Using Gifts

So I wrote a blog while at my parents house on Sunday afternoon after church...or so I thought. It's not there, so I guess I'll attempt it again. It's usually good for me to reflect more on a sermon or God's word to make it more applicable to my life anyway.

If you grew up in a fairly liturgical church, you may be familiar with the lectionary--a cycle of biblical readings used on certain days of the year. The common lectionary goes through most of the Bible in a three year period and then repeats.

The practice of following a lectionary, or cycle of readings, date back to ancient Judaism. The early church fathers drew upon that practice incorporating Christian texts. The lectionary notes the church calendar, observing holidays and holy feasts, and it allows church attenders to hear the majority of the Bible over a three-year period. Each Sunday an Old Testament passage, a Psalm, a Gospel text, and a selection from the Epistles or Acts is read.

Usually the four texts are built around a theme. Often, understanding that theme takes time in prayer, study, and meditation to discover; sometimes it is quite obvious--especially during a church season like Advent or Easter.

When I worked in a church that followed the lectionary, and when I was doing pulpit supply and would use the lectionary to give me direction, I enjoyed the challenge of "connecting the dots" between the texts, of finding the common threads in what God is saying.

I was at the church I grew up in this past Sunday while we were visiting my parents. The texts were from Isaiah 62:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (you can click on those passages to link to the text). Isaiah prophecies that someday, God will make things right for Israel. God says, "I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch" (Is. 62:1, ESV). 

The 1 Corinthians passage is probably more familiar; Paul addresses how God gives each person different gifts and though our gifts are different, we are all part of one body. To me these passages together say that we need to use our gifts so that others see God's righteousness and the salvation He gives us. 

Some church leaders place a lot of emphasis on the importance of knowing our spiritual gifts. We are encouraged to go through a class, fill out an assessment, or take a spiritual gifts inventory. This is not a bad thing, but I think that knowing our gifts is less important than using them. And the text from 1 Corinthians shows us that we need to work together. Whatever our gifts our, whether we know them or not, they become most usable in community. There our gifts become part of a whole. And I think that is the full intention. Not that I'm using my particular gift (say teaching, for example) on my own, but I'm using it alongside people who have other gifts like evangelism, wisdom, and healing. One on its own does okay, but when it works together with other gifts then God's righteousness and salvation are manifest more fully. 

We are different, yes. We have different gifts. But gifts are never meant for individuation, but for unity. They are not gifts to us, but to the recipients of our actions. These thoughts aren't new. But what struck me this time is the idea that our gifts work best in community, with others. I feel like too often I hear about "my" gifts with the idea of me using them in specific ways. But I don't feel that I hear too much about working with others, even though we all know that each gift is a part of the body. I think the body metaphor is used mainly to show that we need each individual part, but seldom do we focus on them all working together. 

But maybe this has been said many times and I just haven't heard it. It just happens to be what I heard this past Sunday. God is glorified, and the world will notice, when I use my gifts in community. Together, with others who have different gifts than I do. It's not as fruitful if I try to do it on my own.

MLK Day Weekend

We had Martin Luther King Day off from school so we decided to take advantage of a longer weekend and go to Iowa to see my grandmothers (my wife was headed out of town as well). We hadn't seen them since last fall. They are both in their 90s, so I don't like it when the time between visits gets too long.

We spent Saturday morning at the nursing home where they both live. They were doing bowling as an activity that day, so we took them to the activity room and the boys got talked into helping set up the bowling pins. They did great at helping--especially Anders. He even recognized which people liked using the heavier ball.


And the residents like seeing the boys there, too. I overheard one comment on how she doesn't see many kids. Which is sad. They thoroughly enjoy seeing children. Their faces actually light up.

It's not easy for the boys to visit there, I know. Nils doesn't like the smell of the place. My one grandmother had a stroke a few years ago, so she is unable to communicate or do much. My other grandma has short term memory loss, so the boys get asked the same questions several times while they're with her (though she'll also keep offering them a treat, forgetting that she's already given them one). But they know that it brings their great-grandmas a lot of joy to see them. Grandma Wenell may not be able to communicate very well, but she usually breaks out a rare smile when she sees them.

And the other residents smile as well. Many don't get visitors very often. I heard one woman sharing with another visitor during the bowling that she had a female gym teacher when she was younger, which was very rare back then, who taught them bowling (the resident got almost all strikes, I believe). I heard her share that story at least four times while we were there. But that's what she needs--just someone to hear her stories, even if it's the same story.

It wasn't intentional to be there to volunteer--we had just planned on seeing the great-grandmas. But we're encouraged to volunteer somewhere for Martin Luther King Day, and even if it's just visiting a shut-in or a nursing home resident, I think that's worthwhile.

*****

It was nearing 50 degrees that day, so we took advantage of the weather and went hiking in a county park with my parents. It was a beautiful day--actually a little dangerous as it was muddy which doesn't mix well with hiking up and down hills (especially since my mom had been to the chiropractor that day for her back).

We enjoyed supper at a Chinese restaurant that night (well, the adults did--I'm still working on expanding the kids' palate beyond pizza and hot dogs). The wind switched, and a strong cold front moved in.

On Sunday it snowed. Not much, but just enough to coat the brown, barren earth. After church, we stayed inside the rest of the day, playing games with my parents.

Temperatures kept dropping. We didn't experience anything above zero today on our drive home. That produces gratitude for safe travel and a secure house to come home to (even if it's still chilly as the furnace is trying to get it warmed back up). Indeed, there is much for which to be thankful.

Book Update

My book is now available on Amazon ($19) in addition to being available through the publishers ($15.20).

And if I may toot my own horn, it's getting good reviews (at least the one from my good friend who has read it--and she's in the process of working on her own book, so she knows her stuff). Thanks to all those who have supported this process and the book. I'm not very vocal about my own work, but I'm the marketing and publicity guy on this one, so I'm working on getting the word out there.

And if you've read it, I'd love to hear your feedback (and be sure to place some reviews out there!).

Chaff and Baptism

Today's text was about John and the baptism of Jesus (which is fitting as this is the Sunday we commemorate the baptism of Jesus). It's one of those texts, I admit, that I have questions about. Like, why did Jesus get baptized? John was preaching for people to repent of their sins and turn to God, being baptized to show they had turned from their sins and been forgiven. Jesus didn't have sins to repent. Was it as an example for us to follow? Was it to start His ministry? Was it to fulfill John's prophecies? I don't know. A lot of scholars try to give some answers, but the text is pretty silent.

*****

In my denomination we baptize both infants and adults. It's a choice left up to the individual/parents based on their beliefs and interpretation of the texts. As an ordained minister, we may have our preferences, but we are supposed to agree to perform both types of baptism. And I appreciate the freedom. Their is evidence--both historically and biblically (whole families being baptized)--for both.

When a child or adult decides they want to be Infant baptism is done on the basis that is a sign of God's (prevenient) grace. His grace for us existed before we were even born and we can do nothing to earn it. Believer baptism is done as a response to deciding to follow God. Both are worthwhile expressions of faith. I was baptized as an infant. Our children were dedicated, and we have left it up to them to decide when they want to be baptized.

I have only had the privilege of officiating at one baptism for a good friend (for whom I also officiated her wedding). It truly is a privilege.

Repentance almost always precedes baptism in the New Testament. It was John's message about the Good News. In today's passage in Luke 3, John mentions that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He gives the analogy of a farmer harvesting his wheat, separating the chaff from the grain and then burning the chaff.

I think because of burning images and other analogies of separating grain from weeds elsewhere, we tend to think of the chaff as sinners and the grain as believers. But the passage says Jesus will baptize with the fire. It is the recent repenter being baptized who is having the grain and chaff separated in their lives.

It was pointed out tonight that the farmer removed the chaff from the grain because it was the weeds and other things that grew up in the field that would have been poisonous (or at least very unappetizing) for the consumer to digest with the grain. Jesus desires to remove the poison in our lives when we repent of our sin.

Of course, we have to be willing to let go of that chaff and let it burn. It's not easy. A lot of it has been in our lives for a long time. But Jesus offers to separate it from the good in our lives and help us to get rid of it.

*****

I think part of the reason why Jesus was baptized was because He needed it. Not to show penitence or as a witness to forgiveness or any religious reason; He needed to do it because it was a blessing to Him. When it was done, a voice came down from Heaven saying, "This is my Son with whom I am well pleased."

What an affirmation! Of course Jesus was ready to start His ministry after hearing that.

I think that's the witness for us as well. Yes, in baptism we identify with Christ dying and rising to new life. Yes, we give witness to our turning from sin, turning to God, and being forgiven. But we also are told, "You are my child. I am fully pleased with you." Isn't that something we need to hear?

At the YMCA

I joined the YMCA today. This is a big deal. I have never been a part of a gym or a fitness club. I like to get my exercise outside--biking, swimming, canoeing, walking, hiking, kayaking. Many of these things are not convenient to do in Minnesota in the winter. Some just aren't possible. Others just aren't as enjoyable. I grew up on a farm, so exercise happened a lot though work. Now that's merely relegated to gardening, shoveling show, mowing the lawn, and a few other random odd tasks.

I admit that I'm not much of an exerciser, either. The things I mentioned above I would do whenever I could. Which, with kids, isn't as often as I'd like. I'm not a weight lifter. And I confess that I am self-conscious about doing a class (not that I won't at some time).

But I know I need to get more exercise--especially in the winter. And we did try to look into the Y before; for some reason the quote my wife thought she got last year was way more than we were given this year. We finally got around to checking things out again. It was more affordable (I have a feeling we just misunderstood what we were told last year). It honestly has nothing to do with the New Year--I know membership tends to go up a lot this time of year. It's more of a winter thing--needing some exercise to get through these darker, more sedentary months.

I'm not sure how it's going to work out...it's going to take some adjusting in the family schedule. Figuring out how to do family meals, errands, and all the other things to fit into that time after school before the kids have to get ready for bed.

I know I can also make my family an idol. I know that sounds weird, but I easily put my family ahead of my own needs sometimes. I don't always take care of myself in the name of having time with my family, but I can't love others as I love myself if I'm not taking care of myself. And there may be times that I use my family as an excuse.

Anyway, we checked out the local Y (which isn't as local as I'd like)  this past week. At least for the winter, I hope to do a bit of swimming. The boys--especially Anders--enjoy swimming with me, and it's good exercise. They also are enjoying the the kids' place, and I get in some time on the stationary bike.

So we'll see what happens. I plan to try out a few new things at some point (it's amazing how full some of the machines constantly are), maybe even sneak in on the back of a class. If nothing else, I'll keep swimming and doing some biking. I'm hoping to at least feel a little better through the winter months--hopefully lose a little weight along the way. At least take care of myself a little better.

Epiphany: of Stars, Wise Men, and the Insignificant

Epiphany. A word than means manifestation or revelation. The church celebrates today--after twelve days of Christmas--when the magi visited the young Christ-child and worshiped Him, when the Messiah was revealed to people from around the world.

We like to think of three men from eastern Asia who visit the stable with the shepherds and give the baby their gifts. Like the account of the Christmas story, a lot of what we picture happening isn't actually in the Bible. So, here's the text if you haven't read it recently:

Journey of the Magi by James Tissot,
from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12, NIV (from BibleGateway.com)

Here's what I notice is different from what we typically think happened:

Epiphany stars at Abbey Way Covenant Church

• The wise men weren't kings. Magi comes from the same root as magician; they were likely royal astrologers, Zoroastrians from Persia.
• The Bible doesn't say there were three of them (the number comes from the gifts they bring).
• The star first leads them to Jerusalem, not Bethlehem. 
• Despite not being Jews and likely being Zoroastrians, they come to worship Jesus.
• Herod knows this is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
• All of Jerusalem was afraid at these events, not just Herod.
• Still, it is Herod who sends the magi on to Bethlehem.
• The star appears a second time. This time over Bethlehem.
• Jesus is no longer at the stable in a manger. The text says He is at a house. Some scholars think He may have been two to four years old at this point.
• The text says only Mary and Jesus are at the house, not Joseph.
• God talks to these pagan magi in a dream.

So the story is a little different than often depicted. Sometimes I think it's good to let our stories be shaken up a little. The visit of these magi was a big deal. They showed us, right away in Jesus life, that the Messiah wasn't just for the Jews. This was big news (though many prophets said that the Gentiles would receive salvation as well) at the time. Judaism was very, well, Jewish-centric. But here we have pagan foreigners, likely adherents to another religion, recognizing Jesus as the king of the Jews and bowing before Him. That doesn't happen often to babies born in stables. 

They give the Christ-child three ordinary, yet unusual gifts. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift for a God, burned in worship, it's smoke symbolic of prayers going heavenward. Myrrh is an embalming oil used on the dead--a gift for a mortal (and not your usual gift for a baby). King, God, and suffering mortal. ("Glorious now behold Him arise / King and God and sacrifice.")

The story reminds us that God is the revealer. He gives epiphanies. We need to be seekers to notice them. He uses His creation (including stars, including us) to reveal Himself to others, to point them to Jesus. It reminds us that God uses the insignificant (including stars, including us) to reveal the magnificent. Think about it: the light from Proxima Centuri, the closest star to our sun, takes over four years to reach earth. If the star the magi saw was a regular star (not a comet or some other astronomical phenomenon), things had to have been in play years before Jesus was born for the magi to see it. If it was a star, it was one out of a billion. Nothing special, yet it was. God works ahead of events, putting things in motion to reveal Himself to those who are ready to find Him.

Mary was insignificant (and I'm sure she never expected magi, let alone shepherds, to show up to visit her son). The stable was insignificant. Bethlehem was insignificant. A wooden cross was insignificant. Bread and wine were insignificant. Yet God used them all to reveal his glory and love.

You and I are insignificant. But, if we're willing, we can be used in very significant ways.

A light has shone in the darkness. God-with-us has been revealed. Light still shines in the darkness: of our neighborhoods, of our work places, of our schools, of our homes, of our souls. Keep seeking: the presence of the King will be revealed.

Good-bye 2012

The East Coast is about to ring in 2013. I just got the boys in bed after coming home from a party at a friend's house. I don't know if I'll stay up for the next hour and a half.

2012 was quite a year. There is plenty I'm glad to have behind me. Plenty of struggles, hurts, sorrows, pains, etc. But, of course, there were a lot of great things. I went from being a substitute teacher to having a regular job. We had some good camping trips and a trip to the Boundary Waters. We had some good trips to visit family, including our extended family reunion in Pana, Illinois. My book was published. There's a lot of things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

It was a year of natural disasters, terrible atrocities, wars, the Olympics, an election, and plenty of other news (much of which wasn't really newsworthy). But 2012 is about over, and we are about to commence a new year.

Time is an odd thing. It is strictly dependent for us upon our rotation on our axis and around the sun. Time is completely different everywhere else in the universe. A day on Venus is longer than its year (243 earth days for one Venus day compared to 225 earth days in one year there). On Jupiter a day is less than 10 earth hours. The light we see from the sun is eight minutes old. If we could see what was going on around the nearest star, we'd be looking several years into the past.

It only makes sense that God is outside of time, even if we can't comprehend what that is even like. Time, as Albert Einstein taught us, is relative. It's an odd thing. It's very important, yet means very little.

But it matters how we spend our days, what we do with our time. Each minute is a gift. I too often abuse or waste those gifts. But sometimes, on a rare occasion, I do well with it. I use it to love God, to love my neighbor, to love my self.

I can't change the past. Though I regret some of it, it still remains what it is. But time doesn't have to be wasted completely. I can learn from it. I can strive to do better with it. I can let the tough times or the times of failure be times that I grow from.

As Captain Picard said in Star Trek Generations, "Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived. After all Number One, we're only mortal"

May time be a good companion with you in the years ahead.

The Sixth Day of Christmas: Churches in CommUnity

I have a lot of fond memories of church growing up--things I miss:

• singing in the church choir next to the old men who could really hit the low notes and teach me to sing in Swedish
• getting the brown paper bag with peanuts, an apple and a Hershey's bar after the Christmas program was done
• going to Christmas Eve (or a really early Christmas morning) service and seeing all the extended cousins
• gathering for Sunday School opening songs (and the little brown church we put our birthday money in) before going to our separate classrooms
• Fourth of July church picnics with a ice cold tank of watermelon and cans of pop
• the older generation who passed on so much wisdom and love

Plus, on Easter morning all the churches in town (three of them--plus one from the country) gathered together for an Easter sunrise service which the youth of the churches put on. We also gathered together for baccalaureate and in the summer we all held a worship service under the tent at the Threshermen and Collector's Show.

***

Tonight three other churches in Northeast Minneapolis gathered together with us for "Christmas One." It was named that because a) it's the first Sunday in Christmas, and b) four unrelated churches were gathering together in unity.  One of the pastors reminded us that if we're going to accomplish what God wants us to do in our part of the city, that we can do it best by working together--that God doesn't just want each church to do their own mission. He wants us all to do His mission.

I confess that as an introvert, I don't really like large crowds of new people. I'm not a good mingler. But it was still fun to come together. We packed bags with some treats for kids in a local school. They took donations for a clothing ministry. And we all joined in worship, singing Christmas carols and partaking in the Eucharist.

Now, it's not the same as small town churches where everyone knows each other coming together, but it was still a good experience. It's not very often that four churches from differing theological backgrounds in a metro area come together for worship.

***

Today is also the Feast of the Holy Family--the sixth day of Christmas observed as a celebration of Jesus' earthly family. It seems a fitting celebration for today. The young, virgin Mary. The likely older Joseph. Betrothed to one another, but God steps in and throws a wrench in their plans: Mary accepts God's will and becomes pregnant with His Son. Joseph knows this won't go over well with their culture. Everyone will think she's been unfaithful and runs a high risk of being stoned to death. He's not sure he can believe what she tells him about the Holy Spirit impregnating her, but he is an honorable man who doesn't want to see her die. He intends to divorce her quietly and send her away to have the child. But God convinces him that it is all divinely orchestrated. Joseph stays with her, and they raise God's Son together.

Unity in a family is not easy. Especially when there are those "secrets"--like your virgin wife being impregnated by the Holy Spirit. Especially when you're raising the Son of God. Joseph and Mary without a doubt had their share of struggles. But they stayed together and seem to have done pretty well with raising the young Messiah.

I mean, sure He got in trouble with the law, rubbed the religious leaders the wrong way, and disobeyed social norms (like not talking to women and avoiding lepers). But otherwise He turned out all right. He did save the world, after all.

Christmas: Day 2

Today is the Feast of St. Stephen--also known as the day when good King Winceslas went out. Stephen was the first martyr in the Christian church. Paul (Saul) was on had, giving his consent to Stephen's death because he felt that the followers of The Way were a threat to Israel and Judaism. They were too counter-cultural, too revolutionary. Their community was stronger and tighter than any Paul (or the others who were there stoning Stephen) had seen before.

Stephen's offense? False witnesses claimed that he had said Christ would destroy the temple and change the religious traditions of Moses. And in many ways, they were right. Jesus' Way was a threat to their traditions. He was a threat to empty actions--sacrifices that didn't mean anything, prayers that were hallow, lives that didn't truly desire a relationship with God. Jesus' Way wasn't going to let the poor, the orphans, or the widows go neglected. His Way came to bring justice, peace, righteousness, and love. By all accounts, it was a threat to their traditions (just as it might be to many of our traditions in the church if we were honest).

***

I spent almost all of Christmas Day in bed sick. I awoke in the morning with a nasty stomach bug. I was able to come downstairs for a few minutes to be with the family while opening presents. I promptly returned to bed. I didn't get to watch the boys play were their new gifts, I didn't get to read the Christmas story, I didn't get to light the 5th candle on our yule log. I slept until after 4 that afternoon. It was by far my worst Christmas ever (and I know several other families were in the same boat--thankfully I was the only person incapacitated in our family).

Thankfully it was over by that evening, though I haven't had much energy today and have had a number of headaches and soreness. It has not been a fun Christmas.

I know for many people Christmas is a dreaded time of year. They feel lonely. They lost a loved one. There are too many painful memories from childhood. Religion left them disillusioned and disenfranchised. For whatever reason it is far from being "the most wonderful time of the year."

***

I find it interesting that the day after the birth of Jesus we acknowledge the death of the first martyr in the church. There's this tough juxtoposition: a cute baby wrapped in swaddling clothes who came to bring peace on earth, goodwill, and ultimately life, and then there's this righteous man who followed Jesus and was stoned to death because of it.

Faith has a lot of tough components to it. Most of us don't have to face martyrdom, but its reality is present for many throughout history. And I think martyrs have only been able to face death because of the hope they carry with them. If not, faith is worthless. (Well, not worthless. I think most people would agree that the principles Jesus wants us to live by--like loving our neighbors--still have a lot of merit, even if those people don't believe in Jesus.)

Hope says that this life isn't the way it's supposed to be--that we can make it better, but it will only become perfect on the other side of death. In Heaven there will be no sadness, sorrow, death, pain, or sickness. We will be God's and God's alone. We will be able to grow without the shackles of this world. The old world order will be gone, and a new one--a perfect one--will be in place.

I think that's why, as Stephen was facing death, he was able to say:

• “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
• “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  
• “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Only a man with hope would be able to face death in such a way. I know that I need such a hope to make the tough times of this life manageable. Someday, it will all be good again. Someday.

Christmas Eve

 We were in Iowa this weekend for Christmas with my family. My parents have been gathering us all together for the past few years to have time together as a family. We were in Okoboji at a hotel with a waterpark, which the kids all love. And we all get time together, which is better than presents.

***

We're home for Christmas this year. It started with the Christmas Eve service at church. It's one of my favorite services: candles, carols, the Christmas story, being surrounded by church family, hearing the children sing.

I made some soup and bread for supper. We gathered around the table, lit our Advent candles on our yule log, drank some (non-alcoholic) glogg, and read our Advent devotion for the evening.

We opened one of our family presents: a Ticket to Ride board game. Then, with some Christmas music on the stereo, we tried our new game--which we enjoyed. 

***

Over 2000 years ago this night (okay, so it most likely wasn't in December when the first Christmas occurred, but tonight is when we celebrate Jesus' birth) that a young frightened mother and her poor husband were facing a new journey in their lives. It wasn't how they expected their life together to begin.

As Mary felt her first labor pains, she doubtless was scared to be going through childbirth in the midst of a stable--a crude home for livestock was to be where her son, the second person of the Trinity, was to be born. It was not how anyone would have expected God to enter the world, for the King of Kings to make his entrance into humanity.

Yet, on this night, the waiting was over. Love came down. The Savior was born. God became one of us, all because He desires us. He yearns for us to spend eternity with Him. His Son would become our ransom from death, our way to life.

This night changed history. Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.