Advent Peace, Part 1: Peace in our hearts

 

Advent 1 (Sunday, Nov 26)

It turns out that changing gears on a bike is simpler than changing gears in life.

But changing gears we must, for life is filled with situations that demand that we recalibrate.  These forced recalibrations often rob us of our inner peace.  This season of Advent we will reflect on peace and Christ as our peace, beginning with peace in our hearts.

The angel’s visit to Zechariah (Luke 2:5-20), foretelling both the birth of John (  the Baptist) but also Jesus, reveals about how God works peace in us amid seasons of recalibration.  In this story, and in our lives, God invites us into silent reflection, not simply on our sins, but on God’s faithfulness, power and mercy.

The Gospel According to Barbie (the Movie)

Christ the King Sunday (November 19, 2022)

In Matthew 25, Jesus separates sheep and goats (vs 31-46); the sheep, who are righteous, go to eternal life; the goats go to damnation.  Within the passage, Jesus tells the righteous that what they did “to the least of these” they did to him.  The passage serves as prod to help our neighbor in need; it also unnerves us with the final sense of judgment.

Is there anything but law and judgment here? Well, actually, there is plenty of good news!

To get at why this passage contains so much good news, Pastor Rob begins with a reflection on this year’s Barbie move and the scene in which Barbie cries for the first time.  There is heartache in this world; there is also beauty.   Where is Jesus in the midst of this and what is Jesus doing about the heartache, both in the present and in the ultimate?

I found this image on “Emily Writes”‘ blog about the movie.

What Would Jesus Dare

 

Sunday, November 12

Of the many fashion trends that come back into style, recently “WWJD” bracelets are fashionable again.  Given to teens by parents and youth workers, the hope is that teems will remember to refrain from certain activities by recalling to mind the teachings of Jesus.  But maybe we should embrace the youthful willingness to try new things, in addition to teaching them to avoid temptation. 

Living in faith, as it turns out, means taking risks amid life’s uncertainties.  In that light, Pastor Rob suggests changing “WWJD” from “What Would Jesus Do?” to “What Would Jesus Dare?”

A reflection on the parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), taking risks and God’s generosity.

Apokatastatis

 

November 5, 2023 (All Saints Sunday)

What food would you want to eat with a beloved person in your life who has died? We all have those foods and those memories with those dear to us who have joined the church eternal.

We tend to think about heaven as a place where our soul or spiritual substance goes.  It turns out though, this isn’t really what the Bible teaches.  Working with Revelation 7:9-17, Pastor Rob offers that what God intends is an “apokatastatis”, that is, a restoration and renewal of all things in Jesus Christ.

This restoration includes our bodies!  Which means, of course, we can dream of eating our favorite cookies with our beloved ones.

A Reformation of Love

 October 29, 2023 (Reformation Sunday)

Jesus tells us that there are two great commandments:  Love God (with everything you have!) and Love your Neighbor as Yourself.

One of Martin Luther’s Reformation re-discoveries was that Loving God IS Loving your neighbor.  You cannot love God simply by doing “holy” or church things, but this must live itself out in service to the neighbor.

However, in serving and loving our neighbor, we discover a big problem:  We don’t have enough love and we feel like we’ve hit a wall.

Turns out (and why I like this image) that sometimes hitting a wall is really running into the cross.  

And that is precisely where we can find the Gospel.

Render unto God the things of God

 October 22, 2023

“Render unto Caesar the things of Caesar; Render unto God the things of God.”  (Matthew 22:21)

What does Jesus mean here?  That we should have two separate lives — one for the secular world and one for the spiritual kingdom?

Nope!  

Jesus calls us to live as disciples in the real world and in fact, calls the Pharisees hypocrites for not doing this.

So what might it look like to “render unto God”?  A reflection on humility, faith and thanksgiving.

Masks of God

 Sunday, October 15, 2023

The tapestry of human history is woven, sadly, with many stories and images of violence, retribution and suffering.  This week, the events of Hamas and Israel add another bloody strand to this tapestry.

The parable Jesus tells this week (Matthew 22:1-14) reflects a violent world, one in which God seems a participant in this violence.  While this is not shocking, it is disturbing to consider the role of God in the violence of human history.  Pastor Rob offers counsel from Martin Luther – do not seek to unmask God (read God’s will from the annuls of history) but rather seek to find the cross of Christ (see places where God’s mercy and reconciliation are breaking in).  This movement to see the cross of Christ in Scripture and in life is a bold move, made in faith.

The photo is of the Bayeux Tapestry accessed through the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh website.