October 29, 2008
I Peter 2:18-20
“You who are servants, be good servants to your masters—not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. What counts is that you put up with it for God’s sake when you’re treated badly for no good reason. There’s no particular virtue in accepting punishment that you well deserve. But if you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God.”
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin . . .
“Look at the girl with the big hair and the little bitty face! What did you do to your pretty straight hair? I wondered what kind of horse was coming down the hall when I heard those steps and it’s you! Have you put on weight or do your clothes just make you look like it?” These are comments that have come my way in recent weeks and years. I do not take them as kind remarks but I would venture to guess that you too have probably been the recipient of similar sorts of comments.
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin . . .
While the slaves of Peter’s day experienced much more harsh treatment than some disrespectful or hurtful words, the message that Peter is trying to relay is applicable to us at every level of life. What he wanted the slaves of the day to understand is that we choose how we react to the abuses that others hurl at us. They could try to fight back but where would that get them? Probably it would render more pain in their directions. If they were to be challenged by others, their best bet would be to rely on their God-given conscience and ultimately to practice grace toward others. That practice of grace was a gift of salvation. They needed only to reflect on Christ to remember that grace.
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin . . .
That was the kind of grace that God gave us in Christ—grace that was greater than all our sin. Though throngs of people fought against the truth that one man sought to share—though those throngs murdered him violently—God’s grace and forgiveness were greater than any sin we humans could commit.
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin . . .
Peter exhorted the slaves that in the face of the great pain they endured, if they could practice the kind of grace characteristic of God in the face of Jesus’ death, and the kind of grace characteristic of Jesus in dealing with the slings and arrows of humanity, they would know a peace that comes in a new awareness of God.
Grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin . . .
What if we could practice that kind of grace in the face of the slings and arrows that humanity throws our way—no matter how harsh or hurtful? I think we might find that the derogatory comments toward us are often less commentary on us and more on the one speaking. I think we might find that we are a bit more compassionate, that our skin is tougher and that we begin to see others with God’s eyes.
May we claim the grace that is greater than all our sin and may we seek to be bearers of it! Amen.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Slaves of God
October 22, 2008
I Peter 2:13-17
“Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.”
“Chu--, An--, Jan--, Scot--, Blythe! I need you to take the trash out of the house for me,” my grandmother would say. She had to run through the four children before finally finding my name. Once outside with the trash, I would enter the door and my cousin Alan would say, “Grandmommie is looking for you. She needs you to change a lightbulb in the bathroom.” I would head to the bathroom when I would hear, “An-Jan-Scot-Blythe, I need you to get some thing out of the attic.” Not five seconds would pass and the same rehearsal with the words I need you to mop a spot on the floor, can you go find the mop in the washroom?” And then, the rehearsal of names followed by, “I need you come slice these tomatoes for the sandwiches but make sure you rinse them first!” Mind you, I’m still changing the light bulb at this point! Now, you have to understand that I wasn’t the only one working. Everyone was being directed in similar fashion and marveling at how my grandmother could give us so many things to do before the first was finished or even attempted. We often thought we should have t-shirts that read “Slaves of Mary Frances!”
I don’t mean that in a negative way though in our cultural vernacular the word slave brings up the connotation of great negativity. In the culture of Peter, while negativity was engaged in slavery, there were also examples of slavery as a positive thing. Scholar Pheme Perkins has said that “inscriptions from Asia Minor show that in some instances of manumission freedmen were designated slaves of the god or goddess in whose temple the preliminary registration to free the person had taken place (Interpretation Commentary: 1&2 Peter, James & Jude, p.48).”
So Peter is calling this community to think in those terms: to live such lives that they are living for God. It is as if he is calling them to wear t-shirts that read “Slaves of God.” Those would have been shirts worth wearing because they would have indicated that the person had such love for God that he/she chose consciously and from their hearts to live exemplary lives based in love and respect for others. Peter’s message transcends the years. It is his message to our community as well. So often we live for ourselves, for our agendas and out of our self-centered perspectives that we miss the wonder of being a slave for God. I am proud to be a slave of Mary Frances (my grandmother, for I do love her that much!) but I hope that one day people will say of me that I loved God so much and lived for God so faithfully that the best term for me would be “slave for God.” I hope that for all of us! May that life be our striving! Amen.
I Peter 2:13-17
“Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.”
“Chu--, An--, Jan--, Scot--, Blythe! I need you to take the trash out of the house for me,” my grandmother would say. She had to run through the four children before finally finding my name. Once outside with the trash, I would enter the door and my cousin Alan would say, “Grandmommie is looking for you. She needs you to change a lightbulb in the bathroom.” I would head to the bathroom when I would hear, “An-Jan-Scot-Blythe, I need you to get some thing out of the attic.” Not five seconds would pass and the same rehearsal with the words I need you to mop a spot on the floor, can you go find the mop in the washroom?” And then, the rehearsal of names followed by, “I need you come slice these tomatoes for the sandwiches but make sure you rinse them first!” Mind you, I’m still changing the light bulb at this point! Now, you have to understand that I wasn’t the only one working. Everyone was being directed in similar fashion and marveling at how my grandmother could give us so many things to do before the first was finished or even attempted. We often thought we should have t-shirts that read “Slaves of Mary Frances!”
I don’t mean that in a negative way though in our cultural vernacular the word slave brings up the connotation of great negativity. In the culture of Peter, while negativity was engaged in slavery, there were also examples of slavery as a positive thing. Scholar Pheme Perkins has said that “inscriptions from Asia Minor show that in some instances of manumission freedmen were designated slaves of the god or goddess in whose temple the preliminary registration to free the person had taken place (Interpretation Commentary: 1&2 Peter, James & Jude, p.48).”
So Peter is calling this community to think in those terms: to live such lives that they are living for God. It is as if he is calling them to wear t-shirts that read “Slaves of God.” Those would have been shirts worth wearing because they would have indicated that the person had such love for God that he/she chose consciously and from their hearts to live exemplary lives based in love and respect for others. Peter’s message transcends the years. It is his message to our community as well. So often we live for ourselves, for our agendas and out of our self-centered perspectives that we miss the wonder of being a slave for God. I am proud to be a slave of Mary Frances (my grandmother, for I do love her that much!) but I hope that one day people will say of me that I loved God so much and lived for God so faithfully that the best term for me would be “slave for God.” I hope that for all of us! May that life be our striving! Amen.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
True Survivor
October 15, 2008
I Peter 2:11-12
“Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourself cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.”
It has been years since I tuned into the television show but maybe you still watch it. I remember those early days of intrigue that I had with it. People, previously unknown to each other, from around the United States gathered on an island somewhere on the world’s distant shores. They could bring very little with them and were given an item or two that would be their luxuries during a long competition that answered the question. Who would be THE survivor? The show, Survivor, as it is called, divides contestants into teams and requires them to compete in physical challenges. These challenges open doors for them to have surprises during their lengthy competition such as seeing family members from whom they’ve been alienated or having a special meal that they would otherwise not be able to enjoy. It gives them a break from this alien lifestyle. The attitudes that you witness among the participants are less than ideal. They are in a fight to win a million dollars and the viewer watches as they practice deception and conniving. They form alliances with each other and gang up in order to vote the person who may be the greatest threat to winning off of the island. And so it goes until there is one left standing.
In the world of Peter, Christians were like the survivor contestants. They had all manner of “bad things” being said about them though we are not told what those ‘bad things’ are. Cicero tells us that the people considered aliens at that time were expected to keep to themselves and stay out of the business of others. What enabled them to survive in any city was the goodwill that they cultivated among the locals and this was what enabled them to stay in the cities. Most likely Christians were viewed as a foreign cult and they may have had some anti-Jewish perspectives being demonstrated in their efforts at evangelizing. What Peter wants the Christians to understand is that they needed to be on the best behavior being certain to live the principles that they desired to teach. Only when their action was consonant with their word would they be able to represent Christianity for what it really was and truly make a case by their living for others to convert. Contrary to the television show the goal was to be the true survivor by living an exemplary life.
It is a tall order for any human but it is the order to which we signed on when we chose to call ourselves Christians. So, are we more like the survivors of the television show or more like the true survivors that Peter was calling the Christians to be? What will it take for us as individuals to be true survivors? What will it take for the church to stand in exemplary living? Lots of questions, I know! But I also know that the answers are within us! Amen!
I Peter 2:11-12
“Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourself cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.”
It has been years since I tuned into the television show but maybe you still watch it. I remember those early days of intrigue that I had with it. People, previously unknown to each other, from around the United States gathered on an island somewhere on the world’s distant shores. They could bring very little with them and were given an item or two that would be their luxuries during a long competition that answered the question. Who would be THE survivor? The show, Survivor, as it is called, divides contestants into teams and requires them to compete in physical challenges. These challenges open doors for them to have surprises during their lengthy competition such as seeing family members from whom they’ve been alienated or having a special meal that they would otherwise not be able to enjoy. It gives them a break from this alien lifestyle. The attitudes that you witness among the participants are less than ideal. They are in a fight to win a million dollars and the viewer watches as they practice deception and conniving. They form alliances with each other and gang up in order to vote the person who may be the greatest threat to winning off of the island. And so it goes until there is one left standing.
In the world of Peter, Christians were like the survivor contestants. They had all manner of “bad things” being said about them though we are not told what those ‘bad things’ are. Cicero tells us that the people considered aliens at that time were expected to keep to themselves and stay out of the business of others. What enabled them to survive in any city was the goodwill that they cultivated among the locals and this was what enabled them to stay in the cities. Most likely Christians were viewed as a foreign cult and they may have had some anti-Jewish perspectives being demonstrated in their efforts at evangelizing. What Peter wants the Christians to understand is that they needed to be on the best behavior being certain to live the principles that they desired to teach. Only when their action was consonant with their word would they be able to represent Christianity for what it really was and truly make a case by their living for others to convert. Contrary to the television show the goal was to be the true survivor by living an exemplary life.
It is a tall order for any human but it is the order to which we signed on when we chose to call ourselves Christians. So, are we more like the survivors of the television show or more like the true survivors that Peter was calling the Christians to be? What will it take for us as individuals to be true survivors? What will it take for the church to stand in exemplary living? Lots of questions, I know! But I also know that the answers are within us! Amen!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Unexpected Grace
October 8, 2998
I Peter 2:1-10 (The Message)
“So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.
Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. The Scriptures provide precedent:
‘Look! I’m setting a stone in Zion, a cornerstone in the place of honor. Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation will never have cause to regret it.’
To you who trust him, he’s a Stone to be proud of, but to those who refuse to trust him, ‘the stone the workmen threw out is now the chief foundation stone.’
For the untrusting it’s ‘a stone to trip over, a boulder blocking the way.’ They trip and fall because they refuse to obey, just as predicted.
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”
Infants at the breast, the living Stone, the cornerstone, priestly work . . . all of these are images of the Old Testament that the author of I Peter uses in order to give description of the church. He is working with a church that has known unexpected grace that has come in the form of relationship with Jesus Christ. These are people who have experienced a new level of goodness in their lives and like rebirth they are beginning to watch as their lives are transformed. But Peter has to remind them that it is not enough to enjoy the ride right now. They have to continue to encourage each other in their faith, they must be community for one another and they must remain rooted in their Source in order to maintain the exhilarating feel of such unexpected grace. It is not enough to be transformed. They must pay it forward.
The word came through the email just last night. It read: “Saudades.” It was addressed to me and to all of my friends who had recently gathered in Chicago for a week of sharing, encouraging and challenging each other. The week had been much like the experience of Peter’s church in meeting Jesus. It was transformative and conversional! But then we left each other. No longer could I sit with Rick and be encouraged by his spiritual perspective on life. No longer could I laugh to the point of tears with Craig and Sandy. No longer could have Michelle to hold my feet to the fire. Then came this word, saudades. It was a word of unexpected grace from my friend Airton in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Saudades is a Portuguese word that doesn’t translate effectively to English. It means “I miss you” but in a way that is stronger than what our English word can communicate. That simple word offered care, reaffirmed friendship and brought memories of joy. Wrapped up in that word was not only the gift of a moment of unexpected grace but there was also an admonition to pay it forward.
Peter’s church found transformation in their relationship with their Source and were called to live that out in community. I found transformation among a community of friends who offer sincere care for me and who call me back to my Source. From whence does your unexpected grace come . . . and . . . how can you or do you find ways to pay that grace forward? For what you mean to me, I share Airton’s word with you, “Saudades, friends, saudades.” Amen.
I Peter 2:1-10 (The Message)
“So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.
Welcome to the living Stone, the source of life. The workmen took one look and threw it out; God set it in the place of honor. Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, in which you’ll serve as holy priests offering Christ-approved lives up to God. The Scriptures provide precedent:
‘Look! I’m setting a stone in Zion, a cornerstone in the place of honor. Whoever trusts in this stone as a foundation will never have cause to regret it.’
To you who trust him, he’s a Stone to be proud of, but to those who refuse to trust him, ‘the stone the workmen threw out is now the chief foundation stone.’
For the untrusting it’s ‘a stone to trip over, a boulder blocking the way.’ They trip and fall because they refuse to obey, just as predicted.
But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”
Infants at the breast, the living Stone, the cornerstone, priestly work . . . all of these are images of the Old Testament that the author of I Peter uses in order to give description of the church. He is working with a church that has known unexpected grace that has come in the form of relationship with Jesus Christ. These are people who have experienced a new level of goodness in their lives and like rebirth they are beginning to watch as their lives are transformed. But Peter has to remind them that it is not enough to enjoy the ride right now. They have to continue to encourage each other in their faith, they must be community for one another and they must remain rooted in their Source in order to maintain the exhilarating feel of such unexpected grace. It is not enough to be transformed. They must pay it forward.
The word came through the email just last night. It read: “Saudades.” It was addressed to me and to all of my friends who had recently gathered in Chicago for a week of sharing, encouraging and challenging each other. The week had been much like the experience of Peter’s church in meeting Jesus. It was transformative and conversional! But then we left each other. No longer could I sit with Rick and be encouraged by his spiritual perspective on life. No longer could I laugh to the point of tears with Craig and Sandy. No longer could have Michelle to hold my feet to the fire. Then came this word, saudades. It was a word of unexpected grace from my friend Airton in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Saudades is a Portuguese word that doesn’t translate effectively to English. It means “I miss you” but in a way that is stronger than what our English word can communicate. That simple word offered care, reaffirmed friendship and brought memories of joy. Wrapped up in that word was not only the gift of a moment of unexpected grace but there was also an admonition to pay it forward.
Peter’s church found transformation in their relationship with their Source and were called to live that out in community. I found transformation among a community of friends who offer sincere care for me and who call me back to my Source. From whence does your unexpected grace come . . . and . . . how can you or do you find ways to pay that grace forward? For what you mean to me, I share Airton’s word with you, “Saudades, friends, saudades.” Amen.
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