4/25/15- Presbyterian Frogs

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16)

Thoughts: I have always thought it ironic that some think progressive means not doing miracles.  To me that seems a bit regressive.  Progress has always had a positive connotation, but if people say, "No, no, no we can't do miracles here"  then it seems they are putting their hands over their ears.
    Then on the other hand are passages like this one.  Some just handle it by saying it was a later text added to Mark.  But it really is a part of our current Bible- and our current canon. Some handle it by saying it is superstitious-- written in times before we had modern medicine and see things from a materialistic point of view.  When I ministered in western North Carolina, each year someone would be bitten by a rattlesnake in a snake handling church, and it would be blasted and ridiculed all over the news.   The other day my dog was barking near my grandaughter.  My wife thought there was a snake and called me to go "handle" the situation.  When I got there it was just a frog- and the frog was faking deadness- playing opossom. I moved it away from the dog and it hopped off.  I thought to myself about this passage.  We have watered down the power of God so much these days- almost so that handling snakes is seen as handling frogs.
     Really what this passage is saying is that we can be bold.  We do not need to fear those who would persecute us (making us drink poison) or even the dangers that we face as we go to share the gospel.  I still have missionary friends that talk excitedly about how they have seen God work in miraculous ways as they go to share the good news of Christ.  Those who are bold enough to share the good news of Christ will be blessed and see God's hand work in unusual and miraculous ways. 

Prayer: Lord, keep me from denying your power.  Help me to not test you but to be bold in you as I speak to others of your love and reality. 

4/9/15 Easter Appearances and Doubts

9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16)

Thoughts: The Gospel of Mark ends with almost a list of appearances of Jesus.  Most scholars think Mark 16 was added to the text but added very early (most believe Mark was written before 79 AD and is the first gospel) perhaps by the author himself.  Regardless, the early church accepted Mark 16 as just as canonical as the rest of the gospel.
     He lists almost bullet points.  He appeared to Mary Magdalene- this confirms the appearance where Jesus said to her to not hold onto her.  It also confirms their own incredulity.  This is not a sugar-coated version.  The Bible does not hide doubt- but it does rebuke it. When Jesus appeared to the two walking to Emmaus (in this instance it doesn't give the specifics of where they were walking, but we can wisely assume it was the same event).  There is unbelief here too.
     But when Jesus appeared to the Eleven, he not only rebuked Thomas (as John points out) but also the other disciples who doubted.  For the gospel to spread, belief has to happen.  If we do not believe, who cares?  If Christianity is just one ethical or philosophical system among many, and if one is as good as another- then why does it really matter?  But if Christ has truly risen from the dead, it is time to quit doubting and start spreading the news!

Prayer: I believe Lord, help my unbelief.  

      

4-8-15 Different Resurrection Stories

4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” (Mark 16)

Thoughts: Some point out differences with other gospels as if any difference means the event behind the gospels is not true.  Yet the gist of the story is true.  They saw an angelic being and the tomb is empty.  The angel said he has risen, and invites the disciples to go to Galilee where He will meet them.  John speaks of more than one angel.  The disciples met Jesus in Jerusalem and then in a larger sense in Galilee.  These gospels were not conflated by a conspiracy.  It is a messy witness, but a witness that compliments and does not contradict the other witness.  This makes the story that much more believable. 

Prayer: Help me, Lord to believe the greatest story ever told.  

6/18/13 Right Administration of the Sacraments

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15,16)

27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
(1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

Thoughts: Many Reformers spoke of the right administration of the sacraments as a sign or mark of the true church.  The word "sacramentum" means mystery.  The classic definition-given by Augustine of Hippo is "a visible sign of God's invisible grace."  
    There are two extreme beliefs about the sacraments.  One is that the sacraments are magical or miraculous and then the other is that there is nothing special that occurs in or with them at all.  In the latter we would take part in them only as a command.  But there is a balance between the supernatural and the legalistic natural.  The balance is recognizing the spiritual presence of Christ that occurs when he promises to be there- as we remember him and as we go and baptize others.
     In Europe before World War II many abused the sacraments- and it was simply a ritual that everyone did- almost like a magic charm or a social norm.  It meant so little.  Barth pointed out that while Hitler and Stalin were certainly not good professing Christians they both had been baptized. The passage above from 1 Corinthians is a warning to such people who would use the sacraments for their own promotion. But while people can utterly turn from God and His ways, this does not define or limit the means of grace. Someone may abuse the love of a parent or friend- or the gifts of a parent or friend- but this does not mean that the love of that parent or friend was wrong, unreal or unacceptable. So, many abuse God's love and grace- and the signs of that love and grace- His sacraments.
     There is also something missing in our Christian life when we do not take the sacraments seriously.  The ongoing participation in the sacraments shows itself in our witnessing baptisms, remembering our own baptisms, and taking part in the Lord's Supper.  The cyber church cannot have cyber communion.  The feel of fellowship, the taste of the bread and cup are empty and meaningless for those who do not practice the sacraments together.  In a much smaller way, it is like watching a man eat a meal versus actually smelling, tasting and taking in the meal. Sacraments are meant to be done together- with the whole local church.  In some ways sacraments define church.  In fact- baptism by oneself is just a bath.  Communion by oneself is just eating bread and drinking a little fruit of the vine.  Jesus promised where two or three are gathered in His name- there He is in the midst of them.  The sacraments are meant to be done together- ideally in worship and in a place of worship.   

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to savor the mystery of your invisible presence symbolized and elicited by the visible signs of your love.