What I’m Reading Today: Ephesians 2
If you were to ask me to empty out my pockets on most days, among the usual stuff (i.e. keys and cell phone) you would find an old, crusty-looking silver dollar. The silver dollar itself doesn’t look all that impressive. In fact, the only notable thing about it is that it comes from the 1880’s. Other than that, most folks would completely ignore it.
For me, however, there is something about that silver dollar that makes it much more than just a coin. My maternal grandfather – who died two years before I was born – use to carry that silver dollar around with him for luck each day. Lots of my relatives say that I look a lot like my grandfather and have his sense of humor. So on those days when I carry his silver dollar around with me, I feel a special connection with a piece of my family that I never got to know. What might seem like a silly old coin to some folks is so much more than that to me.
In today’s passage from Ephesians, Paul introduces us to another object whose importance lots of folks underestimate.
That object?
The cross. Many folks look at it and see it only as a symbol of the pain, suffering, and death. For that reason, some folks who are uncomfortable embracing those negative things often distance themselves from the image of the cross.
In today’s passage, however, Paul presents the cross in another light. In speaking of the differences that use to exist between the religious insiders and outsiders, Paul noted: “The cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders.” In this context, the cross is beautifully presented as an agent of reconciliation and restoration for us all.
Perhaps there is something in your life that has been interpreted by you rather one-dimensionally. As a result, you might have overlooked or minimized that something. If that’s the case, perhaps Paul’s words could motivate you to re-think your approach toward that something. There might be tremendous untapped value in that object you have overlooked that could bring new meaning to your life.
Til next time…
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Monday, May 31, 2010
What I’m reading today: Ephesians 1
When I returned to the area in which I was born and raised two weeks ago, I had the chance to re-connect with several friends that I hadn’t seen for years. I had a great time catching up.
Some of the friends with whom I reconnected were a bit surprised to hear that I was a pastor. They had known that my faith was deeply important to me growing up, but they assumed I would have pursued a career in politics – an area in which I was very active early in my life. “We thought you would end up in a place where the action was,” was the unspoken response I encountered on more than one occasion.
As I think about the attitude I felt projected, I couldn’t help but think: “I AM where the action is.” And if anyone has doubts about that, they would need to look no further than Paul’s blueprint for the church contained in today’s passage from Ephesians. There Paul makes it clear that the church is clearly the place where the action is.
“The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world,” Paul began. “The world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”
Every day I step onto the campus of our local church I am reminded just how true that sentiment is. For here is just a small list of the things I see happening because of our local church:
• 93 children growing in our pre-school
• 35 kids learning in the private middle school we host
• 40 young adults participating in our Youth Musical Theatre program
• Sunday school & Vacation Bible School programs that provide a solid foundation of spiritual formation
• A middle/senior high youth group that melds fellowship and service
• A vibrant choral program that joins people’s love of God and music
• Covenant groups that nurture the bonds of fellowship and inquiry
• A spiritual deepening group for those desiring more from their connection to God
• A women’s group for those over the age of 50 designed to support and encourage participants as they move into their next 50 years
• A retired men’s group that provides a forum for exploring the issues of the day
• A women’s lunch group that melds together fellowship, learning, and mission
• A group (New Beginnings) for folks below the age of 50 who are trying to make sense of their faith in the world.
• Folks working to support the APECA program that provides health and environmental training for the people of Peru
• Twenty 12-step groups helping individuals on their road to recovery from various addictions
• A Mommie and Me program that helps toddlers and parents strengthen their bonds
• Yoga groups that overcome the distinction between mind and body
• A “Coins for Cards” gift card program that helps meets the needs of those in economic distress in our community
• Food collection that benefits the West Valley Food Pantry
As I review this partial listing of events that grow out of the life of just one local church, I can sure see why Paul said the world is peripheral to the church – for it is clear that our local churches can be foundational places upon which our vision of the world is created.
On this holiday weekend when you take time to remember those who have sacrificed so much for our enjoyment of our freedom, I hope you’ll also take a moment and give thanks for all the ways our local churches have indeed become the means through which the spirit of Christ speaks and acts.
Til next time…
When I returned to the area in which I was born and raised two weeks ago, I had the chance to re-connect with several friends that I hadn’t seen for years. I had a great time catching up.
Some of the friends with whom I reconnected were a bit surprised to hear that I was a pastor. They had known that my faith was deeply important to me growing up, but they assumed I would have pursued a career in politics – an area in which I was very active early in my life. “We thought you would end up in a place where the action was,” was the unspoken response I encountered on more than one occasion.
As I think about the attitude I felt projected, I couldn’t help but think: “I AM where the action is.” And if anyone has doubts about that, they would need to look no further than Paul’s blueprint for the church contained in today’s passage from Ephesians. There Paul makes it clear that the church is clearly the place where the action is.
“The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world,” Paul began. “The world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.”
Every day I step onto the campus of our local church I am reminded just how true that sentiment is. For here is just a small list of the things I see happening because of our local church:
• 93 children growing in our pre-school
• 35 kids learning in the private middle school we host
• 40 young adults participating in our Youth Musical Theatre program
• Sunday school & Vacation Bible School programs that provide a solid foundation of spiritual formation
• A middle/senior high youth group that melds fellowship and service
• A vibrant choral program that joins people’s love of God and music
• Covenant groups that nurture the bonds of fellowship and inquiry
• A spiritual deepening group for those desiring more from their connection to God
• A women’s group for those over the age of 50 designed to support and encourage participants as they move into their next 50 years
• A retired men’s group that provides a forum for exploring the issues of the day
• A women’s lunch group that melds together fellowship, learning, and mission
• A group (New Beginnings) for folks below the age of 50 who are trying to make sense of their faith in the world.
• Folks working to support the APECA program that provides health and environmental training for the people of Peru
• Twenty 12-step groups helping individuals on their road to recovery from various addictions
• A Mommie and Me program that helps toddlers and parents strengthen their bonds
• Yoga groups that overcome the distinction between mind and body
• A “Coins for Cards” gift card program that helps meets the needs of those in economic distress in our community
• Food collection that benefits the West Valley Food Pantry
As I review this partial listing of events that grow out of the life of just one local church, I can sure see why Paul said the world is peripheral to the church – for it is clear that our local churches can be foundational places upon which our vision of the world is created.
On this holiday weekend when you take time to remember those who have sacrificed so much for our enjoyment of our freedom, I hope you’ll also take a moment and give thanks for all the ways our local churches have indeed become the means through which the spirit of Christ speaks and acts.
Til next time…
Saturday, May 29, 2010
What I’m Reading Today: Acts 27-28
When I was a teacher in the juvenile corrections system, there was something that set me apart from the other three teachers in our tiny school system. I passionately believed that I could reach each and every student that came through my classroom. The other teachers had long ago accepted the fact that no one human being has the ability to reach every person they encounter.
When I would confront the other teachers about what to me seemed to be their apathy regarding some students, they would say, “You’re just twenty-two now and idealistic. Give it a few more years, and you’ll see.”
As the years passed by and I changed jobs – moving from classroom teacher to health department outreach worker to politician to pastor – that same conviction stayed with me well into my thirties: the belief that I could reach each and every person I encountered. On some level I thought that conviction was what made me extraordinary in the fields in which I worked. Little did I know that conviction was largely an expression of my codependence – for I felt as if I had to reach every person in order for me to feel good about myself. Even one failure caused me to question my self-esteem/self-worth.
It took encountering passages such as today’s passage from Acts before I could begin to get it through my head that no one can reach every human being. In describing Paul’s efforts in Rome, for example, the author(s) of Acts wrote, “Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him. Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it.”
Did Paul let those failures – those individuals who refused to believe a word of it - destroy his sense of confidence and call?
Nope. Instead, Paul shrugged his shoulders and said that the insiders had had their chance and now it was time to make the message available to outsiders. In other words, Paul had a sense of clarity that helped him realize it wasn’t about him. Once he had done everything in his power to be faithful to his call, he could release himself from the outcome and let others be responsible for their actions. This realization allowed him to put some distance between himself and the outcomes of his work and get on with his life.
Perhaps there is at least one area in your life where you have been thinking along the lines of how I thought: areas where you are tempted to let perceived “failures” derail you and call your self-worth/self-esteem into question. If so, draw strength from Paul’s sense of perspective and find a way to let go – drawing strength from the fact that you did as much as you could.
Til next time…
When I was a teacher in the juvenile corrections system, there was something that set me apart from the other three teachers in our tiny school system. I passionately believed that I could reach each and every student that came through my classroom. The other teachers had long ago accepted the fact that no one human being has the ability to reach every person they encounter.
When I would confront the other teachers about what to me seemed to be their apathy regarding some students, they would say, “You’re just twenty-two now and idealistic. Give it a few more years, and you’ll see.”
As the years passed by and I changed jobs – moving from classroom teacher to health department outreach worker to politician to pastor – that same conviction stayed with me well into my thirties: the belief that I could reach each and every person I encountered. On some level I thought that conviction was what made me extraordinary in the fields in which I worked. Little did I know that conviction was largely an expression of my codependence – for I felt as if I had to reach every person in order for me to feel good about myself. Even one failure caused me to question my self-esteem/self-worth.
It took encountering passages such as today’s passage from Acts before I could begin to get it through my head that no one can reach every human being. In describing Paul’s efforts in Rome, for example, the author(s) of Acts wrote, “Paul talked to them all day, from morning to evening, explaining everything involved in the kingdom of God, and trying to persuade them all about Jesus by pointing out what Moses and the prophets had written about him. Some of them were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe a word of it.”
Did Paul let those failures – those individuals who refused to believe a word of it - destroy his sense of confidence and call?
Nope. Instead, Paul shrugged his shoulders and said that the insiders had had their chance and now it was time to make the message available to outsiders. In other words, Paul had a sense of clarity that helped him realize it wasn’t about him. Once he had done everything in his power to be faithful to his call, he could release himself from the outcome and let others be responsible for their actions. This realization allowed him to put some distance between himself and the outcomes of his work and get on with his life.
Perhaps there is at least one area in your life where you have been thinking along the lines of how I thought: areas where you are tempted to let perceived “failures” derail you and call your self-worth/self-esteem into question. If so, draw strength from Paul’s sense of perspective and find a way to let go – drawing strength from the fact that you did as much as you could.
Til next time…
Friday, May 28, 2010
What I’m Reading Today: Acts 23:11-26:32
In the small local church in which I was raised, we had a couple that made life very difficult for others in the community. For the sake of confidentiality, I’ll call the couple Phil and Patricia.
Phil and Patricia had been members of my home church for many, many years. Shortly after their arrival, they got themselves elected to key decision-making positions within the church. They stayed in those positions for years and ruled the community using things like threats, rumor, and innuendo.
As I grew up I remember thinking, “All our problems in the church would be solved if only Phil and Patricia would go away.” Then, the unthinkable happened. Phil and Patricia withdrew their membership and left our local church.
All our problems were immediately solved, right?
Wrong. Within 6 months, another couple moved into the void Phil and Patricia left behind and used the same sort of tools that Phil and Patricia had used.
“What happened?!” I remembered thinking.
It took me years to realize that the problem didn’t lie just within individuals who acted badly. The problem lie within the network of relationships throughout the church that allowed people like Phil and Patricia (and the couple that succeeded them) to act badly.
I wasn’t the first one to realize that problems often go far beyond the scope of the individual(s) involved into larger systems. In today’s reading, in fact, Paul realized this – for during his time of imprisonment Paul found himself dealing with Roman officials ranging from Governor Felix to Governor Festus to King Agrippa. In each case, Paul’s hope was that the official before whom he stood at any given moment would summon the courage to do the right thing and release him. In each case he was disappointed. That was because the problem wasn’t the individual ruler; the problem was a political system that depended upon placating the religious powers-that-be: even if it meant suppressing the truth.
Today I would invite you to survey your life and see if perhaps there is a problem area in your life that you’ve convinced yourself has an easy solution: an area where you’ve allowed yourself to think, “The problem would go away if only so-and-so would get their act together.”
While that line of thinking might contain a degree of truth, chances are the problems go much deeper. Today might be a great opportunity to let go of your simplistic thinking and summon the courage to go deeper as you begin taking on the problem at its very core.
Til next time…
In the small local church in which I was raised, we had a couple that made life very difficult for others in the community. For the sake of confidentiality, I’ll call the couple Phil and Patricia.
Phil and Patricia had been members of my home church for many, many years. Shortly after their arrival, they got themselves elected to key decision-making positions within the church. They stayed in those positions for years and ruled the community using things like threats, rumor, and innuendo.
As I grew up I remember thinking, “All our problems in the church would be solved if only Phil and Patricia would go away.” Then, the unthinkable happened. Phil and Patricia withdrew their membership and left our local church.
All our problems were immediately solved, right?
Wrong. Within 6 months, another couple moved into the void Phil and Patricia left behind and used the same sort of tools that Phil and Patricia had used.
“What happened?!” I remembered thinking.
It took me years to realize that the problem didn’t lie just within individuals who acted badly. The problem lie within the network of relationships throughout the church that allowed people like Phil and Patricia (and the couple that succeeded them) to act badly.
I wasn’t the first one to realize that problems often go far beyond the scope of the individual(s) involved into larger systems. In today’s reading, in fact, Paul realized this – for during his time of imprisonment Paul found himself dealing with Roman officials ranging from Governor Felix to Governor Festus to King Agrippa. In each case, Paul’s hope was that the official before whom he stood at any given moment would summon the courage to do the right thing and release him. In each case he was disappointed. That was because the problem wasn’t the individual ruler; the problem was a political system that depended upon placating the religious powers-that-be: even if it meant suppressing the truth.
Today I would invite you to survey your life and see if perhaps there is a problem area in your life that you’ve convinced yourself has an easy solution: an area where you’ve allowed yourself to think, “The problem would go away if only so-and-so would get their act together.”
While that line of thinking might contain a degree of truth, chances are the problems go much deeper. Today might be a great opportunity to let go of your simplistic thinking and summon the courage to go deeper as you begin taking on the problem at its very core.
Til next time…
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