Emmanuel, God With Us

This fall we’ve been watching The Bible Series and discussing how it portrays and interprets the Biblical story. Hollywood’s attempts to tell the Bible story usually miss the point. I am especially concerned that this particular series focused too much on violence to attract viewers rather than God’s grace and faithfulness. But in general, we can thank God because the series has encouraged people inside and outside the church to think about and read the Bible.

One of the interesting decisions the script writers made was to focus on the theme of “God with us.” Even though you won't find that phrase in the stories when you read your Bible, almost every episode had some character uttering that phrase as encouragement to others—often to rush into a battle with a sword or club. At first, I thought the series used it uncritically, as if to say “God is with us” meant the character was doing God’s will. Abraham said it as he rushed into a camp to rescue Lot—and graphically slaughter his captors. (It was strange they spent screen time on this obscure episode in Genesis 14:13-16. The Bible focuses on the rescue not the violence!)

The series showed that it had a more nuanced view of “God with us.” When Samson lost his strength, he questioned whether God was with him. Saul shouted the phrase when it was already clear that God no longer supported him as king but had chosen David. Paul was portrayed as persecuting Christians while shouting, “God is with us,” only to be confronted by the risen Jesus on the road who asks, “Why do you persecute me?”

As we approach Christmas, it is good for us to remember that “God with us” is Jesus’ name: “Emmanuel” (Matt 1:23). Jesus coming to us, our Savior, our Lord—that’s what we mean when we say God is with us. “God is with us” doesn’t mean everything will go our way. “God is with us” doesn’t mean what we do is necessarily God’s will. “God is with us” does not shield us from criticism; in fact, if we are aware that God is with us, we should expect God’s critical gaze on our thoughts, words, and deeds. Even more, “God is with us” means Jesus is forgiving us and wants to lead us. He is our Prince of Peace in a violent and unjust world. Jesus is "God with Us."

Jesus is Coming!

Jesus is Coming!

That's the essential message of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas. Each week's Bible readings focus us on Jesus coming at the end of the age to bring judgment and a peaceful and just rule. Although the culture would have us think this is a time for shopping, baking, decorating and parties, for Christians this is a time of preparation, examination of our priorities, service to others, and most of all fixing our gaze on Jesus as he is revealed to us in the Scriptures.

After almost 2000 years of waiting for Jesus, however, it is natural for Christians to ask, "how long?" or "did we misunderstand?" The earliest Christians expected Jesus to return in their lifetime. Jesus is quoted as saying, "Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place (Mark 13:30 and parallels Matt 24:34, Luke 21:32). Paul was faced with Christians who were disappointed that believers were dying before Jesus returned (1 Thess 4:13-15). He assured them that those who were died would be included when Jesus did return, even rising to meet Jesus first.

Speculation about Jesus' return has risen and fallen over the ages, rising to a kind of peak in the middle of the 19th century with a lay preacher, William Miller, proclaiming in 1833 that Jesus would be returning in 1843 or 1844. Tens of thousands responded to his message, some giving up jobs and families and possessions, meeting in camps to worship and wait for Christ. When 1844 passed without note, most people returned to their lives and called this event "the Great Disappointment." Jesus words that we won't know the day or the hour never seemed more true (Mark 13:32)!

Others dismiss Jesus "returning on the clouds" (Mark 14:62) as fantasy, at best prophetic metaphor and scientific impossibility, and at worst some kind of pious fraud. Some Christians today have abandoned any talk about Jesus' return to focus on the real problems facing humanity and creation, such as chronic food insecurity, poverty and global climate change.

We hold to Jesus' return for three main reasons: (1) the Bible consistently witnesses to Christ's return. Jesus quotes Daniel 7:13-14 in front of the Sanhedrin primarily to identify himself as the heavenly messiah that Daniel expected (which the High Priest declared blasphemy), but also to suggest his vindication from the unjust accusations made against him (Mark 14:62-64). The focus is on identity and justice, not on the mode of transportation. The "clouds" are not really the point, and we shouldn't get too hung up on it (for the focus on justice, see also Rev 1:7).

The focus on justice in Jesus' return is the second reason: (2) the work of healing the creation, bringing justice and peace is not done yet. Jesus' resurrection in the Gospels is only the beginning of justice--the disciples will still face injustice and persecution (Mark 13:9). Paul writes to the Romans that all creation is groaning still (Rom 8:19-23). The book of Revelation yearns for the New Jerusalem where God's throne is in the midst of the city and the Tree of Life has leaves for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:1-2). We know this in our bones: the world is not as God wants it to be. Jesus needs to return to make it right. We may not understand how Jesus will return, but we know Jesus must return.

Knowing Jesus will return publicly, visibly, bringing true justice and God's rule, no matter if we don't understand the details, (3) it gives us hope--and this is a third reason we hold onto Jesus' return. We are called to follow Jesus and live in God's justice and peace now. We need hope in Jesus' return to drive us forward towards that goal, especially when we feel disappointed and discouraged and tired. It doesn't let us off the hook to say, "Oh, Jesus will clean up the mess when he comes," but urges us to be "little Christs" (Luther) preparing the way for his coming.

Calendars and Christ the King

It's that time of year when we start to get new calendars in the mail. In my house, we transfer birthdays and other significant dates from the "master" calendar to the new year's calendar. (You can tell we haven't moved into the 21st century in this respect.) We want to be able to call or send a card or e-mail to people when they reach milestones.

Calendars don't just organize households and relationships, but define our sense of what and who is important in our lives. In 46 BCE, Julius Caesar adopted what is essentially the modern calendar of 365 days in 12 months beginning January 1 with a day added to February every four years. The names of the months correspond to Roman faith: January for Janus, the god who looks forward and backward to start the year; February after the purification festival held by the Romans on Feb 15; March for the god Mars, the beginning of Spring when wars (and planting) could begin; April for the opening of flowers and the fertility of Aphrodite; May for the fertility goddess Maia; June for Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage; July to celebrate Julius Caesar's birthday; August to celebrate Augustus Caesar's military triumphs; September, October, November, and December get their names from their number (septem = 7, octo = 8, novum = 9, decem = 10) in the old ten month Roman calendar.

This calendar was not and is not the only calendar in existence; but to be conquered by the Romans meant eventually to adopt their calendar, their rule over time as well as space; their imposition of spiritual power as well as political power.

Jews always have maintained a religious calendar separate from the surrounding culture, a calendar based on lunar months of 29 or 30 days, organized around the significant events in Jewish experience with God.

Christians, following in this Jewish practice, also have an alternate calendar that resists the surrounding culture's desire to control time and spiritual focus. The Christian calendar comes to an end this Sunday with a celebration of Christ the King. At the end of the Church year, we look to the end of the age when Christ will return to rule as the promised King over all creation.

The New Year begins Dec 1 for Christians: the first Sunday in Advent. It orders our lives at the beginning to wait and spiritually prepare ourselves for Christ's coming. This is not what the culture is preparing for! We will read passages from the Bible that call us to repent, to trust in forgiveness through Christ, to examine our priorities to see if they are consistent with God's priorities, and to ask how we can prepare for Christ. Read Matthew 24:36-25:46 for more!

Feeling helpless but not hopeless

I feel helpless. It is hard to hear about the destruction, the death, the extreme hunger and desperation gripping people in the Philippines, especially the city of Tacloban that received the brunt of the typhoon. The official death toll is 1,774 but expected to dramatically rise; and this does not consider begin to consider the 600,000 displaced and many who may die from injuries or starvation or thirst. What can I do?

I am helpless personally, but also grateful for the many who are responding from around the world. I am grateful that our country is sending support and I pray the world will mobilize to offer aid.

Some will point at this event as a sign of the end-times. As natural disasters increase, they say, it is a sign that Jesus' return is close.

Jesus' own words caution us away from such a conclusion. He said, "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately. ...there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.  (Luke 21:9-11). These "dreadful portents" will happen--but "the end will not follow immediately."

Instead, Jesus calls his disciples to look for opportunities to witness that Jesus is Lord. He specifically talks about Christians being brought before Emperors and governors. Towards the end of the first century, some Christians were brought before Governor Pliny in Bithynia and asked to curse Christ and make sacrifice to Emperor Trajan:

Meanwhile, this is the method I have followed with those who were brought before me as Christians. I asked them directly if they were Christians. The ones who answered affirmatively I questioned again with a warning, and yet a third time: those who persisted I ordered led [away]. For I have no doubt, whatever else they confessed to, certainly [this] pertinacity and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished. There were others alike of madness, whom I noted down to be sent to the City, because they were Roman citizens. Soon in consequence of this policy itself, as it was made standard, many kinds of criminal charges occurred and spread themselves abroad. A pamphlet was published anonymously, containing the names of many.

Those who denied that they were or ever had been Christians, when they swore before me, called on the gods and offered incense and wine to your image (which I had ordered brought in for this [purpose], along with images of the gods), and also cursed Christ (which, it is said, it is impossible to force those who are real Christians to do) I thought worthy to be acquitted. Others named by an informer, said they had been Christians, but now denied [it]; certainly they had been, but had lapsed, some three years ago, some more; and more than one [lit. not nobody] over twenty years ago. These all worshiped both your image and the images of the gods and cursed Christ.

Jesus encourages Christians to persevere--and use these opportunities to witness that Christ is their Lord and Savior.

Likewise, when terrible things happen in the world like Typhoon Haiyan, this is an opportunity for us to witness that Christ is our Lord. We witness to others when we tell them not to spend time worrying about the end of the age but to trust in Jesus and follow him into lives of service. We witness by our prayers to God on behalf of the suffering. We witness by encouraging the US Government to send speedy and generous support. We witness by donating our own money to be a sign of God's grace and mercy. Lutheran World Relief is already at work and can use your donation either online or through St. John's or other churches. We witness when we tell others that we do these things for God's glory and because we are God's servants. Consider one or more of these ways to witness who your Lord is!

When we feel helpless, we are not hopeless because Christ is Lord!

God of the Living

Luke reports that the Sadducees of Jesus' day ridiculed people who believed in the resurrection of the body. In Luke 20:27-38, they try to trap Jesus with a scenario of seven brothers for one bride, each brother marrying after another's untimely death. Jesus argues that there will be no marriage in the resurrection because the human race will continue without procreation. (Jesus assumes the primary purpose of marriage is procreation; elsewhere in scripture marriage also is for love, companionship, and mutual service, for example, the joy of the Wedding at Cana in John 2 or the Song of Songs).

Jesus' point is more about God than marriage. God is God of the living, not the dead. There are some today who scoff at the idea of the resurrection, either because they can't imagine a person dead who lives again, they can't conceive scientifically how its possible, or they argue if we look for justice in the resurrection we won't for justice in the here and now.

God is of the living and not the dead. God is not limited by human imagination. "My ways are not your ways, says the Lord" (Isaiah 55:8). The testimony of the first disciples is that they touched Jesus and saw him eat. The heart of the Christian message is "He is not dead. He is alive!"

God is of the living and not the dead. Scientifically speaking, we are dying all the time--and being recreated. Our cells are dying daily and being renewed (Christians claim by God's continuing creative power, but God as the agent of renewal can't be proved scientifically but is taken by faith). John Polkinghorne, physicist and Christian, writes

"After a few years of nutrition and wear and tear the atoms that make us up have nearly all been replaced by equivalent successors. It is the pattern that they form which constitutes the physical expression of our continuing personality. There seems no difficulty in conceiving of that pattern, dissolved at death, being recreated in another environment in an act of resurrection." (One World: The Interaction of Science and Theology, Princeton, 1986, p. 77.)

There is a way to scientifically conceive of the resurrection of the body! We have a small taste of that renewal every day.

God is of the living and not the dead. Knowing that our bodies will be raised from the dead does not need to drain us from the energy to work for justice and peace now or denigrate the value of this life. In fact, it has given Christians an ideal to strive after. At our best, Christians have worked to protect and heal bodies, establish hospitals, provide social services, struggle for human rights and work for justice and peace. We do this with confidence it is God's will because we know God is God of the living and not the dead!

A Humane Rule

It doesn't take much effort to find a current government to accuse of violence, corruption and failure to care for the weakest and most vulnerable. We could think of past governments like Hitler's Nazi Germany or Stalin's Soviet Union as especially egregious, and could go further to name Pol Pot's Cambodia, Rios Montt's Guatemala, but beastly governments exist today that consume their people's livelihoods, potential and even their bodies. Look at a summary of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe in 2013, for example:

After 33 years, Mugabe’s legacy is this: rampant abuses of human rights, the elimination of all political opposition, the organized slaughter in Matabeleland, the exile of the white minority, the persecution, murder and dispossession of an estimated 400,000 black Zimbabwean farm workers, a massive and continuing exodus of refugees, and the destruction of Zimbabwe’s economy, which has left countless Zimbabweans starving, unemployed, impoverished or buried.

We may not have such beastly government in the United States, but the way the NSA has been scooping up communications of people around the world suggests a government that has lost appropriate boundaries, and even more disconcerting that President Obama was unaware of the scope of the program. It is a sign of a system that is losing its humanity.

Daniel chapter 7 should strike a chord with us today--in its description of beastly governments and its longing for humane rule. Daniel has a dream of four beasts coming up out of the sea. The first was the most "human", and the later beasts more vicious and terrifying. The second consumes human bodies. The third destroys everything it touches. The last terrifies and speaks arrogantly:

Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being; and a human mind was given to it. Another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, had three tusks in its mouth among its teeth and was told, ‘Arise, devour many bodies!’ After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on its back and four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the visions by night a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that preceded it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, when another horn appeared, a little one coming up among them; to make room for it, three of the earlier horns were plucked up by the roots. There were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and a mouth speaking arrogantly. 

An attendant at the divine court explains to Daniel that these four beasts are four empires--corresponding to the Babylonian (viewed most positively by Daniel), which was followed by the Medean, then Persian and lastly Greek empires. They would be progressively more beastly--the last the most terrible.

But after theses four empires, Daniel sees "One like a Son of Man" come:

I saw one like a human being
   coming with the clouds of heaven.
And he came to the Ancient One
   and was presented before him.
To him was given dominion
   and glory and kingship,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
   should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
   that shall not pass away,
and his kingship is one
   that shall never be destroyed. 

Finally--there will be an empire that is Human, humane in its treatment of people. No longer will people's bodies and livelihoods be torn apart by savaging governments. No longer will governments boast beyond their limitations. This is an Empire of God's saints, the holy ones:

The kingship and dominion
   and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
   shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;

For Daniel, hope for a humane government is found when God's holy people--all the saints--are ruling in harmony with the One True God.

Christians took Daniel 7 in a different direction: Jesus is the Son of Man. Jesus is the one who brings the "Kingdom of God" (or better: "Empire of God") which saves people rather than uses them as grist for the empire's mills. Our hope is not in our ability to rule (even as the saints), but in Christ's rule. He is the Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the one who brings life and hope, and the Humane Rule:

‘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,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1)

God's Word is both Law and Gospel

This Sunday we celebrate the Reformation, begun when Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses (discussion points) on the door of Wittenburg Castle on Oct 31, 1517. He began a revival then and, I pray, the Lutheran Christian movement can still be an instrument for God's revival today!

One area of Christian life that seems to need constant renewal is how we read the Bible. Luther stressed that God speaks through the words of the Bible in two ways: Law and Gospel (note the capital letters).

Law is God's Word that (1) orders peaceful and healthy society and (2) condemns sin. When we read a passage that gives good advice for society, for example, "You shall not kill," this is what Lutheran Christians call "the First Use of the Law."

When we read a passage that makes us feel uncomfortable, guilty or ashamed about our own actions, attitudes or values, we are experiencing "the Second Use of the Law." It can be the same words that give order to society that convict our hearts; for example, Luther interprets in the Small Catechism that "You shall not kill" means "We are to fear and love God so that we do not hurt our neighbor in any way but help him in all his physical needs." After we passed by someone who asked for food, we may feel this word condemns us for failing to help our neighbor in her physical need. This is God's Word that makes us aware of our sin--and our need for forgiveness.

The Gospel, on the other hand, is God's word of life, forgiveness and hope. The Law cannot save or forgive--it's work is temporary. The Gospel is the good news that we are saved by grace through faith alone through Jesus. It is Gospel with a capital G that we hear when Paul proclaims, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8). We hear Gospel when Jesus says to the woman who was bleeding for 12 years, "Go, your faith has made you well" (Mark 5:34).

Another way to say it: the Law tells us what to do (and what we've failed to do) and the Gospel tells us what God has done. The Law stokes the fires of guilt and shame; the Gospel soothes and heals the burnt soul. Both are God's Word. Both have importance in our lives, in shaping us to follow and trust Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Here's a little practice: Read John 8:30-36, the lesson for this week, and ask:
(1) What is the Law here? (hint: "My family are all believers. That's enough!")
(2) What is the Gospel? ("If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed!")

All Scripture is inspired by God

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17)

In the controversies over the Bible in the late 19th century and early 20th century, this verse was a rallying cry for those who wanted to resist criticism of the Bible. Scholarly "criticism" (simply meaning "close analysis") was demonstrating in the 19th century how the Bible was a multi-layered composition from different times and places. For example, compare Genesis 1 and 2 for two different portrayals of the creation of life. Genesis 1 shows the priestly vision of an orderly universe that God created by Word in six days in rested, the basis for a seven-day week. Genesis 2, on the other hand, portrays the personal God YHWH (God's name disclosed to Moses in Exodus 3:1) who walks in the garden with Adam and creates animals as potential companions to the earth-man ('Adam').

This scholarly criticism became social criticism: some non-believers took this as evidence that the Bible was a human-made book and concluded it was unreliable for knowledge about the world or humanity or God. Some believers heard this criticism, and their faith was shaken. Others picked up 2 Tim 3:16-17 as a battle cry: the Bible is inspired and because of its inspiration it is reliable, and anyone who said differently is a heretic!

Here's the first problem: In 2 Timothy,  Paul was not talking about what we call the Bible or the creation of the world in seven 24-hr days. At his time "scripture" referred to what we call the "Old Testament!" He is concerned that some are tossing aside the Jewish scriptures because Christ set them free, but here he argues the "scripture" (Old Testament) is useful for shaping righteous people who do good works. Ironically, Paul is arguing for the reliability of Genesis 1, but not for a seven 24-hr day, but to shape righteous people who, in the image of God, will work in service to others six days a week and take a day of rest to worship God and be renewed.

The bigger problem is that some people try to deny that the Bible is a human book at all. Paul assumes the human element. The word translated "inspired" is literally "God-breathed". He never claims that God dictated every word and letter of the Bible, but argues that the Holy Spirit breathed through the human authors and human situations. The Bible, in this way, is what human beings wrote after and during encounters with the One True God. It is both the Word of God and the Word of Man simultaneously.

Paul's point is that God works through scripture and through interpreters who use it to teach, reprove, correct, and train people to do good works that glorify God. Without the Holy Spirit working through us to listen to the words of scripture as the Word of God, it would only be the Word of Man. Without the Holy Spirit working through teachers and interpreters and readers, the Bible would only be words on a page, bits of ink copied, interesting historical documents but nothing that demands attention, changes lives, or directs finite human beings to the infinite God.

Trusting not perfect

We've been slowly remodeling our bathroom over the last three months. VERY SLOWLY! We are paying a contractor to install the new shower walls. One wall is tricky: it has three windows that require many pieces and precise cuts of material.

I pointed out to the contractor that one piece didn't line up properly with the window, and he instantly responded, "Nobody's perfect! I'm not a machine that can make perfect cuts!"

I tried to calmly respond (was I successful?) that perfection wasn't the goal but consistency, minimizing attention to flaws. I asked him if he would still be able to keep the caulk lines roughly uniform.

We can become defensive when people point out our flaws and shortcomings and throw out "nobody's perfect" as a shield against criticism. But it is ultimately a hollow argument when we try to say this to God. God is God and we are not!


Too much has been made of Jesus' words in Matthew, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). It usually just causes defensiveness, "Nobody's perfect," rather than a desire to change. Jesus is not talking about moral perfection in this part of the Sermon of the Mount; he is talking specifically about loving your enemies (Matt 5:44), which is difficult, but possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word teleios is better translated as "ready to serve" rather than "perfect": "Be ready to serve (your enemies) as your heavenly Father is ready to serve (you and them)."

God's call is not to be morally perfect, to never make any foolish or selfish choices. Our call is first to trust that God is faithful: Jesus is raised from the dead! Paul writes in his second letter to Timothy, "if we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself" (2 Tim 2:13). Even if we are faithless, God is faithful!

Trusting God's faithfulness sets us free from worrying about perfection and instead on how we can serve God and neighbor. We can dial down our defensiveness when criticized because we know we need help changing to be ready to serve. We can let go of our unrealistic standards for ourselves and focus our energies on consistently loving our neighbors as ourselves. As Paul says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed..." (2 Tim 2:15).

With the help of God, doing my best,
Pastor Peter

The Word and new ways for words

Gutenberg Printing Press

Almost five hundred years ago, Martin Luther and some Christians who wanted reform in the church seized on the latest technology to spread the word: the printing press. You would think that adopting the new media of blogs and facebook would be obvious to this Christian in Luther's line, but I have been slow to embrace this new media.

As John 1:1 says, the Word became flesh. The eternal infinite God entered the temporary, finite creation in Jesus. And after the Word dwelt among us, the Word became words: stories told in synagogues, house churches, marketplaces. These stories moved people to put their trust in God, that in Jesus God was truly making the world new. They wanted to follow this Word, for it to be their Light and Life. They wrote letters to one another, encouraged one another, corrected one another--all with words: spoken, written, lived, embodied. The words became flesh and the flesh became words.

The Word for Christians is always Christ. Each week, I will reflect in words which direction God may be leading me as I meditate on the scripture readings for the coming Sunday.

For the last four weeks, we've been looking at four small letters of Paul to leaders: Philemon, Titus, 1 and 2 Timothy. This week we will be listening to Paul's second letter to Timothy, especially the first chapter.

I'm musing on the fact that Paul is concerned that Timothy may be shrinking back and ashamed of his faith. Paul encourages him to be courageous and self-disciplined for the sake of the "treasure entrusted to him" (2 Tim 1:14).

How do we need courage today? In what ways do we hide our faith under a bushel basket? I'm not thinking we all need to walk around with a pious look on our faces and say "God Bless you" but is our relationship with God a treasure? How do we demonstrate its value in our lives? I think of a hymn, "Jesus, Priceless Treasure". Check it out:

Jesus, Priceless Treasure