A Sunday Hymn

Nobody gets away with anything. Not even the ones who look like they did.

Who Rules?

Photo credit: Hugo Heikenwaelder

The world and all that is in it is mine, (Psalm 50.12).

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This is my Father’s world:

Oh, let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world,
The battle is not done:
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This Is My Father’s World,  Maltbie D. Babcock, 1901

Advent - The Revolutionary

Jesus and his comrade in arms

Photo credit: Susan WD

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
     For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
     and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
     from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
     he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
     and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
     and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
     in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
     to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Gospel of Luke 1.46-55, ERV

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As the birth of the Messiah draws nearer, let's pause for a moment and notice the young peasant girl chosen to be his mother.

According to some historians she may have been as young as 12. Nazareth, where she lived, had only a few hundred inhabitants at the most. Everybody there would know in short order that Mary was unmarried and pregnant -- an enormous stigma in 1st century Galilee, worthy of stoning under Jewish law. In movies and art she is almost always portrayed as calm, serene, perhaps a bit shy and submissive. If we are not careful our cultural assumptions may cause us to take it for granted that she just assented meekly to the Angel Gabriel's request, a mere passive, resigned "bondservant" of the Lord.

But this song of Mary's shows her to be nothing of the sort...

Far from being the plaintive melody of a serene, submissive maiden, this is the battle hymn of a rebel! Quite aware of her "low status" as an unwed, teenage pregnant nobody in grungy little Nazareth she shakes her fist in the faces of the powers that be. "Watch out," she cries, "the true King is coming and he is going to turn things upside down!" The days of the "proud", the "rulers", the "rich" are numbered; the revolution has begun.

Mary meets her cousin Elizabeth

Painting by Claire Joy

Mary knew her Bible. Her song echos the one sung by Hannah, the mother of the Prophet Samuel, also miraculously born a thousand years before. They both sang of a revolution: Samuel's would be one that overturned the oppressive Philistines, who ground his people's faces into the dust. The revolution of Mary's coming child would be one that overturned the cosmic powers of sin and evil -- the powers that oppress and crush all humanity. 

Mary locked arms with Hannah, and with Sarah, and Rachel, and Samson's unnamed mother, and with her own cousin Elizabeth, with all the mothers of miracle babies that made up the the backbone of Israel's history, and sang of the great revolution that they had all been promised and eagerly looked for. Now her own child would finally fulfill that promise.

The early Christian movement never got over this young girl. They groped about for words sufficient to describe it. She was "sordid humanity's solitary boast," as Augustine said. The essence of a Saint is willingness to do what God asks; she was the greatest of all Saints, the church fathers said. Before her messianic son was even conceived and began to do his holy work, this girl firmly planted the flag of The Resistance against the forces of evil and declared in effect, "This is where it stops. This is where God finally finds someone who will do his will whatever it takes, and act as his instrument to turn this whole thing around."

"“Yes, I am a servant of the Lord," Mary proclaimed. "Let this happen to me according to your word." And to Jesus' early followers this one act -- Mary's bold, "Yes!" -- began the process of reversing Eve's "No." She brought the King into the world, gave him his first lessons (somewhat radical ones, no doubt!) and set him on the road to his final victory at Golgotha Hill.

Admittedly, she did not always understand him.  He was not the King anyone expected, after all, nor did he fight his battles as the Messiah was supposed to. But even though she knew that by doing so a sword would pierce her very soul, she followed him right down to the cross and beyond.

No, Mary was far from a passive womb or a meek bystander to the drama of her son's mission. She was a comrade in arms, a fellow revolutionary. She was a worthy mother of the Messiah.

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Prayer: Lord of The Revolution, thank you for this young woman whose dauntless courage helped make our faith possible. As the day on which we celebrate the coming of the King draws near, help us to have the courage always to say, "Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let it happen to me just as you have said." In Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen.

Holy Stubbornness

"In that town there was a widow"

Anonymous image from WikiCommons

On Sundays I like to let an ancient Christian writer explain something about a passage of scripture. This time I've got Ephrem the Syrian, one of the early Christian Movement's greatest poets, among other things. Theological trivia of the day: he's technically not discussing the actual Gospel of Luke but a portion of the Diatessaron, an early attempt to combine the 4 gospels into one continuous story. The result is the same for our purposes but FYI the scripture quotation below is from Luke, not from the Diatessaron. It's also my first try here at translating the scripture myself, something I might try again sometime if it turns out ok. The link leads to my traditional NET Bible.


Jesus told a parable to teach them they should always pray and never get discouraged. “There once was a judge in a certain town," he began, "who had no reverence for God and respected nobody. And in that town there was a widow. She kept coming before him with the plea, ‘Give me justice against my opponent!’ For a while he rejected her plea, but finally he told himself, ‘I may not revere God or respect anyone, but this widow is wearing me out! So I will give her justice, before her constantly coming before me becomes intolerable!’”

The Lord concluded, “Listen to what this unjust judge is saying! And won't God most certainly make sure that justice is done for his chosen people, who plead with him day and night? Will he delay executing justice for them? I'm telling you he will see to it that they receive justice -- and soon! But even so, when the Son of Man comes will he find any faith on the earth?”

Gospel of Luke 18.1-8

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How was that unjust judge immoral and wicked? How was the upright judge gracious and just? The first in his iniquity was not willing to vindicate the widow, and in his wickedness, he was not willing to put her mind at rest. The justice of God knows how to vindicate, and his grace discerns how to give life. The iniquity of this wicked judge was contrary to the justice of God, and the wickedness of this rebel was in opposition to the grace of the gentle One. His wickedness therefore was stubbornness, for it dared to go against the fear of God. His boldness was stubborn, for it refused the lowly person.

These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly towards human beings. She subjected them to her will, so that they might provide her with a vindication over her adversary. Persistence transformed these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their nature. The iniquity of the judge brought about a righteous judgment and a just retribution for the falsely accused woman. His wickedness gave peace to the afflicted one, although iniquity does not know how to judge, and wickedness does not know how to give refreshment.

Persistence forced these two evil and bitter branches to give good fruit against their nature. If we persist in prayer, we should be even more able to prevail on the grace and justice of God to give us fruit that agrees with their nature. Let justice vindicate us, and let grace refresh us. Accordingly, the fruit of justice is the just reward of the oppressed, while the giving of refreshment to the afflicted is the fruit of grace.

Ephrem the Syrian (born c. AD 306 died after 373)
Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron 16.16.

Footsteps of the Poor

You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.
He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground
    and casts it down to the dust.
Feet trample it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,
    the footsteps of the poor.

--The Prophet Isaiah 26.3-16, New International Version

Curiosity

(This is rewrite of a post I wrote over two years ago. Since we've been talking about the "Gospel of the Kingdom of God" recently this seemed to me like a good time to dust it off).

At one point in my life I belonged to a church that was very focused on Christ's 2nd coming (almost to the exclusion of the first) and entranced with the idea of interpreting Bible prophecy. Back in the day we'd sit around for hours arguing who the Beast would be and how long we had left. My views have changed considerably but a lot of my friends are still oriented that way and we sometimes discuss eschatological events, online or elsewhere.

Recently, in a Facebook group, this question was posted: "What is the fulfillment of the prophesy below, especially verse 25?" referring to The Book of Daniel, chapter 7, verses 19 - 27 ERV).

“Then I wanted to know what the fourth animal was and what it meant. The fourth animal was different from all the other animals. It was very terrible and had iron teeth and bronze claws. It was the animal that crushed and ate its victims and walked on whatever was left. I wanted to know about the ten horns that were on the fourth animal’s head and about the little horn that grew there. That little horn pulled out three of the other ten horns. That little horn had eyes and a mouth that kept on bragging, and it looked bigger than the other horns. As I was watching, this little horn began attacking and making war against God’s holy people and killing them. The little horn kept killing God’s holy people until the Ancient King came and judged him. The Ancient King announced his decision about the little horn. This judgment helped God’s holy people, and they received the kingdom.

“And he explained this to me:

‘The fourth animal is a fourth kingdom that will come on the earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms. That fourth kingdom will destroy people all around the world. It will walk on and crush nations all around the world. The ten horns are ten kings that will come from this fourth kingdom. After those ten kings are gone, another king will come. He will be different from the kings who ruled before him. He will defeat three of the other kings. This special king will say things against God Most High, and he will hurt and kill God’s special people. That king will try to change the times and laws that have already been set. God’s holy people will be under that king’s power for three and one-half years. “‘But the court will decide what should happen, and that king’s power will be taken away. His kingdom will end completely. Then God’s holy people will rule over the kingdom and all the people from all the kingdoms of earth. This kingdom will last forever, and people from all the other kingdoms will respect and serve them.’"

Pretty fascinating stuff, eh? Here is my admittedly impertinent response:

"It will be fulfilled at an indeterminate date when an unknowable world power shakes its fist in God's face, tries to create its own culture ('changing times and laws'), and persecutes the saints -- as has happened repeatedly down through history. At a point known only to God and none of our business (but still the subject of endless speculation) the Father will draw his preordained line in the sand, the church age will close, and Christ will "come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead."  

"Beyond that I think it would be presumptuous to speak. :)

In other words, I've been forced to admit that Jesus really meant what he said -- virtually the last thing he said -- before he returned to Heaven:

The apostles were all together. They asked Jesus, “Lord, is this the time for you to give the people of Israel their kingdom again?” Jesus said to them, “The Father is the only one who has the authority to decide dates and times. They are not for you to know.

(Book of Acts chapter 1 verses 6 - 7 ERV)

When and how the second Advent happens is none of our business. Nothing I'm aware of in the last 2000 years has altered that stubborn fact, Harold Camping, John Hagee, William Miller, the Mayans and a host of others notwithstanding.

I'm getting a bit ahead of my current series on the gospel, but the Messiah's Kingdom has already been set up and is he is ruling. That's what it means when "all authority in heaven and on earth is given to" someone and they "sit down at the right side of God." The universe has a king who has established his Kingdom, and we are his foot soldiers seeking to spread his rule to the world using the same weapons Jesus used: love, self-sacrifice, and the power resident in the Great Announcement (i.e., the gospel). Some day he will come back to end this exodus, to finish this journey, to "come again in glory to judge the living and the dead." That we have been assured of.

But the date that will happen he keeps to himself.

The Gospel Truth About Social Justice

This is my first post for Synchroblog, a little community of Christian blogs that post on a particular subject each month. Read more about it here and (assuming you're on Facebook) here. This month our topic is "Social Justice -- What is it really?." The Synchoblogs who posted are listed at the bottom of this post for you to peruse. Visit them all! We're an interesting and eclectic group!

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I have a problem with Social Justice.

If you try to research the term on the Internet you won't read long before learning that, while most people agree it probably includes things like helping the hungry and ending discrimination, there's no broadly accepted definition of what it is or the best way to do it. Some scholars even feel that when you analyze it the phrase itself is nonsensical, "like the term 'a moral stone."

But that's not what my problem is.

It's also not that the phrase tends to be identified with one side of the political spectrum or that, as a writer, I find it awkward and non-euphonious. It's hard to write stirring prose using a clunky, two-part, technical term. One doesn't find "social justice" in many poems.

No, my problem is that Jesus' followers (myself included) use it at all.

I was at an informal meeting a few years ago where we talked about the church's responsibilities to the city, the people around us. One snippet of the conversation that has always stuck with me went something like this:

Person #1: "I've been seeing so many more people out on the street lately because of this economy, even some families. We really need to devote more of our resources to the social justice needs in this area."

More Official Person: "I'd really love to but funds are limited. Right now we need to devote the bulk of what we have to proclaiming the Gospel." 

Actually I think he called it the Evangelism budget.

I understand the need to have an efficient budget that accurately reflects your situation (I was a non-profit Debt Counselor for 7 years so I've built a lot of budgets), but the unconscious decoupling of social justice and the Gospel as two distinct things really bothers me.

The Gospel and social justice are the same thing. Or rather, wherever the Great Announcement of Christ's Gospel "happens," there the thing most of us mean by social justice also "happens" (or should).

Let me explain what I mean.

God's Kingdom has always been bound up with what we delineate today as social justice. The ancient Israelites sang of a God who, "protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows," and who incorporated care for the poor into his law (here, here, and here, for instance). His prophets inveighed against the wealthy oppressing the poor and disadvantaged: "Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow human being." (Prophecy of Zechariah chapter 7 verses 8-12, NET).

Jesus of Nazareth came as Israel's long awaited Messiah announcing that the Kingdom of God was almost here. As he did he invited everyone in, particularly the sick, the hungry, the poor, sinners, and other "undesirables." Nobody was exempt. Jesus famously proclaimed, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

When he rode into Jerusalem and fought the Messiah's prophesied climactic battle against the enemies of the Israel, the weapons he used were completely unexpected.

"Instead of the usual military revolt, it was time to show the pagans what the true God was really like, not by fighting and violence but by loving one's enemies, turning the other cheek, going the second mile. This was the challenge which Jesus issued in a series of teachings that we call the 'sermon on the mount.'"

(N.T. Wright, Simply Christian, p. 101)

Today, on the other side of that battle, with Jesus enthroned as High King of the Universe, we who follow him fight to advance his Kingdom using the same unconventional weapons he used: Love, service, and self-sacrifice -- healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, and casting out demons -- feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and inviting everyone without exemption into the Kingdom of God. This is how the Gospel is proclaimed.

As one of my favorite writers, Eberhard Arnold, said, "The injustice of the world -- sin itself -- is the disease of the world's soul that leads to death. Our mission on behalf of the Kingdom is to be the salt of the earth: to stem its injustice, prevent its decay, and hinder its death." (Eberhard Arnold, Salt and Light, p. 61).

Social justice is not a program or priority, not for us. It is what happens when the Gospel of the Kingdom touches human need.

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October 2013 Synchrobloggers

• K.W. Leslie – Social Justice and Social Darwinism 
• Jeremy Meyers – Did Jesus Teach Social Justice? 
• Glenn Hager – Notes on Not Saving the World 
• J.A. Carter – The Gospel Truth About Social Justice
• Sherri Huleatt – Sex Trafficking: the Story of a Young Girl, the Problem of a Generation
• Edwin Pastor Fedex Aldrich – Social Justice or Social Programs
• LIz Dyer – A Social Justice Story 
• Carol Kuniholm – Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places 
• Leah Sophia – Justice is Important, Food is Essential
• Kathy Escobar – Justice is More Than Equality