February 24th, 2013 Luke 13:31-35

Luke 13:31-35 

31At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to Jesus,

"Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you."

32Jesus said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me,

'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures

today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.

33Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way,

because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.'

34Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!

How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

35See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Which would you rather following a fox, or sitting with a hen?

In this passage Jesus laments that Jerusalem has chosen to follow Herod the fox, instead

of Jesus the mother hen. The Pharisees have come to warn Jesus that Herod wants to kill him. It seems a concerned gesture, and maybe it is, but Jesus knows that their alliances are still to Herod, for he says to the Pharisees, “Go and tell that fox for me.” He knows that the Pharisees, and Jerusalem with them, are unable to give up their allegiance to Herod the fox. Perhaps they are scared of disobeying Herod, they have seen him jail and kill John the Baptist. Perhaps they are in awe of his power, Son of Herod the Great crowned by Cesar Augustus. Perhaps they are jealous of Herod’s wealth, of his cunning, with his massive building projects, creating capitals and naming cities. It would be hard not to want to follow Herod the fox. It is so much more enticing to follow the fox, than to sit under a mother hen.

Which would you rather following a fox, or sitting with a hen? The fox is alluring and

adventurous. I imagine it quietly, carefully, quickly crossing the snowy landscape undetected. In a fortuitous glimpse power exudes from its primal nature as a hunter, and beauty befalls its graceful shape and covetous fur coat. Oh to follow a fox.

Do you know a fox? I know a few. They are the friends whom I am fascinated to watch,

charmed just to be around. The friend who travels the world like a drug, and upon return gives me my fix by regaling me with stories I long to have lived. The friend whose beauty enchants a room as if her life was lived in candlelight, yet even in the dim dark I can see the burns caused by her uncautious flame. The friend whose mastery of language delivers her everyday words with the power of a great speech, yet leave me wondering about the vulnerability it hides. The foreign friend whose hands alone emanate sexuality, yet unaware of her nature she pursues each person in the room. The nomad I know whose life seems vacation after vacation, utterly fantastic, but for friendships and a sense of home. The high-school friends whose Facebook pages I browse to get a glimpse of wealth, fame, and power, all the while imaging myself in the picture. I know foxes. I used to love foxes. I used to live by the Jack Kerouac quote,

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad

to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the

same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing,

but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding

like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue

center-light pop and everybody goes "Awww!”

I used to love the foxes, the ones with power of one kind or another, the ones whose lives

seemed an adventure, a secret show, the ones who let me tag along, and bask in their glorious light. Its hard not to want to follow the foxes. Its hard not to want to be a fox. Its hard to even blame the foxes, for their cunning, clever, and sly ways seem to be their created nature. It would be hard not to want to follow Herod. Herod with the power over Jerusalem. Herod who held the fate of the prophets in his control. It would be hard not to want to follow Herod the fox.

The people in Jerusalem had chosen to follow the fox, and Jesus laments, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and

you were not willing!”

“Jerusalem, And I think we can relate because which would you rather follow, a fox, or a hen? The hen is ugly and boring. In plain tan feathers it simply sits covering its chicks. Vulnerable it watches the world with its beady eyes, helpless to a predator’s attack, but for savage squawks of no avail, the hen focused only on the survival and care of its children. Jesus, likewise, unglamorously dressed in plain tan clothing the little he owned, walking from town to town, clucking at anyone who would listen, even the downtrodden and the outcasts. Jesus spending his life casting out demons and performing cures. Jesus living a life of rejection. Jesus helpless to a predator’s attack, but for savage squawks of no avail having been forsaken on the cross. Jesus the hen focused only on the survival and care of her children. It is not hard to choose the fox.

I myself used to love the foxes. But these days there’s something appealing about a

mother hen. There’s something appealing about the friend who gathers you in and wraps you in down. Do you know any mother hens? I’ve been noticing the mother hens more lately. The once divorced woman in her fifties who made a point to pull me away from my friends as we were packing for an adventure, and in a short five minutes named the biggest pains of divorce and also gave me hope. My little sister who has always sent homemade cards to express her love. The local pastor’s group who has welcomed, encouraged and valued me, even though our theology is vastly different. The new friend who in a sentence taught me something about my life I didn’t know. The old friend who calls every couple months to check in and remind me I am a precious chick. These days I long to sit under the mother hens. I long to be with the ones who offer care, and love, and shelter. I long not for a happy, adventurous life, I long for a life of peace and comfort. Its a hard switch to go from following the fox to sitting with the hen. But these days I

long to sit under the mother hens and I long to be a hen for other chicks.

I long to be the friend who is plain, and stable, and says commonplace things, is desirous

of nothing, but helps others to shine, shine, shine, like fabulous yellow candles bringing light to darkness, and in the middle you see the center flame burning for Christ and in its bright witness everybody is draws nearer to the sacred, the scared that is found in a mother hen gathering her brood under her wings.

Are you willing to give up following the fox, to sit with the hen? The people of Jerusalem

were unwilling and Jesus left them to their houses, saying, “I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'" And then all they will know of Jesus is his march toward death, and their palms will wave, and they will recognize him as king, but they will have lost the chance to sit with hen in the peace that lies under her wings. Which will you choose this Lent? Are you willing to give up following the fox, to sit with the hen? Or will you not see Jesus again until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

February 10th, 2013 LUKE 4:1-13

LUKE 4:1-13
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

The devil said to him,
"If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become a loaf of bread."
Jesus answered him,
"It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
And the devil said to him,
"To you I will give their glory and all this authority;
for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.
If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours."
Jesus answered him,
"It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only God.'"

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,
saying to him,
"If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,'
and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus answered him,
"It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"


When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.


They say the devil wears a disguise. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what we
want. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what even Jesus wants. Maybe the devil’s
disguise is made to look good, to look righteous, and even holy. For isn’t it good, isn’t it
righteous, isn’t holy, isn’t Christ-like to feed the hungry?

Jesus is hungry, forty days worth of hungry, and the devil reminds Jesus, “Since you are
the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf bread,” and what’s so wrong with that?
What is wrong with the devil beckoning Jesus to eat, beckoning Jesus to use his power to feed
himself. Later in Luke, there will be 5,000 people who come to hear Jesus, and they are hungry,
standing all day listening to lectures in the hot sun without having eaten hungry. All that is there
to feed these 5,000 bellies is five loaves and two fish. The disciples want to send the people on to
eat and to rest, and yet Jesus has the power to feed them. And he feeds them, with five loaves and
two fish. Is anything wrong with that? Is anything ever wrong when we feed the hungry? Isn’t
feeding the hungry intrinsically good, by its nature righteous, and by Christ’s example holy? Isn’t
it? The devil is asking Jesus to do no more for himself, than Jesus will do for thousands upon
thousands of others.

And perhaps this is why Jesus refrains. Because Jesus did not come for his own power, he
came to show the glory of God to the people. I imagine even in hunger, out in the middle of the
desert, alone with the devil, Jesus knew if commanded the stone to become bread, there would
not be 5,000 people to witness it, and to become full from its bounty. There would not be 5,000
people to watch him lift the bread toward heaven, bless them, and break it, giving it for their
hunger in belly and Spirit. Jesus did not go out into the desert to test his power for himself. He
was led by and filled with the Holy Spirit that he might prepare to show the glory of God to the
people.

So, is anything ever wrong when we feed the hungry? Isn’t feeding the hungry
intrinsically good, by its nature righteous, and by Christ’s example holy? Perhaps so, but I
believe we are not filling backpacks and breakfast bellies merely for the sake of relieving hunger,
perhaps there is a higher calling, to be full of the Holy Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, and to show
the glory of God to the people. "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

They say the devil wears a disguise. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what we
want. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what even Jesus wants. Maybe the devil’s
disguise is made to look good, to look righteous, and even holy. For isn’t it good, isn’t it
righteous, isn’t holy, isn’t Christ-like to want Jesus to be in power over all the world? From the
desert place, the devil led Jesus up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been
given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be
yours."

I imagine Jesus looking down over the kingdoms of the world. I imagine him seeing in
Rome alone thousands of political prisoners; I imagine him wanting to set the captives free. I
imagine him seeing slaves in the fields, and women treated and chattel; I imagine Jesus wanting
to bring good news to the oppressed. I imagine Jesus seeing those cast out because of illness; I
imagine Jesus wanting to heal the sick. I imagine Jesus seeing great wealth and great poverty all
at once; I imagine him wanting to show love to all. And what’s so wrong with that? If Jesus was
given the authority of all the kingdoms of the world at that one moment wouldn’t life be good,
righteous, and even holy. Wouldn’t it? What’s so wrong with that? The devil is asking Jesus to do
no more for himself, than Jesus will do for thousands upon thousands of others.

And perhaps this is why Jesus refrains. Because Jesus did not come for his own power, he
came to show the glory of God to the people. If he took the devil’s authority over all the
kingdoms of the world, there would be no story of the woman at the well, but there might be a
story of someone throwing the first stone. There would be not parable of the good Samaritan, and
the prodigal son might not have been welcomed home. The blind man would remain blind as
well as blamed for his blindness, and the lepers would have never been greeted by the Son of
God. A rich man would attempt to get into heaven and a camel likewise through the eye of a
needle. The money changers tables in the temple would never have been turned over and the
Pharisees never questioned. Jesus would have never preached the year of jubilee to his
hometown. And that young man from Nazareth would never come riding into town on a donkey,
the people would never wave palms, and lay down their coats, because Jesus would have already
been king. The devil would be worshiped. Jesus did not go out into the desert to test his power
for himself. He was led by and filled with the Holy Spirit that he might prepare to show the glory
of God to the people.

So, is anything ever wrong when we seek power for good? Isn’t freeing the captives,
bringing good news to the oppressed, showing love to both the rich and the poor, and healing the
sick intrinsically good, by its nature righteous, and by Christ’s example holy? Perhaps so, but I
believe we do not gather as a church simply to be powerful enough to send cards and meals to
the sick and grieving, simply to be powerful enough to welcome the lonely into our fellowship
hall, simply to be powerful enough to teach our children right from wrong. Perhaps there is a
higher calling, to be full of the Holy Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, and to show the glory of God
to the people. "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only God.'"

They say the devil wears a disguise. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what we
want. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what even Jesus wants. Maybe the devil’s
disguise is made to look good, to look righteous, and even holy. For isn’t it good, isn’t it
righteous, isn’t holy, isn’t Christ’s call to overcome death? “The devil took him to Jerusalem, and
placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw
yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to
protect you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot
against a stone.'"

What is so wrong with the devil asking Jesus to overcome death? Is this not what our
entire scripture is based on? Do we not hear stories of the stone rolled away, of Jesus rising from
the dead, of Jesus appearing to Mary, and then to the disciples? Do we not fill this church on
Easter? Do we not know the story of Lazarus who had been dead in the tomb four days and Jesus
shouting “Lazarus, come out?” The dead man came out, his hands and feet were wrapped with
strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.” Do we not know the story of Tabitha who was dead
in the upper room, and Peter saying, “Tabitha, get up?” And she awoke, and seeing Peter sat up.”
Do we not know the story of Jesus, on the night before his death, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus
praying in earnest, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me.” Jesus asking the Lord, to
save him from his impending death. The devil is asking Jesus to do no more for himself, than
Jesus will ask God to do for Jesus. The devil is asking no more of Jesus, than we ask of Jesus.

And perhaps this is why Jesus refrains. Because Jesus did not come for his own power, he
came to show the glory of God to the people. When Jesus had rolled the stone away from where
Lazarus lay dead, Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew
that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may
believe that you sent me.” Likewise when Peter, a disciple of Jesus, came to Tabitha in the upper
room, the first thing he did was he knelt down and prayed. And when Jesus was alone the night
before his death, praying in earnest on the Mount of Olives, “Father, if you are willing, take this
cup from me,” he ends his prayer, “yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus knows he neither
went into the desert, nor into Jerusalem, nor to the cross, to test his power for himself. He was
led by, and filled with, the Holy Spirit that he might show the glory of God to the people.

So, is anything ever wrong when we seek to overcome death? Isn’t life eternal
intrinsically good, by its nature righteous, and by Christ’s example holy? Yes, but I believe we do
not gather as a church simply to wait in faith for the afterlife. We are an Easter people, but we are
not only an Easter people. We are people of Pentecost - the Holy Spirit leading the church into
the world, we are a people of Epiphany - the wonder and rejoicing at the birth of Christ, we are a
people of Lent - the waiting as Jesus prepares to be crucified, we are a people of Advent - the
waiting for Jesus to be born again and again, and Christmas the celebration of that birth, and
even of the season of Ordinary Time where we follow the life of Jesus in the world. We are
Christians and there is a higher calling, to be full of the Holy Spirit, to be led by the Spirit, and to
show the glory of God to the people. Jesus answered the devil, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord
your God to the test.'"

They say the devil wears a disguise. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what we
want. Maybe that disguise is made to look like what even Jesus wants. Maybe the devil’s
disguise is made to look good, to look righteous, and even Christlike, but the truth is we do not
live to feed the hungry, to have authority over all the kingdoms, or even to overcome death. We
live not for own power, but to be led by the Holy Spirit, and to be filled with the Holy Sprit, to
show the glory of God to the people.

January 27th, 2013 Luke 4:4-21

LUKE 4:14-21

14Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to
Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding
country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by
everyone.

16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up,
he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He
stood up to read, 17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to
him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and
sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21Then he began to say to them,

"Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Its that time of year, that beginning and planning time of year. It is January.
There are New Year’s resolutions and inaugural addresses. Its that time of
year, that beginning and planning time of year. It is season of Epiphany. The
wise men have seen the Christ child and must decide how to proceed toward
home. We have seen the Christ child, and must decide where to go from
here. Its that time of year, that beginning and planning time of year. It is the
season of Epiphany and the lectionary reflects the beginning of the life of
Christ. We hear stories of Jesus as a kid teaching at the temple, we hear
stories of Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding at Cana, today we have Luke’s
story of Jesus’ first public ministry. It is that time of year, a beginning time, a
planning time. This passage from Luke serves as an introduction for the
reminder of his Gospel. Likewise, Luke chapter 4, verses 18 & 19 are an
inaugural address for Jesus’ ministry. They are his New Years resolution, and
his mission statement for his life.

***

Jesus says,

Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

18"The



It is a lofty list, but it begins with the Spirit. “The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me,” Jesus says, and I appreciate that he recognizes the source of his
mission. Jesus is not relaying this prophesy just for himself, by himself. He
does so with the Holy Spirit. He is telling his friends and family at the
synagogue that although he is the anointed one, he is anointed by the God
they know. It is a mix of the unfamiliar and the familiar, just as Jesus is to
them. He is child of the church come back to preach, and he is God before
their eyes. He is taking this old passage from Isaiah, and making it his call for
the future. It is the familiar and the unfamiliar, an old text, claimed anew.

   
Jesus is anointed for a purpose. He tells his family and friends he is
anointed to bring good news to the poor. Jesus lives in a society where the
poor are to remain poor. Like the cast system people are destined to their
station in life. Jesus came with a mission to bring them good news, to bring
them hope for a life different then they could ever imagine. Likewise, he
would bring good news to the poor in Spirit. He would bring good news to
the grieving, good news for the hopeless, good news even for those who were
selfish, for the tax collectors, for the wealthy, for the powerful. His mission
was to bring good news to the poor in Spirit.



Jesus also was anointed to proclaim release to the captives. In Jesus’
time, Israel had been controlled by the Romans and others, for many, many
years. There were political prisoners galore, including Jesus’ cousin John.
Proclaiming release to the captives would not only be personal to Jesus, but
also something those listening in the temple knew well. Jesus came with a
mission to set the prisoners free. His was not only a mission for actual
prisoners but the prisons which held people in greed, in hate, in prejudice, in
violence, in shame, in sorrow, in fear. Jesus’ mission was to break these
chains, to set the people free.



Jesus also came to bring recovery of sight to the blind. In a time with
little medical knowledge there would have been more people who suffered

from blindness. The blind would have been outcasts, and very poor. The
blind would have blamed for their blindness, as if they had done something
evil and deserving of such punishment. Jesus was anointed not only to heal
their blindness, but to turn over the cultural framework which kept them
apart. Jesus’ mission was to heal and be in relationship with those who were
blind, and ill, and outcast. Likewise, Jesus was anointed to recover the
people’s blindness to who God created them to be. Jesus sought to help
people see they were created for joy, for hope, and for love. Jesus’ mission was
to recover sight to the blind.

   
Jesus also came to let the oppressed go free. Not only were the poor,
the prisoners, and the sick oppressed, but so were foreigners, women,
children, the hungry, slaves, those with mental illness, and many others.
Jesus was anointed to lift up the oppressed. His mission was to take away
their shame, and free them from the shame others placed upon them.



Lastly, Jesus says he was been anointed to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor. This is understood as the year of jubilee. The year of Jubilee is
a time when debts were forgiven, and land returned to God. Land would lie
fallow, and after a year no longer was it the person who owned it before. All
creation would go back to a time like the garden of Eden before the fall.
This was the last part of Jesus’ mission. That not only was Jesus anointed for
humans, but for all creation. Jesus’ mission was to bring the people back to
how God imaged them to be. Jesus’ mission was also to bring us back to how
God imagines us to be.
   
You see, because we are also anointed by the Spirit for these
things. We are to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to
the captives, recover sight to the blind, let the oppressed go free, and
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. You and I, and this church,
and all the Churches, and all God’s people are anointed to do these
things. It is our mission statement as well. Jesus did not tell people
just for them to know what he was going to do He told the people so
they could be included in his life and mission. He told them, that the
reading was fulfilled in their hearing. He did not say, it has been
fulfilled in my speaking. It was that they heard it which made it
fulfilled. It was his call to them. Perhaps his mission is also our
inaugural address, and should be our New Year’s resolution. It is that
beginning planning time of year. What is your mission statement, for
today, for this month, this year, for your life? For what have you been
anointed by the Spirit?

We as a church have asked ourselves this question. There was
visioning committee who spent some time in the desert of
discernment, just as Jesus did before he came to the temple. We
prayed, and we listened, we talked and discerned, and we felt we
were anointed with the Spirit. Out that we have formed a new
mission statement. It reads, “As God's family we are called to bear
witness to Christ, support our community, and encourage spiritual
growth.” “As God's family we are called to bear witness to Christ,
support our community, and encourage spiritual growth.” Let us say
it together, repeat after me, “As God's family we are called to bear
witness to Christ, support our community, and encourage spiritual
growth.”

We like Christ, hope to be God’s family. We like Christ in the
temple are called to bear witness. We like Christ hope to support our
community. We like Christ see to grow in the Sprit. Our mission
statement is in line with that of Christ’s. We have been anointed by
the Spirit to join Christ in his work. This church, in the Epiphany
season has begun to plan. It is our prayer that this church live into
Christ’s mission by living into our church’s mission. It is our prayer
that like Christ we serve both inside these walls, and outside these
doors. It our prayer, that the people of this church will feel the Holy
Spirit anointing them to plan, to begin this day with a mission. It is
that beginning planning time of year. What is your mission
statement, for today, for this month, this year, for your life? What is
your mission as a part of this church? For what have you been
anointed by the Spirit? What will be fulfilled in our hearing?