Having now spent more of my life on church payrolls than not, I have heard many stories. In every congregation they talk about the “Glory Days.” Depending on the congregation that decade changes, for some it was the sixties and others the eighties, still others fondly remember the seventies or even before, but each congregation had a time in their history that the hustle and bustle drove the congregation. In those times there were great things the congregations did, and there were difficulties, but in every congregation I have worked in or consulted with, they all longed for the time that was. They longed for the feeling, the comfort, the people of the past; they longed for restoration.
The funny thing about memories is that while they are always true, they do not always tell the whole story, since often in the best of times, there is also a great deal of brokenness. This Sunday we are exploring a passage from Haggai, one of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew Testament. This book is a collection of speeches given in the Fall of 520 BCE. Specifically, this passage dates to October 17, 520 BCE. For nearly 60 years the people had been working on the temple and it still showed little to no sign of ever being completed, let alone, be a place to gather to celebrate God. As you could imagine, this was a difficult for the people. They had remembered it and had all of the fond memories, but with the length of time and the frustration of not seeing much of a change the people were restless. So Haggai gave a series of sermons, recorded in this book, to lift up and encourage his people. What makes this speech poignant is that this is given on the day of Sukkot or the Feast of Booths where the Ark of the Covenant would be brought in and a grand celebration would ensue. The problem was that with the lack of progress the people, depressed by the situation, just were ready to give in. They wanted what they had and realized that it never was going to be. Which in some cases was true. In the rallying speech Haggai gives he lays the foundation for the fact that indeed the temple would be rebuilt, but with the rebuilt temple, would come something much more. “The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former (Haggai 2:9a)” With all that is going on, the message of Haggai is that while you may not see things going the way you want, God is at work, and when it is all done, the glory you once knew will not come close to the glory that you will have. Granted, towards the end, the prophetic scripture now is relating to the reality that was revealed to us in Christ, who for Christians, is our new temple. The hard part of reconciling our relationship with God is the fact that we want to be restored, and we want to be restored NOW!!! But like the temple, it just does not work that way. Moreover it is not something that is going to happen on its own. Like the temple, if the people did not move the stones it would not be built. This is true of our reconciliation; it is not something that is just going to happen, we have to take an active role, having the patience to allow the transformation to happen.
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As we continue with the Sermon on the Mount series we now at the Lord’s Prayer. I actually was surprised the first time that I learned that the Lord’s Prayer was part of the Sermon on the Mount in Jr. High. I had known the prayer from my earliest memories of church and like many things did not really relate it to the Bible. But that is another story. But the location of the Lord’s Prayer within this great sermon is essential, especially following the discussion on money and moving into the next sections which mimic Paul’s teaching of the Body of Christ.
Remember, the Sermon on the Mount is about discipleship more than anything else, and that context drives how we understand it contents. Much of Matthew 6 revolves around themes of humility and faithfulness. Well, maybe that is not the best way to put it, the theme is really do what you do before God, for God, and not for the approval or reward or sympathy of the people around you. When I started chaplaincy back in seminary the part that I was dreading the most was having to stand next to someone and pray. I know that sounds funny for a pastor to say that they were afraid of prayer, but there you have it. It was not the vulnerability of speaking in front of strangers, or the assumption of the “Chaplain” role, it was deeper than that. For me, prayer was a very personal thing, and I knew that when I prayed I would never be as eloquent as the other chaplains, and I worried that I might say the wrong thing or offend the person I was praying for. I would love to say that after my first day in seminary I opened the Bible and found this passage and reread it, but that is not the case. I went back to my apartment, sat on my couch and started talking to God; a neighbor heard me and knocked on my door. Sharing my fear with her was interesting, and we recognized that I was trying to please the wrong person. In fact, prayer was about relationship and asking for God’s presence in our lives, and it really did not matter what others thought, prayer was strictly about God and the comfort we get when we know that God is with us. That alleviate my fears, and I was able to finish out a very successful chaplaincy. The Lord’s Prayer is simple, but covers everything important. The problem with the Lord’s Prayer, and probably why we have to add so much more is that we do not take the time to understand what Christ is really asking from us within the prayer. Since we did this over the summer, I will not dissect the prayer again. The prayer, coming from Christ is a real gift, reminding us that God is with us and that we are with God. Moreover, it tells us that just as we pray and take actions to live the life God calls us to live, God is praying and connected with us in our lives. This is crucial when we remember our discipleship, because what sustains us in our discipleship is the relationship that we have with God, knowing that when times are difficult, even seemingly impossible, God is present and that there is nothing to fear, except if we choose not to believe; hence, the need to prayer this pray or one like it to remind ourselves of this relationship that we have with God. Over the past ten years, our congregation has faced many ups and downs, hitting one of its lowest points at the dissolution of my predecessor’s relationship with the church. Since coming I have heard numerous reasons for this split, the primary reason around the issue of Homosexuality. The thing that makes this all the more difficult is that in the church today the issue of sexuality has spawned many churches to leave the PCUSA denomination for a handful of new Presbyterian denominations. As we recognize and feel the hurt in our congregation for the people who have left us, the denomination feels the hurt and pain of the churches that have left and are in the process of leaving.
This is one of the reasons why I am choosing to focus the theme of the 10:30 am service this month on the theme of reconciliation. The word reconciliation literally means, “A brining together again” in Latin. Reconciliation is a very basic tenant of Christianity and is often talked about in two related but distinct ways: how we are reconciled to one another and how we are reconciled to God. When we talk about reconciliation in terms of being reconciled to one another, we do so in a way that says no matter what our differences may be, we are one. This is one thing that I love about most of the churches I have served, especially this one! When we can say: “I don’t agree with you, but I respect you and accept you,” you are able to start the process of coming together. As Presbyterians we understand that no individual has all the right answers and that people come to God in various different ways. We exemplify this in our worship where we have various types of music and have multiple spiritualties represented. Not everyone is going to experience God the same way, but in a very real way with a diverse service we can come together as a community and share the witness of Jesus Christ. Living the reconciling life is different than living a pious life. The reformed theologians rejected piety based on the self-serving nature and utter impossibility of living the perfect life. In fact, as some reformers pointed out, once an individual attained true piety or perfection, they fell into the trap of elevating themselves over others, which placed them in a godlike position. When living the reconciled life we recognize that our way is good, but is not the only one. Therefore, we have to constantly ask the question of how we can humble ourselves to the witness and understanding, which come from others in our community. “23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.[1]” Like I often say, one of the great gifts of our tradition is that not only are we allowed to be wrong, but we are always challenged to change. Which brings us to the second reconciliation, that which is toward God. While we strive for reconciliation towards each other, ultimately our goal is to be reconciled with God, in biblical terms, to be made one with God. This reconciliation, like the reconciliation that we have with one another, requires a great deal of change. For every year of our life, if we really take a moment to think about it, our understanding and witness to God changes. When we accept that our understanding of God changes but God’s love for us never does, we can begin to understand what it means when Paul says: 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.[2] Unfortunately, people do not always follow a reconciling faith. This leads to derision, fights, and power struggles. It tears churches, denominations, and individuals apart. While it is sad to see people and churches leave because they feel that their way is better, we can live into the witness that God calls us to live a reconciling life and that no matter what they may do to us they are always welcome in our family, and we long for them to once again be brought back into the fold. In Christ, Rev. Dr. Bryan James Franzen [1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (Mt 5:23–24). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. [2] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (2 Co 5:18–19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. Today is All Saints’ Day; it is a day to celebrate all of the saints, both known and unknown. The Tradition of All Saints’ Day started in the western church in the sixth century and became a canonized holiday in the early seventh century. For the Catholic Church it was a way to venerate all of the saints in one day. In that tradition, the saints carry an important role within the church. A Saint, something which is bestowed upon a person after their human death, proved throughout their life to possess a special connection to God. To some Catholics, the Saint even becomes a mediator between God and their needs. For example, there is St. Jude who is the saint of “The Saint for the Hopeless and the Despaired,” which is used as the name for one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country.
Heinrich Bullinger, the successor to Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich and one of the key theologians of the protestant reformation, drafted a theological treatise that would come to be known as the Second Helvetic Confession, one of the confessions found in our Book of Confessions. While the second Helvetic Confession is not something that was followed in the same vein as the Westminster confession or Heidelberg Catechism, the Second Helvetic is like a Cliff Notes version of Calvin’s institutes and teaches us about where and what was going on in the early protestant movement and why the changes were felt so necessary. One big issue that the Protestants had with the Roman Catholic Church was the comingling of the sacred and the divine. This comingling of the sacred and divine often elevated individuals to a super-human status and often brought people to think of the saints as Gods. It is interesting to see how Bullinger: THE FESTIVALS OF CHRIST AND THE SAINTS. Moreover, if in Christian liberty the churches religiously celebrate the memory of the Lord’s nativity, circumcision, passion, resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven, and the sending of the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, we approve of it highly. But we do not approve of feasts instituted for men and for saints. Holy days have to do with the first Table of the Law and belong to God alone. Finally, holy days which have been instituted for the saints and which we have abolished, have much that is absurd and useless, and are not to be tolerated. In the meantime, we confess that the remembrance of saints, at a suitable time and place, is to be profitably commended to the people in sermons, and the holy examples of the saints set forth to be imitated by all. 5.226 The distinction that underlies this is that when we see good people it is right and good to take note and follow their example. But we have to do so in a way that does not elevate them to a godlike status. This is why as Protestants we still observe All Saints’ Day as a day of remembrance for those who have come before us. Often in All Saints’ services we remember and witness to those among us who have passed, witnessing to the gifts and understandings that they brought and thanking God that he gave them to us. In Christ, Bryan This week we encounter the story of Zacchaeus. This is a favorite story that is often told to children because it is so relatable. Basically Zacchaeus was a small man who happened to be a tax collector. From all accounts he was neither a believer nor a detractor; he was more of a curious observer. But by the end of the story we see Christ single him out to make an example of how within the large crowd God will still be able to pick out the sinner, not to scold or ridicule, but to offer grace and salvation.
The story of Zacchaeus is a great place to start as we enter a month of studying the theology of reconciliation, because it shows us an example of how much Christ seeks and desires us to be one with him. In Jesus’ own words, he ends this pericope saying “for the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost.” In fact, as we see all of the stories of Christ communing, ministering, or healing the outcasts within the society, we also see his desire that they become one in the faith. Zacchaeus is no exception! In fact, because of his job and lifestyle he has taken advantage of people and hurt people along the way. In his promise to make a mends and not to continue in his unrighteous ways, Christ offers grace and forgiveness, allowing Zacchaeus to be reconciled. God does this for us. Think about how many times you have heard stories from people who are lost find God in often strange and unexpected places. From people who go to prison and come back changed to people who are thrust into difficult situations and come back with an incredible faith, because they were opened to God’s way. As I look back on my life, I recognize that I am participating in a clumsy dance with God where I fall back and come close over and over again. The funny thing about the dance that I am in is the fact that no matter how far or hard I fall, God is not only there to pick me back up, but always places a new adventure before me; that is when I open my eyes and see! I have seen this in many people that I have worked with over the years. Early in my ministry, I had the opportunity to work with a family that found themselves in an impossible situation. Their son, who had been addicted to drugs and alcohol, had finally found his way to rehab and had been clean and sober for 6 months. While walking back from an AA meeting he was hit by a car; by the time he made it to the hospital he was in a coma with a poor expectation for his outcome. As I sat with the family, I watched as counselors and the director of the rehab hospital and halfway house where he was now living came into the room. In that sort of situation no words could comfort the current situation, but instead of focusing on the current problem, each person told the family stories of how much their son had changed and how he had taken responsibility and had really changed. The last person that came by was a young man who was walking with him when the car hit. The young man now with watery eyes told the family, “Jason really loved you, and he told me after the meeting that he was going to call and tell you how sorry he was.” At that point the family burst into tears; moments later he died, almost as if he was waiting for his parents to hear that last message. We sat and even I cried a bit, when his father looked toward me and said “That God of yours is a strange man.” I must have given a puzzled look when he finished by saying, “On the day he took my son, he gave him back to me. I guess I now know what it felt like for him to send his son into this world.” Granted, I do not believe that God chooses to take lives or hurt people, but I was not going to correct the grieving father, especially since he had witnessed the power that comes from being reunited and reconciled. When I saw the man a few weeks later, I learned that he had begun to go back to church, and that he had sought out the place where his son had changed his life and volunteered to listen and walk with the young men like Jason. We make a choices in life; one of the most powerful ones is to is to allow ourselves to be reconciled with one another and with God. Like Zacchaeus, our empty lives become full even if we give everything away, even if we lose our lives; to be connected back with one another is one of the most powerful things we can ever do. |
AuthorRev. Dr. Bryan James Franzen Archives
September 2018
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