fail Thank-you for your promise of abundance
Let us not turn your story into selfishness Allow our failure to highlight your grace May we build different kinds of barns May we throw different kinds of parties
God, even though we are poor Let us make many rich Even though we are sorrowful Let us always rejoice Even though we have nothing May we possess everything.
Below you'll find some images and the original liturgy written for, and experienced at theStory this past Good Friday. Check it out, relive the moments, share it, take your place at the Table.
Handles Feb 2010 Roundup If Scripture is a means of God’s self revelation, then understanding it (on its terms and not ours) is of primary import ... Readmore...
FORECAST - HANDLES From whisper to print then back to whisper. Living and life giving, the Scriptures are a collection of images, a series ... Readmore...
ROUND-UP - DISLOCATED Jeremiah 29:4-14 tells an old story that intersects with our present day story. Israel’s elite were in exile, God’s divi ... Readmore...
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