home

well, almost. I get the keys to my new house in an hour.

But I'm at Matt and Amy's, so that counts.

can't wait to see you all. :)

music at the close of summer

Hey guys and gals,

I thought I'd share some music I've been jamming to this summer. Click on the link to check it out: http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Sunset+of+Summer/32750463

Blessings on the final week!

"Knocking on Heaven's Door?"

Today I preached for the first time in the "Big Church" at Church of the Incarnation, i.e., in the three traditional services in the main church.  Despite fighting a cold (my voice went after I preached the final time), by the grace of God it went well. (And since the Suffragan Bishop, who was there for the 11:15 version, didn't drag me out of the pulpit, I'm assuming that it also passed theological muster.)  My text was Luke 11:1-13; you can listen to a recording here.  Let me know what you think.

Theology Fail: Who Needs Straw Men When We Have This Guy?

A lot of times, we "radical Duke Students" get accused of hammering on a straw-man version of conservative Christianity unfairly, just to make a point. "People out there really aren't like that, you just need an easy target to slam to make yourselves feel smarter and superior."

To those people I say: Meet Wes Pastor--that's right, his last name is Pastor. Pastor Pastor is the President of New England Theological Seminary, a church planting group that are perhaps one of the most outspoken evangelical voices in New England. The church I attended from 7th-12th grade was a plant from this organization--so no one say I am just picking on a random group.

My point is this: Every single person who graduates from Duke Divinity School needs to ask themselves the question: "Do I have the theological tools and am I living a life in the church which would make it impossible for me to ever write the following letter and think that it was an accurate representation of the church's mission?"

So without bashing or name-calling or Duke-ego-tripping, I give you Wes Pastors' Letter from the NETS fundraising Newsletter that came in my mailbox yesterday. May we be people who can tell a different story.

(Disclaimer: This might be like one of those emails you should sleep on before deciding not to send, but this letter upset me and I hope this is a safe forum to be upset in. Apologies if I should have kept my mouth shut.)

Minding The Mission
by Wes Pastor

Sue and I just returned from a week of teaching at the Wales Evangelical School of Theology (WEST) near Cardiff. It was my privilege to instruct some 15 eager young English and Welshmen who desire to plant churches in places like Liverpool and Birmingham and throughout Wales. I spent the week examining the mission, message and methodology of the apostolic church as the basis for the NETS ministry. The topic spoke to their hearts, and already WEST has invited us back next year and initiated a WEST-NETS partnership for the near future. What a privilege to instruct these sharp, dedicated young men!
At week’s end, Sue and I travelled to London for a day of sightseeing. On our arrival, we found the streets in the entire center city blocked off and tour busses shut down in anticipation of the immensely popular Gay Pride Day parade. I admit, I became a bit sour, not only over the open decadence before me, but for the seeming ruination of our day in London. And frankly, it irritated me further that my wife did not see it similarly.
As Sue and I interacted, she put me right. She kindly reminded me of our mission, a mission which I was in danger of abandoning. From her perspective, our mission was to spend a relaxed day in London together, enjoying each other as we took in the spectacular sites. She sweetly encouraged me to move past the parade and to stay on task, to mind the mission.
As they say in the UK, Sue was “spot on!” I had lost my focus. I had forgotten why we were there. Even with the day half done, we began to enjoy ourselves, visiting the Crown Jewels after a lovely trip down the Thames to the Tower of London; visiting Buckingham Palace; and closing the evening with a romantic dinner at a winsome little Italian restaurant.
Why do I share this? I believe that the church, like me, is in greater and greater danger of abandoning its mission.
Increasingly, we are told that social and not merely evangelistic responsibility is a part of our commission (Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World); we are told that faithful presence and not faithful proclamation is how we’re to engage and transform the culture (Hunter, To Change the World); we’re told that Jesus wants to save Christians from believing that it’s principally about the hereafter and not about the here-and-now (Bell, Jesus Wants to Save Christians). Passages like Matthew 25:31-46 are regularly wrenched from their context to burden the church with combating social ills from child-trafficking to poverty to orphans to AIDS.

Over and against all this is the mission of Jesus (“The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost;” Luke 19:10), the mandate of Jesus (“Go, therefore and make disciples of the all the nations;” Matthew 28:18-20), and the model of the apostolic church (Book of Acts), not to mention the entire Old Testament which finds its fulfillment in the fin- ished work of Christ on the cross. Like me, the church needs to be gently encouraged to stay on task, to mind the mission. We are not to remake this city or to transform this culture - tasks we can never hope to accomplish. Our mission is to help create a new, heavenly city “whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10), a mission accomplished solely through the preaching of the gospel, with our tangible love for one another as the chief and necessary apologetic (John 13:34-35).

This is the NETS vision. We want to help plant churches that mind the mission. That’s why we hired Craig Combs – to better equip our church-planting pastors for this gospel-proclaiming mission. That’s why we want to start NETS training centers in places like Boston and Cameroon, and even the UK, Lebanon and the Ukraine, that will train men to plant churches that mind the mission. That’s why we need and covet your prayers and financial support, and thank God for your partnership (Phil.1:3-5). Brothers and sisters, let us stay on task; let us mind the mission.

"What Do I Do When Someone Sins?"

here you are:

What Do I Do When Someone Sins? from St. Peter's Anglican Church on Vimeo.

greetings from from the men in yellow

A couple days ago, I went with two of the nuns, an American priest, and Darriel to celebrate mass inside of the federal prison that is right across the street (literally) from St. Monica's.

My white skin and blonde hair already make me feel entirely conspicuous in this country...this feeling was certainly intensified by being one of the only women inside of prison walls which house hundreds of Ugandan men dressed in bright yellow uniforms. As we stepped in, I thought about the horrors that this country has known over the past 20 years...widespread rape, brutal war, mass killings and abductions...needless to say, being in there was out of my comfort zone. 

My fear was melted away by letting my eyes meet theirs, greeting them with handshakes, and returning smiles. They sang and played instruments with joy and vibrancy. They prayed earnestly. They listened attentively. 
Worshiping with them was a beautiful and touching experience.

They asked for me to address them, and I did with a word of encouragement....and then they asked us to send our greetings to brothers and sisters in Christ who are in America. So, I'm greeting you on their behalf....I'm greeting you with joy, and with the hope that you are able to picture their faces and hearts filled with hope and love as men who have been transformed by Christ.

love to all. Keep praying for Uganda.

peace,
E

Sermon - 'The Parable of Our True Neighbor'

Hey all.

Preached on Sunday at a small, incredible church called New Community (wishin it had a sister church in Durham). The text was the Good Samaritan passage. Like Zac said about his John the Baptist homily, I don't know that I would have preached this a year ago.

It made people wrestle, I think, and that's good.(?) (As a recovering approval junkie, I'd rather that they just unanimously like it, but I guess that's not what preaching's for). I would have preached the inverse of this sermon if I were in an evangelical church that didn't live with its most marginalized neighbors consciously at hand, as this church does.

Look forward to seeing many of you in a few short weeks.

__________________



THE PARABLE OF OUR TRUE NEIGHBOR
LUKE 10.25-37

NEW COMMUNITY CHURCH, WASHINGTON D.C.
JULY 11, 2010 (LECTIONARY YEAR C)


GREETING

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO HEAR WITH YOU THE WORD THAT GOD HAS FOR US ON THIS LORD’S DAY. I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT YOU ARE SHOWING ME AS A SEMINARIAN BY ALLOWING ME TO PREACH, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE NOT BEEN WORSHIPPING HERE AT NEW COMMUNITY DURING MY TIME IN DC. IT IS EVEN MORE GENEROUS OF YOU TO OFFER YOUR PULPIT ON A SUNDAY WITH AS RICH A TEXT AS THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

RETHINKING THE ‘GOOD SAMARITAN’

BESIDES BEING A RICH TEXT, THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN IS FAMOUS – SO FAMOUS THAT WE HAVE A HARD TIME COMING TO IT WITHOUT FAIRLY STRONG PRECONCEPTIONS AS TO WHAT IT IS SAYING TO US. A ‘GOOD SAMARITAN,’ LIKE ‘PRODIGAL SON’ – IS POPULARLY RECOGNIZED AS A PARABLE CHARACTER THAT OUR SOCIETY APPLIES TO PEOPLE WHO, SAY, STOP AND HELP STRANDED MOTORISTS. WE ALL KNOW OR HAVE EXPERIENCED INSTANCES WHERE A ‘GOOD SAMARITAN’ SHOWS UP AND SAVES THE DAY.

ON THE OCCASIONS WHEN I DID READ THE NEWSPAPER AS A KID, I ALWAYS READ THE ‘RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS’ COLUMN (DOES THE POST HAVE ONE OF THOSE?). BLAME IT ON MY SMALL TOWN MIDWESTERN UPBRINGING, BUT I FOUND IT FASCINATING TO READ OF WAYS SOMEONE PULLED OFF WHAT THE ALWAYS-AUTHORITATIVE WIKIPEDIA DEFINES AS “A SELFLESS ACT PERFORMED BY A PERSON OR PERSONS WISHING TO EITHER ASSIST OR CHEER UP AN INDIVIDUAL OR IN SOME CASES AN ANIMAL [AN ANIMAL, REALLY?].”

NOW, NOTHING AGAINST RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS – POSITIVELY, THEY CAN HELP PROMOTE A CULTURE OF GOODWILL AND GENEROSITY. BUT WHEN WE READ THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, I THINK IT IS OFTEN HARD NOT TO VIEW IT AS A KIND OF ULTIMATE ‘RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS’ PERFORMED BY SOMEONE WHO WAS MERELY ACTING AS ANYONE SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO ACT IN THAT SITUATION (WIKIPEDIA EVEN LINKS TO ITS ‘GOOD SAMARITAN’ ENTRY FROM ITS ‘RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS’ ENTRY). THIS ASSUMPTION CAN OBSCURE THAT THIS PARABLE POINTS US TO THE RADICAL HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL. LET ME SAY MORE.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THE SAMARITAN IN THE STORY SEEMS TO BE COMMENDED BY JESUS FOR HIS GOODNESS, FOR GIVING SOMETHING OF HIMSELF ON BEHALF OF HIS NEIGHBOR, AND SO HE ACHIEVES IMMORTALITY AS THE MODEL HUMANE PERSON [THE OTHER DAY I SAW A BOOK: THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE WHO NEVER LIVED – SURELY OUR SAMARITAN SHOULD MAKE THE LIST]. EVEN THE MAN WHO QUESTIONS JESUS SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS TO IMITATE THE SAMARITAN. HE ASKS JESUS A STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTION AND GETS A STRAIGHT ANSWER: THE WAY TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE IS TO FOLLOW THE LOVE COMMAND OF LEVITICUS 19 AND DEUTERONOMY 6, TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TEXTS IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES. HIS ONLY HANGUP IS ON THE QUESTION OF WHO HIS NEIGHBOR IS, JESUS ANSWERS WITH A PARABLE, AND THE MAN ‘GETS IT.’ JESUS TELLS HIM TO GO AND DO. OPEN AND SHUT CASE. WE, LIKE THE EXPERT OF THE LAW, ARE NOW READY TO GO SAMARITANIZE WHOMEVER WE RUN INTO.

IT SEEMS RIGHT THAT WE NATURALLY WANT TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES WITH THE SAMARITAN, SO AS EARNEST PEOPLE WE THINK WE SHOULD ALSO DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM THE LEVITE AND THE PRIEST IN THIS TALE. OFTEN WHEN WE READ THIS PASSAGE, THE LEVITE AND THE PRIEST STRIKE US AS EXAMPLES OF THE KIND OF PERSON JESUS DOES NOT WANT US TO BE. TO MANY, THEY REPRESENT RELIGIOUS AUTHORITARIANISM, BUREAUCRACY, AND COLD RITUALISM (SOME OF THE THINGS OUR SOCIETY TENDS TO DISLIKE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY OR ‘ORGANIZED RELIGION’ IN GENERAL). THESE GUYS ARE TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PURITY AND PIETY TO ‘HELP A BROTHER OUT.’

BUT JESUS DOESN’T REALLY SUPPLY US ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR INNER ATTITUDES. HE DOESN’T TELL US THAT THEY COULD HAVE PRESUMED THE MAN DEAD, THAT THEY HAD IMPORTANT PLACES TO BE AND THINGS TO DO – TASKS THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE WIDER RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, AND SOCIAL COMMUNITY OF ISRAEL BEYOND THIS SINGLE MAN WHO THEY HAVE NO MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO TREAT. JESUS ACTUALLY DOESN’T GIVE MUCH ATTENTION TO THE PRIEST OR LEVITE AT ALL. ALL WE KNOW IS THAT THE MOST RESPECTABLE AND DECENT ONES OF A SOCIETY, THE ONES FROM WHOM WE MAY MOST EXPECT A COMPASSIONATE RESPONSE, DO NOT GIVE ONE.

ONLY ONE OF THE THREE PASSERS-BY IS A NEIGHBOR TO THE HALF-DEAD MAN, AND IT ISN’T BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO AREN’T DECENT PEOPLE. SO JESUS IS BY NO MEANS USING THESE RELIGIOUS FIGURES TO CALL ISRAEL’S WORSHIP LEGALISTIC. JESUS IS NOT SAYING, ‘DON’T BE LIKE PRIESTS AND LEVITES.’ (IF THAT WERE THE CASE, JESUS SHOULD HAVE JUST TOLD THE EXPERT OF THE LAW TO GIVE UP HIS OCCUPATION.) HE IS, RATHER, COMMENDING THE RADICALLY GENEROUS AID THAT COMES IN A FORM ISRAEL LEAST EXPECTS.

THE DETAILS OF THE STORY HIGHLIGHT HOW THE LOVE OF THE SAMARITAN IS EXCEPTIONAL. BINDING UP WOUNDS, PLACING OIL AND WINE, PAYING FOR UNFORESEEN COSTS – THESE ARE NOT RESPONSES EXPECTED OF A MEMBER OF A PERSECUTED MINORITY, AND CERTAINLY TOO COSTLY FOR THE SHEER THRILL OF HELPING SOMEONE OR PROVING ONESELF A GOOD PERSON. THE SAMARITAN’S RESPONSE IS AN ABOVE-AND-BEYOND KIND OF LOVE. THE SAMARITAN IS NOT GIVING OUT OF HIS SURPLUS (AS ARE MANY OF OUR RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS), BUT BEYOND WHAT HE CAN AFFORD. HIS REACTION TO THE VICTIM IS NOT JUST WHAT ANY DECENT PERSON WOULD DO.

NOTE ALSO HOW JESUS DOES SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING IN THIS EXCHANGE. IF WE LOOK CLOSELY, JESUS DOESN’T ANSWER THE MAN’S QUESTION IN THE WAY THE MAN EXPECTED. HE ASKED WHO HE HAD TO LOVE IN ORDER TO STILL INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE. JESUS, HOWEVER, REFRAMES THE QUESTION BY HIS ANSWER. HE CHANGES THE MAN’S QUESTION FROM ‘HOW CAN I BE A NEIGHBOR TO OTHERS,’ TO ‘WHO IS A NEIGHBOR TO ME?’’ HE IS SWITCHING THE TERMS OF NEIGHBORLINESS: THE EXPERT OF THE LAW ASKS WHO HE MUST REACH OUT TO, AND JESUS RESPONDS WITH DESCRIBING THE ONE WHO HAS REACHED OUT. AND SO, AS THE EXPERT OF THE LAW FINDS OUT, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE THIS PARABLE ISN’T REALLY ABOUT US AND OUR CAPACITY FOR COMPASSION (OR, RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS).

SO, PERHAPS THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN ISN’T ABOUT RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS OR PERFORMING ‘NORMAL’ DUTIES AS GOOD CITIZENS, AND IT ISN’T ABOUT DOING BETTER THAN THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE. RATHER, IT IS ABOUT EXCESSIVE, UNLIMITED SACRIFICIAL GIVING BY THE LEAST-EXPECTED CANDIDATE WHEN DECENT, GOD-FEARING FOLKS DO NOTHING.

NOW, THERE IS ONE MORE THING TO CONSIDER. LET US REMEMBER THAT THIS PASSAGE IS CALLED THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. WHAT DO PARABLES DO? PARABLES DO NOT TELL US HOW TO BE GOOD AND HUMANE PEOPLE. JESUS’ PARABLES INSTEAD TELL US SOMETHING OF WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE THROUGH JESUS. IN PARABLES, AND ESPECIALLY IN LUKE, GOD COMES TO US IN FORMS WE DON’T EXPECT. GOD IS A FARMER – AND A SLOPPY ONE AT THAT – INDISCRIMINATELY FLINGING SEED IN A FIELD; A TIDY, SLIGHTLY OBSESSIVE HOUSEKEEPER; A NAÏVE AND MANIPULABLE RICH FATHER WHO RELEASES HALF HIS ESTATE TO HIS SPOILED KID; A DIRT-POOR BUT PERSISTENT SHEPHERD. IN EACH CASE, GOD TAKES SURPRISING, UNTHINKABLE, ABSURD GUISES TO COMMUNICATE A KINGDOM IN WHICH HE MAKES THINGS RIGHT BETWEEN HIMSELF AND HIS PEOPLE.

JESUS IS THE GOOD SAMARITAN

BASED ON ALL THESE CLUES, MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, JESUS IS NOT PRIMARILY TELLING US TO BE THE SAMARITAN HERE. THIS PARABLE SEEMS LESS LIKELY TO BE ABOUT US AFTER ALL.

WHEN WE CONSIDER THESE THINGS, WE ARE FACED WITH THE REALIZATION THAT WE ARE NOT THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN THIS TALE, BUT JESUS IS THE GOOD SAMARITAN. JESUS’ LIFE IS A FULFILLMENT OF THE ENTIRE LAW AND THE PROPHETS – IN WHICH HE LOVES GOD WITH ALL HIS HEART, SOUL, MIND, AND STRENGTH, AND LOVES HIS NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF. JESUS LIVES OUT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENTS FROM BEGINNING TO END, EVEN TO HIS ENEMIES, EVEN TO THE POINT OF THE CROSS. JESUS BINDS UP AND HEALS OUR WOUNDS AND PUTS US IN THE INN, THE CHURCH, FOR HEALING.

IN JESUS’ PARABLE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN IS THE ONE WHO SHOWS HIMSELF TO BE A NEIGHBOR TO THE UNNAMED MAN. IN HIS ENTIRE GOSPEL, LUKE PORTRAYS JESUS AS THE ONE WHO SHOWS HIMSELF TO BE THE NEIGHBOR TO THOSE DOWNTRODDEN, ALIENATED BY SIN AND SOCIETY, AND IN NEED OF FINDING. JESUS IS OUR TRUE NEIGHBOR, WHOSE LOVE IS THE LOVE OF INEXHAUSTIBLE SELF-GIVING.

RESTING IN OUR NEED

AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO CAST OURSELVES AS THE SAMARITAN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD DRAMA WE CALL LIFE, MAYBE WE ARE CLOSER TO THE UNNAMED JEW – THIS PLAY’S ‘EVERYMAN’ – IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOMEONE TO BE A NEIGHBOR TO US. JESUS’ PARABLE LEADS US TO FIRST IDENTIFY, NOT WITH THE HERO, BUT WITH THE ONE IN NEED.

WHEN WE LOOK CAREFULLY, I THINK, OUR LIVES CONFIRM THIS. WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE NOT STRONG, MORALLY UNSHAKEABLE PILLARS OF COURAGE; WE ARE, RATHER, FRAGILE AND DEPENDENT. FOR WEEKS AND EVEN MONTHS WE CAN FORGET THIS ABOUT OURSELVES, BUT IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH – AN UNEXPECTED BLOWUP AT A LOVED ONE, A SUDDEN BOUT OF ILLNESS, A STRESSFUL INTERACTION THAT LEAVES US FEELING LONELY OR MISUNDERSTOOD – TO REMIND US OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL NEEDINESS. WE CAN FIGHT IT OR LIVE IN DENIAL, BUT WE CAN ONLY TRULY LIVE WHEN WE REST IN THIS NEED AS GOOD NEWS. WHEN WE DO, WE FIND OUR SECURITY, OUR WELL-BEING, OUR FUTURE FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE ETERNALLY GRACIOUS AND EVER-PLENTIFUL LOVE OF GOD.

THIS IS TRULY GOOD NEWS, BUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO ACCEPT! MUCH HARDER IS IT THAN BEING THE GOOD SAMARITAN, WHICH GIVES US AN IDENTITY TO POSSESS – AN IDENTITY OF BENEVOLENCE, OF STRENGTH, OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY. AS IT DID FOR THE EXPERT OF THE LAW, THIS PARABLE CONFRONTS US WITH ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING QUESTIONS POSSIBLE: WHERE DO WE LOCATE OUR IDENTITY? IN BEING THE SUFFICIENT HELPER OF OTHERS, OR IN BEING NEEDY AND LOVED OF GOD?

WHEN I AM TOTALLY HONEST, SISTERS AND BROTHERS, I REALLY WANT TO BE THE SAMARITAN IN TODAY’S PARABLE. I WANT TO BE FOR OTHERS, TO DO ON THEIR BEHALF WHAT THEY CANNOT DO FOR THEMSELVES. WHETHER WE ARE CONSCIOUS OF THIS OR NOT, HOWEVER, THIS ATTITUDE STILL LEAVES US WITH A CERTAIN POWER OVER OTHERS. WHEN WE SEE OURSELVES AS THE SAMARITAN WE WILL INEVITABLY CONDESCEND TO RATHER THAN EMPOWER OTHERS.

DURING MY TIME IN WASHINGTON, I HAVE BEEN WORKING AT JOSEPH’S HOUSE, A HOME-LIKE COMMUNITY FOR THE DYING AND THE LIVING TO BE TOGETHER AND TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. I OFTEN FORGET THE ‘FOR ONE ANOTHER’ PART. AND SO THIS PLACE PROVIDES ME PLENTIFUL OPPORTUNITIES EACH WEEK TO GRAPPLE WITH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PARABLE. WHEN I AM NOT LIVING AWARE OF MY OWN DEEP NEEDINESS AND GOD’S DEEP LOVE – WHEN I AM IN SAMARITAN MODE, TRYING TO DO FOR OTHERS OUT OF MY OWN NEED FOR SELF-JUSTIFICATION – I AM THREATENED BY SEEING NEEDINESS IN RESIDENTS AT JOSEPH’S HOUSE, AND I SEE IT AS SOMETHING TO BE REMOVED AT ALL COSTS. PEOPLE CAN BECOME PROJECTS RATHER EASILY, RATHER THAN PARTNERS.

BUT, IF WE ARE TO FACE OUR OWN AND OTHERS’ PAIN, WE MUST HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE PAIN IN OURSELVES AND EXPERIENCED GOD’S LOVE FOR US. WHEN WE RECOGNIZE AND REST IN OUR NEED, WE CAN MEET OTHERS IN A WAY THAT CREATES COMPASSION. AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR PASSAGE SETS OUT TO COMMUNICATE TO US. GOD LOVES US AND IS A TRUE NEIGHBOR TO US, MORE OF A NEIGHBOR THAT WE CAN EVER BE TO OTHERS. LET US TAKE COMFORT IN THIS!

AN ASOCIAL READING?

I KNOW THAT FOR MANY OF YOU, HOWEVER, A LOOMING QUESTION REMAINS.

YOU RIGHTLY KNOW THAT THIS FAMOUS PASSAGE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL RESOURCES CHRISTIANS (LIKE MLK) HAVE USED TO COMBAT SOCIAL ILLS: TO OPPOSE RACISM AND SLAVERY, TO PROCLAIM LIBERATION FOR THE UNDER-SERVED, OPPRESSED, AND OUTCAST OF MANY A SOCIETY, TO DEMOLISH ALL TYPES OF BOUNDARIES THAT DIVIDE THE HUMAN FAMILY – ALL PROPHETIC ACTIONS FULLY IN LINE WITH JESUS’ LIFE AND MINISTRY.

BUT IF THIS PARABLE IS FIRSTLY ABOUT GOD NEIGHBORING US RATHER THAN OUR OWN GOOD ACTIONS, ARE WE LEFT WITH A SPIRITUALIZED, STERILE, SOCIALLY-PASSIVE READING THAT GETS US OFF THE DISCIPLESHIP HOOK AND DOESN’T ENGAGE US IN THE PAIN OF OUR NEIGHBOR? NOW, I KNOW THAT NEW COMMUNITY IS A CONGREGATION ALERT TO THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF A TEXT, THAT WON’T LET ME GET AWAY WITHOUT ASKING THIS HARD QUESTION. THIS CHURCH IS AN ACTIVISTIC CHURCH THAT TAKES ITS NEIGHBOR-HOOD SERIOUSLY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.

NO, WE ARE NOT CALLED BY THIS PASSAGE TO ‘BE GOOD.’ BUT WE ARE CALLED TO GO AND DO LIKE THE ONLY PERSON THE NEW TESTAMENT HAS EVER TOLD US TO GO AND DO LIKEWISE. IN JOHN 15, JESUS TELLS US TO ‘LOVE AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.’ WE LOVE AS JESUS HAS LOVED US. AND WHAT DOES HIS LOVE LOOK LIKE? EXTREME ENEMY-LOVE, SELF-GIVING TO THE POINT OF DEATH.

SO LET ME SAY PLAINLY: THIS SERMON IS A FAILURE IF WE LEAVE HERE THINKING THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN EXCUSES US FROM SURRENDERING OUR TIME, MONEY, ENERGY, VERY BEINGS IN ORDER TO FOLLOW OUR TRUE NEIGHBOR, JESUS CHRIST. THIS PASSAGE LEADS TO GREATER NEIGHBORLINESS, NOT LESSER. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN CALLS US, NOT TO ‘BE NICE,’ BUT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SAME LOVE THAT GOD DEMONSTRATES IN JESUS CHRIST – SELF-GIVING LOVE.

IN THE WORDS OF ARTHUR MCGILL, “JESUS IS NOT TELLING MEN [AND WOMEN] HOW TO RESHAPE THEIR LIVES. HE IS TELLING THEM WHAT THEIR LIVES BECOME WHEN THEY PARTICIPATE IN GOD’S OWN LIFE…WHAT THEIR LIVES BECOME IS A MOMENTUM OF SELF-EXPENDING SERVICE.” WHAT HE IS SAYING IS, OUR DISCIPLESHIP IS ALWAYS A RESPONSE TO GRACE. IF WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAMARITAN ON THE JERICHO ROAD OF LIFE, IT WILL COST US OUR VERY LIVES. IF WE ARE ABLE TO BE NEIGHBORS TO OTHERS WITH THIS KIND OF LOVE, IT IS NOT BECAUSE WE ARE NATURAL CANDIDATES FOR THE ROLE OF THE EXCEPTIONAL SAMARITAN, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SO NEIGHBORED BY CHRIST AND CAN ‘GO AND DO LIKEWISE.’

SO LET US GO AHEAD, CHURCH, AND DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS. BUT IF WE KEEP CLOSE TO OUR SAVIOUR AND TRUE NEIGHBOR, THEY WILL NOT BE RANDOM NOR WE WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US. ANY COMPASSIONATE ACTIONS WE DO ARE NOT ORDINARY EXPRESSIONS OF OUR HUMAN GOODNESS, BUT COME OUT OF THE GRACIOUS AND OVERABUNDANT GIFTS OF GOD. IT IS ABOUT GOD, NOT US. AND THIS IS TRULY GOOD NEWS.

EUCHARIST IS WHAT WE DO WITH OUR NEEDINESS

AND SO WE TAKE COMMUNION TOGETHER. THIS MEAL IS WHERE WE SEE THE LIMITS OF OUR HUMAN GOODNESS AND WHERE WE JOYFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND REST IN OUR NEEDINESS FOR A SAVIOUR. HERE, WE REMEMBER THAT JESUS TURNED TOWARDS JERUSALEM IN ORDER TO DO FOR US WHAT WE COULD NOT DO FOR OURSELVES. THIS MEAL IS WHAT WE DO WITH OUR NEEDINESS.

WHENEVER WE COME TO THIS, THE LORD’S TABLE, THE GOOD SAMARITAN IS MADE PRESENT TO US, OFFERING US – AGAIN AND AGAIN – THE SAME SELF-GIVING LOVE THAT MAKES THE UNIVERSE TURN. HERE, WE CELEBRATE THE SELF-GIVING POWER OF GOD THAT HAS REACHED OUT TO US IN EXQUISITE WAYS. HERE, JESUS EXTRAVAGANTLY, GRACIOUSLY GIVES US MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR OUR HEALING: BANDAGING OUR WOUNDS, OFFERING US OIL AND WINE AND FOOD, PAYING IN ADVANCE FOR ANYTHING ELSE OUR HEALING MAY REQUIRE. HERE, JESUS SHOWS HIMSELF TO BE OUR TRUE NEIGHBOR AND CALLS US TO BE CO-NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER OUT OF GRATITUDE FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. THIS, MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS, IS THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL. THIS IS TRULY GOOD NEWS, AND SO WE ‘EUCHARIST’ – WE GIVE THANKS.

THANKS BE TO GOD.

AMEN.

Call me Ramses.

Well - This week is Vacation Bible School. The entire church has been transformed into a rather impressive Egyptian landscape. The theme of the week is the story of Joseph - subtitle: "From Prison to Palace." Catchy, I know. The people here are super intense about VBS. I'm playing the part of Ramses, the pagan prison/palace guard, and one of the priests are playing the part of Joseph. It's been pretty hilarious so far. I'm basically the bad guy. The younger kids pee their pants at the mere sight of me, and the older ones expend an annoying amount of effort trying to steel my plastic, yet impressive looking sword. "That's not even a real sword," they say, "Your shield is totally plastic, You won't do anything to me... Naa Naa Naaa." Those little devils should be thankful I'm a pacifist.

The nice kids on the other hand just try to convert me to Christianity.

Truly though, it's sad to see real, concrete evidence of the devastating affects technology and television have had on killing the imagination of children. It seems that any kid older than like 2nd grade who isn't homeschooled has such a hard time entering into this world we've created for them. I think this is why I don't want my kids to watch TV. Anyway, VBS has provided a nice reprieve for me from what has become the daily grind of this pretty intense experience. I've been able to open up a few books that I want to read - I finished David Taylor's For the Beauty of the Church (yes Nate, let's talk about this - lots of very interesting thoughts) and now I've halfway through After You Believe which has proven, as could be expected, refreshingly simple.


On another note - my Sunday sermon is now behind me and it really feels like the end of this whole field ed thing is in sight. I preached at all 3 services on July 4th - and made it through successfully without once mentioning the great celebration of the demise of the British. I've delayed posting about it, because I've hoped to have a video of it for you all to see - but we've had some technical difficulties, which at this point I'm not sure when they'll be resolved, and so I'll point y'all in the direction of the video once I myself get a handle on it. The audio of it is up on the St. Peter's website. I've gotten a lot of encouragement and positive feedback about it. So I'll be anxious to hear anything y'all have to offer. My sermon is on Galatians 6, and is provocatively titled: "What Do I Do When Someone Sins?"

So that's all, just an update for y'all. I'm getting more and more anxious to get back to Durham. Elizabeth, I hope you're ok. We had a missions team from St. Peter's that was literally in transit to Uganda when the terrorist attacks happened - and they've decided to come back home.

STRENGTH!