Meaningful Cross-bearing

Then Jesus told his disciples,

“If any want to become my followers,

let them deny themselves and take up

their cross and follow me.

For those who want to save their life will lose it,

and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

(from Mt. 16:21-28)

My college life included taking a rural bus to town and walking to nearby Asbury Methodist Church.

Asbury was a large church in the center of Greeneville, Tennessee seating about 6-700 worshippers.

In 1958 it had a traditional service; hymns, scripture, preaching, and choral anthem.

The enduring memory I have of that worship was the closing chorus: verse 1 of Hymn 424: "Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free; No, there's a cross for everyone and there's a cross for me."

I felt that being 800 miles away from home, on a floor with students having very different morals from mine, (I don't get drunk on moonshine) was my cross to bear. 

My life journey opened new meanings of "self-denial" and "cross bearing". 

Matthew's fairly vague about self-denial, making it easy to misunderstand. 

Self-denial definitely doesn't mean remaining in an abusive situation and considering it one’s “cross to bear" and playing the victim. 

Neither is self-denial avoiding life's joys, blessings, and responsibilities calling it "self-sacrifice".

Denying myself chocolate during Lent isn't really self-denial.

Cross-bearing is better explained by Paul in Romans 12:9-21 where he lists virtues, actions, and attitudes.

Clearly, for Jesus, cross-bearing meant a price paid in blood. 

There people who like, Jesus, paid the price in blood, such as John the Baptizer, Stephen, and Oscar Romero.

For me, cross-bearing means serving others, as Jesus did, with compassion as one of God’s faithful disciples.

I think cross-bearing is about setting aside my agenda to meet others' needs, such as the hungry, the homeless, and the poor.

Cross-bearing means to me resisting evil, injustice and oppression forms they present themselves.

These types of cross-bearing bring a meaningful life, provide a glimpse of God’s Kingdom, and offer hope in hopeless situations.

Think about it: What crosses has God asked you to take up so far, and what has been their impact?

When You’ve Lost Everything

For the LORD will comfort Zion;

he will comfort all her waste places,

and will make her wilderness like Eden,

her desert like the garden of the LORD;

joy and gladness will be found in her,

thanksgiving and the voice of song.

(from Isaiah 51:1-6)

Maui's images are apocalyptic. 

The disastrous wildfire sweeping across the village destroying buildings as it burned.

The scenes of people fleeing into the sea for safety as the fire burned furiously with smoke choking them as they sat in the water.

The harrowing scenes of devastation left by the wildfire leaving survivors with questions about housing and recovery.

The "places of waste" with burned houses, historic buildings, and motor vehicles.

The widely admired community banyan tree's canopy is scorched, its leaves dead, and its burnt bark and limbs give it an ashen appearance.

The recovery and rebuilding are estimated to take years.

When you've lost everything, what is the source of stamina to rebuild and recover from such wreckage and desolation?

The Israelites were a broken and defeated people taken in chains to Babylon, losing their temple, their homes, their way of life. 

Displaced and disoriented, God’s people know only loss and death with the world they knew a fading memory limiting their vision to decades of captivity ahead. 

They describe their situation with words of scarcity such as: “wilderness,” “desert,” “waste places”. 

When you’ve lost everything, it’s easy to safeguard what little is left, gripping tightly to protection, suspicious of others’ motives and needs. 

These verses from Isaiah celebrate what God will accomplish among the exiled people offering comfort, hope, and a vision of abundance. 

For the LORD will comfort Zion; 

he will comfort all her waste places, 

and will make her wilderness like Eden, 

her desert like the garden of the LORD; 

joy and gladness will be found in her, 

thanksgiving and the voice of song.

As the LORD did for Zion, so will the LORD do for Maui by bringing comfort, hope and abundance.

As the LORD did for Zion and Maui, so God's work continues.

To see the work of God's hands, God’s dream—Eden, garden, deliverance, abundance,

Isaiah says , "lift up your eyes...my deliverance will never be ended."

When you've lost everything, lift your eyes to see God's everlasting salvation and deliverance.

The Persisting Woman

"She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs

that fall from their masters’ table.’

Then Jesus answered her,

‘Woman, great is your faith!

Let it be done for you as you wish.’

And her daughter was healed instantly."

(from Matthew 15:21-28)

My hearing aids make sounds louder, but they aren't perfect. 

That's why I have to say "What?" frequently and why Elaine asks, "Did you hear what I said?"

Other times Elaine raises the volume of her voice several decibels and I reply, "well, you didn't need to yell!"

Folks who don't understand how hearing aids work, wonder why I give strange answers to questions such as, "would you like water or coffee?" and I respond, "yes".

The Canaanite woman was shouting at Jesus, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David”,  since she knows of Jesus' power and willingness to show mercy on all who approach.

She seeks a personal mercy because her daughter is tormented by a demon and she knows that what impacts her child, affects her as mother.

In her culture, women’s words are usually met with silence, interruption or, disrespect by men, including the disciples who consider her an annoyance.

The Canaanite woman clearly stated her need, shows respect for Jesus calling him "Lord", and identifies herself as a distant relative, "Son of David".

Yet Jesus ignores her.

She persisted! 

She didn’t go away; she won’t be dismissed! 

She shouts louder!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!!!

Finally, recognizing cultural differences, she says, Now listen here, Jesus, it's not fair to feed the dogs with the children's food.

Jesus hears the Canaanite woman and simply replies, “Let it be done for you as you wish"

and heals her daughter.

Jesus declares that her self-determination, which he calls faith, has led to the healing.

This is a story of self-determination leading to change leading to hope.

 

Jesus hears us, through persistence, no matter the shouting or turmoil around us, providing hope when life seems hopeless.

Think about it: When have you experienced a need to persist so Jesus hears? How did that lead to change? 

Jesus' Life-giving Feast

Taking the five loaves and the two fish,

 he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves,

 and gave them to the disciples, 

and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 

And all ate and were filled

(from Mt.14:13-21)

Hedding United Methodist Church in Barre, Vt. recently remodeled its kitchen enabling them to host and feed anyone coming to their "community dinners".

Their mission of "Feeding the community: body and soul" is lived out with a nutritious, hot meal as well as musical entertainment.

Understanding the significance of their mission is best grasped knowing Barre's context.

Barre is a diverse city economically and culturally including the affluent, working class, and destitute. 

Understanding Matthew's story of Jesus feeding the 5000 also requires understanding the setting and context.

Before Jesus feeds the 5000, Herod is hosting a birthday party including elite, powerful attending.

At this event, one of the powerful demands the head of John the Baptizer served on a platter, and receives it.

First, the Roman Empire in Jesus time had significant inequalities involving food availability.

Lack of food meant people struggled daily, otherwise poor nutrition experienced sickness and disease.

Second, the bible clearly says God’s will is that hungry people are be fed as happened in Exodus (see Exodus 16).  

Third, people expected God’s empire to have of abundant food and feasting for all.

With these contexts, Jesus heads to a deserted place followed by a crowd needing to be fed.

Jesus sends the disciples into town to find food and they return with 5 loaves and two fish.

Jesus hosts this meal by blessing the food and distributes it to the crowd.

Jesus hosts a life-giving feast enacting God’s will of feeding hungry people anticipating the food abundance described by Exodus and Isaiah. 

The context of the 21st Century is one of great diversity resulting in economic and social injustice. 

Today, gathering at the Lord's table, Jesus hosts a life-giving feast reminding us of the abundance of hope, love, and justice in the age to come.

What do you think: What physical or spiritual need do you feel is greatest?

Jesus, Our Hope in Troubled Waters

When evening came, Jesus was there alone, 

but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, 

was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 

And early in the morning Jesus

came walking toward them on the sea.

(From Mt 14:22-33) 

Chesuncook Lake, the third-largest lake in Maine, is approximately 22 miles long, 1–4 miles wide, and about 150 feet deep.

As Scoutmaster, I was leading older scouts on a canoe trip on Chesuncook because it qualified as High Adventure 50-mile trip.

On the second day, the wind became strong threatening to swamp the canoe in the widest, deepest part of the lake.

The solution to staying afloat was having the scout in the bow, paddle hard and using a cross-bow stroke. 

The unmotivated scout just didn't feel like it.

Until God sent the wind catching the canoe, turning it sideways, broadsiding the canoe with a wave drenching us in cold water.

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit inspired the scout to "feel like it".

There's a deeper story in the Gospel if we look at Jesus' action rather than Peter's faith.

'Early in the morning, between 3- 6 a.m.' a storm arises battering their boat with waves.

They're terrified!

The horrified disciples imagine a ghost coming toward them on the sea, considered the place of evil and chaos.

Old Testament salvation stories, such as Exodus, are about God's former saving acts while this story concerns God's future saving acts through Jesus.

So, Jesus walking on the sea indicates God has given Jesus authority over the created order, including chaos and evil.

Jesus immediately meets them at the boat saying, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”

"It is I" is better translated from the Greek, as "I Am" God's word to Moses.

Jesus is saying, "Take heart, it is the Son of God; do not be afraid.

The hope in the disciple's stormy crisis is Jesus, the Son of God, is coming.

The hope in our troubled waters, in our chaos, is Jesus saying, "the Son of God, is coming! Do not be afraid!!!

Take heart, Jesus, the Son of God is coming!!! Do not be afraid!!!

Think about it: How did Jesus come to you in a time of crisis?