Acts 6:8-15
This passage is all about how God works through those who are available to him. There is a direct parallel between being full of God's grace and power and being full of the Holy Spirit. Stephen, being in complete submission to the Spirit and full of God's grace was able to perform great wonders among the people. This caused some opposition from a certain sector of Jews. I'm not sure why this particular synagogue was so anti-Stephen. I'm sure it's significant that these were Jews from other regions who had re-settled in Jerusalem but I'm not sure why. Whatever the significance, they were able to stir up enough trouble the Stephen was eventually brought to the Sanhedrin. Just like they did to Jesus, they drummed up false charges against him.
The specific charges were that Stephen was threatening the destruction of the temple and the customs and religious rituals that had started in the time of Moses. Luke makes it clear that these charges are false - that Stephen had never blasphemed the temple or the law. However, I think they had a case. They recognized that if Jesus was truly the the only way to the Father, then following the teaching of Jesus would mean the end of their religion. There would not be a need for the temple and the religious customs and rituals.
I am a lover of structure and tradition. I need to be careful or I will find myself on the same side of the Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus' day and the day of the early church. I need to evaluate every area of my life, including this blog, to determine what has just become religious ritual and structure and what is truly giving me life. I need to make sure that I do not impose my structures on others. I need to recognize that there is no temple, except for the individual follower of Jesus and the community of followers, and there is no required ritual except loving God with all I am and have and loving my neighbour as my self. Yes, there are things that are helpful and useful in my (and your) spiritual development but I must remember that the end goal is not the completion of the spiritual discipline but knowing Jesus. This is hard for a a lover of structure and tradition.
Showing posts with label traditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traditions. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
splitting hairs
Matthew 15:1-9
I just published this post and it disappeared. Crazy!! I guess I'll try again:
Jesus contrasts the "tradition of the elders" to the "command of God" and exposes the fact that the Pharisees give more weight to their tradition than to the word of God. He reveals that by creating these traditions, they have created loopholes by which they can escape obeying the law. The specific example he gives is that some people were not providing the help to their parents that they were commanded to give because the tradition of the elders allowed them to devote some of their money (that would have otherwise gone to helping their parents) to God. Matthew (and Jesus) are again making the point that in the kingdom, people are more important than traditions and obedience is more important than ritual. The law really can be summed up as "love God with all you have and are" and "love your neighbour as yourself".
Jesus uses this occassion to remind the Pharisees of the prophesy of Isaiah and to see themselves as the fulfillment of that prophesy: they are the people who practice the rituals and traditions of religion but remain far from the heart of God. I know that I've been in the same boat. It's not that I've done it on purpose for the most part. It's just that the rituals and traditions become so common for me that I sometimes go through the motions without realizing it. Father, forgive me. May I never find more comfort in rituals than I do in you and may I never put tradition above people or obedience.
I just published this post and it disappeared. Crazy!! I guess I'll try again:
Jesus contrasts the "tradition of the elders" to the "command of God" and exposes the fact that the Pharisees give more weight to their tradition than to the word of God. He reveals that by creating these traditions, they have created loopholes by which they can escape obeying the law. The specific example he gives is that some people were not providing the help to their parents that they were commanded to give because the tradition of the elders allowed them to devote some of their money (that would have otherwise gone to helping their parents) to God. Matthew (and Jesus) are again making the point that in the kingdom, people are more important than traditions and obedience is more important than ritual. The law really can be summed up as "love God with all you have and are" and "love your neighbour as yourself".
Jesus uses this occassion to remind the Pharisees of the prophesy of Isaiah and to see themselves as the fulfillment of that prophesy: they are the people who practice the rituals and traditions of religion but remain far from the heart of God. I know that I've been in the same boat. It's not that I've done it on purpose for the most part. It's just that the rituals and traditions become so common for me that I sometimes go through the motions without realizing it. Father, forgive me. May I never find more comfort in rituals than I do in you and may I never put tradition above people or obedience.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Call the Sabbath Police!
Matthew 12:9-14
According to Matthew, this happens on the same Sabbath as his disciples picking grain. Jesus challenges the consciences of the synagogue rulers by asking questions and setting up scenarios. He points out the absurdities of their traditions: it is ok to rescue a sheep that fell into a pit but not ok to provide help and healing to a person. This healing seems to be the last straw for the Pharisees - as a result of Jesus breaking the Sabbath in this way, they go out and plot to kill him.
Talk about missing the point! Jesus is saying that humans are more important than laws and traditions. In another place he says that the sabbath was created to serve humans; humans weren't created to serve the sabbath. Jesus had just said that someone (meaning him) more important than the temple was present - if it's ok to break the Sabbath in service of the temple, it is ok to break the Sabbath in service of Christ. Now he is saying that someone (meaning humans in need) more important than sheep was present - if it is ok to break the Sabbath to rescue a sheep, it is ok to break the Sabbath to rescue a person.
I wonder how many times I have killed or supressed the work of God because it did not conform to my traditions and expectations. I wonder how many times I've missed helping people because I was caught up in my observance of holiness. We are a lot like the Pharisees in the way we teach our students to avoid evil - it's wrong to get drunk so you shouldn't drink and you shouldn't go anywhere drinking is happening and you shouldn't even hang out with people who maybe have ever had something to drink or might have gotten drunk at sometime in their past because that might tempt you to drink and you might get drunk. The layers of tradition that we've added to avoid breaking the rules have become rules themselves and we judge each other based on our ability to keep those rules. In the mean time there are blind, crippled, needy people at those parties living in darkness that are dying for the light but we're too afraid to take our light there because we might sin. We have become the Pharisees. Shouldn't we be teaching our students to take their light into the darkest places of this world, teaching them and showing them that they can trust the Spirit in them to keep them strong and from temptation and that they can trust the community of faith to which they belong to hold them accountable, to pray for them, to go with them to prevent them from falling as they go to shine their light? Isn't this what Jesus taught? Isn't this what Jesus did?
According to Matthew, this happens on the same Sabbath as his disciples picking grain. Jesus challenges the consciences of the synagogue rulers by asking questions and setting up scenarios. He points out the absurdities of their traditions: it is ok to rescue a sheep that fell into a pit but not ok to provide help and healing to a person. This healing seems to be the last straw for the Pharisees - as a result of Jesus breaking the Sabbath in this way, they go out and plot to kill him.
Talk about missing the point! Jesus is saying that humans are more important than laws and traditions. In another place he says that the sabbath was created to serve humans; humans weren't created to serve the sabbath. Jesus had just said that someone (meaning him) more important than the temple was present - if it's ok to break the Sabbath in service of the temple, it is ok to break the Sabbath in service of Christ. Now he is saying that someone (meaning humans in need) more important than sheep was present - if it is ok to break the Sabbath to rescue a sheep, it is ok to break the Sabbath to rescue a person.
I wonder how many times I have killed or supressed the work of God because it did not conform to my traditions and expectations. I wonder how many times I've missed helping people because I was caught up in my observance of holiness. We are a lot like the Pharisees in the way we teach our students to avoid evil - it's wrong to get drunk so you shouldn't drink and you shouldn't go anywhere drinking is happening and you shouldn't even hang out with people who maybe have ever had something to drink or might have gotten drunk at sometime in their past because that might tempt you to drink and you might get drunk. The layers of tradition that we've added to avoid breaking the rules have become rules themselves and we judge each other based on our ability to keep those rules. In the mean time there are blind, crippled, needy people at those parties living in darkness that are dying for the light but we're too afraid to take our light there because we might sin. We have become the Pharisees. Shouldn't we be teaching our students to take their light into the darkest places of this world, teaching them and showing them that they can trust the Spirit in them to keep them strong and from temptation and that they can trust the community of faith to which they belong to hold them accountable, to pray for them, to go with them to prevent them from falling as they go to shine their light? Isn't this what Jesus taught? Isn't this what Jesus did?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
sleeping or dead?
Matthew 9:23-26
This is the end of the story that started in verse 18 and was interrupted by the woman who touched Jesus' cloak. I think that it is significant that Jesus raised this girl from the dead (see the previous post) but also significant is Jesus' reaction to the traditional mourning crowd: "go away!" Again, I don't know all the traditions associated with death at that time period, but I do know that often professional mourners were hired - this family even had a band of pipe players to help them express their lament. I see a connection here to Jesus' teaching about new wine and new skins - he is sick of the traditions that burdened the people, even in death.
I think the fact that there was a crowd of mourners makes the dad's decision to come to Jesus even more significant. I don't know exactly what was going through the dad's mind but I imagine he was thinking that asking Jesus to come and raise his daughter from the dead certainly couldn't hurt and might help. I wonder if he was surprised when Jesus agreed to come...
If this happened to me, I know that I would tell everyone that I came across about the wonderful thing Jesus did in bringing my child back to me. As significant as this was, what Jesus did for me in saving me from eternal death is even more significant. When I know that Jesus could do the same thing for whoever puts their faith in him, I wonder why I'm not shouting the news from the rooftops...
This is the end of the story that started in verse 18 and was interrupted by the woman who touched Jesus' cloak. I think that it is significant that Jesus raised this girl from the dead (see the previous post) but also significant is Jesus' reaction to the traditional mourning crowd: "go away!" Again, I don't know all the traditions associated with death at that time period, but I do know that often professional mourners were hired - this family even had a band of pipe players to help them express their lament. I see a connection here to Jesus' teaching about new wine and new skins - he is sick of the traditions that burdened the people, even in death.
I think the fact that there was a crowd of mourners makes the dad's decision to come to Jesus even more significant. I don't know exactly what was going through the dad's mind but I imagine he was thinking that asking Jesus to come and raise his daughter from the dead certainly couldn't hurt and might help. I wonder if he was surprised when Jesus agreed to come...
If this happened to me, I know that I would tell everyone that I came across about the wonderful thing Jesus did in bringing my child back to me. As significant as this was, what Jesus did for me in saving me from eternal death is even more significant. When I know that Jesus could do the same thing for whoever puts their faith in him, I wonder why I'm not shouting the news from the rooftops...
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
the end of religion
Colossians 2:16-23
Paul contrasts the shadow of the law with the reality of Christ. The idea of false humility shows up twice as well as mystical, rule heavy worship and harsh treatment of the body. This is the early form of gnosticism that I mentioned before: the physical is evil and must be punished, the spiritual is good and must be worshiped. Angel worship comes in because they would believe that angels had special knowledge that was passed to humans if humans observed certain rituals and rules.
Paul's words would have sounded completely radical to this culture: don't let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or by which days you observe (or don't observe) as sacred and how you observe (or don't observe) those days; don't keep submitting to the ancient rules and traditions. The unfortunate thing is that Paul's words still sound radical in today's culture. We've taken the good news message of Jesus (that God became one of us to show us his love, to save us from sin and to declare the end of religion) and built up rules and traditions around it and have created a new religion. This must sadden God!
The reason that we don't have to observe the rules anymore is found in the previous verses (Paul connects this passage with the previous with the word "therefore" meaning that this section is a conclusion of the previous): Christ has canceled the charge of our indebtedness and has taken away that which condemned us. Therefore we don't have to earn God's favour - Christ has purchased it for us.
The problem is that I love rules! I love rituals and traditions because I like to know what to expect (I love the familiar with a little twist of new) and because I like to think that my observance of rules and rituals somehow pleases God. It's really an issue of pride - I want to have a role in my own salvation; I don't want to accept the fact that Christ had to do it all for me because I was incapable (that makes me seem weak and helpless, which, in fact, I really am). Worse than that, I impose my self-imposed measures of righteousness on others, trying to make them live up to the same rules I have created. I am a Pharisee.
May I experience the freedom that Christ offers from rules and rituals (self-imposed or otherwise) and may I model that freedom so others too can be free.
Paul contrasts the shadow of the law with the reality of Christ. The idea of false humility shows up twice as well as mystical, rule heavy worship and harsh treatment of the body. This is the early form of gnosticism that I mentioned before: the physical is evil and must be punished, the spiritual is good and must be worshiped. Angel worship comes in because they would believe that angels had special knowledge that was passed to humans if humans observed certain rituals and rules.
Paul's words would have sounded completely radical to this culture: don't let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or by which days you observe (or don't observe) as sacred and how you observe (or don't observe) those days; don't keep submitting to the ancient rules and traditions. The unfortunate thing is that Paul's words still sound radical in today's culture. We've taken the good news message of Jesus (that God became one of us to show us his love, to save us from sin and to declare the end of religion) and built up rules and traditions around it and have created a new religion. This must sadden God!
The reason that we don't have to observe the rules anymore is found in the previous verses (Paul connects this passage with the previous with the word "therefore" meaning that this section is a conclusion of the previous): Christ has canceled the charge of our indebtedness and has taken away that which condemned us. Therefore we don't have to earn God's favour - Christ has purchased it for us.
The problem is that I love rules! I love rituals and traditions because I like to know what to expect (I love the familiar with a little twist of new) and because I like to think that my observance of rules and rituals somehow pleases God. It's really an issue of pride - I want to have a role in my own salvation; I don't want to accept the fact that Christ had to do it all for me because I was incapable (that makes me seem weak and helpless, which, in fact, I really am). Worse than that, I impose my self-imposed measures of righteousness on others, trying to make them live up to the same rules I have created. I am a Pharisee.
May I experience the freedom that Christ offers from rules and rituals (self-imposed or otherwise) and may I model that freedom so others too can be free.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
divide and conquer?
Galatians 2:6-10
People having authourity are mentioned a few times in this passage: those who seemed to be important (v. 6), those reputed to be pillars (v. 9) and those who seemed to be leaders (v. 2). All of these references are to James, Peter and John - the leaders of the Jerusalem church. These leaders welcomed Paul and Barnabas into their fellowship, seemingly recognizing Paul's own authourity to lead.
Another key word is "circumcised" - the NIV translates it Jews. This is going to be the core conflict that Paul deals with: do Gentile believers need to be circumcised?
To sum up this passage in my own words: Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to see the leaders of the church there. The leaders in Jerusalem recognized Paul's authourity to take the gospel to the Gentiles and did not demand that any Jewish law be added to the message of grace and freedom that Paul was preaching. According to Paul, all they required was that the Gentile believers remember the poor. If what Paul is referring to is the incident recorded in Acts 15, then his recollection is not entirely accurate. The leaders in Jerusalem also asked the Gentiles to abstain from sexual immorality, blood, the meat of strangled animals and meat offered to idols (although Paul argues in Corinthians that the food rules are not necessary).
Paul's ability to get to the core of the good news message is astounding, especially since he had grown up under and was a teacher of the rules of Judaism. I have grown up in the culture of fundamental/evangelical Christianity with all its rules and traditions and I know I have a tendency to add rules and traditions to the gospel message. Paul makes it clear that in order to have a relationship with Jesus, all I have to do is place all my trust in him. That's it.
People having authourity are mentioned a few times in this passage: those who seemed to be important (v. 6), those reputed to be pillars (v. 9) and those who seemed to be leaders (v. 2). All of these references are to James, Peter and John - the leaders of the Jerusalem church. These leaders welcomed Paul and Barnabas into their fellowship, seemingly recognizing Paul's own authourity to lead.
Another key word is "circumcised" - the NIV translates it Jews. This is going to be the core conflict that Paul deals with: do Gentile believers need to be circumcised?
To sum up this passage in my own words: Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to see the leaders of the church there. The leaders in Jerusalem recognized Paul's authourity to take the gospel to the Gentiles and did not demand that any Jewish law be added to the message of grace and freedom that Paul was preaching. According to Paul, all they required was that the Gentile believers remember the poor. If what Paul is referring to is the incident recorded in Acts 15, then his recollection is not entirely accurate. The leaders in Jerusalem also asked the Gentiles to abstain from sexual immorality, blood, the meat of strangled animals and meat offered to idols (although Paul argues in Corinthians that the food rules are not necessary).
Paul's ability to get to the core of the good news message is astounding, especially since he had grown up under and was a teacher of the rules of Judaism. I have grown up in the culture of fundamental/evangelical Christianity with all its rules and traditions and I know I have a tendency to add rules and traditions to the gospel message. Paul makes it clear that in order to have a relationship with Jesus, all I have to do is place all my trust in him. That's it.
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