Passing Notes

"John to the seven churches that are in Asia: 

Grace to you and peace from him 

who is and who was and who is to come."

(from Rev. 1:4-8)

I am fascinated by the Revelation of John. 

But I want to qualify how I understand Revelation:

    First, it was to the seven churches in Asia, not us.

    Second, John writes apocalyptic literature designed to reveal what's hidden.

    Third, he was persecuted and imprisoned on the island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus. The churches were experiencing persecution, so the visions were for the churches.

    Finally, Revelation is about a battle between the power of Rome and power of God.

The challenge John of Patmos faced was encouraging the seven churches to remain faithful to God as Jesus did.

In order to get his writing out to the churches without being seized, he used Biblical language, images, and symbols Roman readers wouldn't understand.

That's what you do when you want to get notes past authorities.  

For the seven churches, Revelation is a handbook about resisting Rome's power and remaining faithful to God's power.

For them, the letters were not about the end of the world but how to remain faithful to Jesus in their world.

For us, God's Word in Revelation is about Christians living faithfully in a broken, confusing world facing our own everyday experiences, struggles, and successes.

For us God's Word in Revelation is living with an absolute conviction of Jesus Christ's truth that death does not have the final say. 

Revelation says to us that through Jesus Christ, "who is and who was and who is to come," we are given hopeful expectations for a future God has created.

The New York Times reported the churches in Lviv were packed. They were there remaining faithful to Jesus and the God they trust who has given hopeful expectations for the future. 

Thanks  be to God, the Alpha and Omega.

Seasons of the Spirit

Jesus said to her, 

“Woman, why are you weeping? 

Whom are you looking for?”

(from John 20:1-18)

Which of us hasn't experienced a season of the spirit? Certainly, we've experienced a winter of the spirit wandering through Covid, snow storms, and war effecting our lives and those in the war zone. 

For me, the Sugaring Season marks the end of winter and the beginning of Spring.

Some Vermont friends posted pictures of their sugar houses as they worked boiling the sap into syrup

Sugaring is ALOT of hard work!!!

Traditionally, the opening of sugar houses to the public includes sharing sugar on snow, donuts, and pickles. 

Mary Magdalene's season of the spirit meant wandering through an odyssey of seeing Jesus tortured, crucified, and buried. 

She was in a season of grief with good reason for weeping. 

However, our God of healing breaks into her human experience. 

Mary sees angels in the tomb asking her why she is weeping. Jesus calls her by name asking her why she is weeping. Even through the tears of her season of grief, Mary recognizes him. Jesus tells her he will be ascending to the Father.

This is the resurrection story.

God breaks into whatever season of the spirit we are experiencing.  

When our season is grieving, God brings a season of comfort; 

from a season of despair to a season of optimism; 

from a season of chaos to a season of order.

In the Resurrection story God says to us that whatever season we are experiencing, God brings new life.

Dreaming of Peace

"Blessed is the king

 who comes in the 

name of the Lord!"

(from Luke 19:28-40)

 

A modern version of a very ancient Palm Sunday tradition begins with gathering outside the church. The pastor reads the scriptures about Jesus entering Jerusalem. 

With palm branches in hand, people walk to the church entrance.

The pastor knocks on the door, there's a dialog between people in the procession and those seated in the sanctuary.  

 People enter and take their seats singing "All glory laud and honor ". 

The service continues with scripture, prayer, and preaching. 

Holy Communion follows the sermon, the lights are turned off, the altar is "cleansed" by removing the communion elements, candles, and cloth. 

The final hymn is "Where you there?"

Where do you see yourself in this drama? 

    In the crowd cheering Jesus entering Jerusalem? 

    At the table of cup and loaf with him? 

    Standing faithfully at the foot of the cross?

As for me, with the atrocities I see in Ukraine, the bombed-out buildings, the refugee crowded trains and buses escaping air raids, I stand in the crowd.

I, like the crowd, dream of peace beyond that of tanks, fighter planes, drones and missiles.

I dream of a peace that changes human hearts by overturning the old order of sin, evil, and death.

Sin, evil and death are the enemies breaking our hearts, twisting our souls, and taking our loved ones from us.

As I watch this drama unfold, I see the bigger story of salvation. 

From palms to table to cross, I see the bigger story of salvation by hoping in Jesus.

For no matter where you are, in the cheering crowd, seated at the table, or beneath the cross, hope in Jesus. 

No matter what part of the old order weighs you down, hope in Jesus.

Hope in Jesus.

This is the bigger story.

Lifting Hearts in Hope

I am about to do a new thing; 

now it springs forth, 

do you not perceive it?

(from Isaiah 43:16-21)

For over 10 years, Elaine and I attended a Congregational church during our annual Maine retreat. It seemed to be a lively church with about 100 in worship. Then the church went into a barren land. The pastor and 95% of the attenders left. Seeking meaningful worship, we attended a local Episcopal church. The music, liturgy, sermon, and Holy Communion revealed a live church. Through this church I was able to connect with a pastor I had lost contact with. 

As I look back on this journey, I can see God was doing a new thing. From the darkness of one church to light in another to reestablishing a good friendship.

When Isaiah spoke of God doing a new thing, it was based on what God had done.  God freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and led them through the wilderness to the Promised land.

God heard their cries, saw oppression, and responded with justice and compassion by meeting them in this darkest of places. 

I see this ancient story which inspired hope thousands of years ago inspiring today us in our dark times.

God's new thing inspires us to look hopefully beyond our present darkness by understanding our current reality as temporary.  

God's new thing is lifting our hearts into the light of hope.

Whatever physical, emotional, or spiritual darkness we may be experiencing, God is doing a new thing as the light of hope springs forth, even if we don't perceive it.

I believe with certainty; God is freeing us from dark places to a new places of life of hope.

Reflect on the times God has freed you from darkness to the light of hope, even when you didn't see it at the time.