You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting
your mind not on divine things but on human things.
Jesus is
speaking to Peter. Heaven forbid Jesus
would be speaking to us.
Those who
listened to the news this week, will have heard of a church in Gould,
Newfoundland. This parish started a
lottery 10 months ago as a fundraiser. Raising money for the church cemetery,
the church tower, the food bank, and for regular maintenance. The lottery was all about money. And from
what I could find on the Parish web-site, or not find in other ministries, it
was all about money to keep the parish properties (expect for a little to
support the food bank). The money was self-serving. The wider community, many probably not
thinking about it, were being asked to shoulder the cost of keeping the parish
alive, because the people of the parish could or would no longer do it for
themselves.
The popularity
of Chase the Ace was huge. Over the 44 weeks the lottery ran, Chase the Ace
attendance increased so much that security, traffic attendants, porta-potties
and other logistics had to be put in place. This past week over 60,000 people descended
on the town to be there to see, or be, the winners of the $2.6 million pot.
60,000 people
came to church, to the parish hall, with excitement and hope; and left never
having heard the Gospel, or participating in God’s grace. In fact, when reading the news, the only
mention of God, was declared by the winner who said, “Oh my God, oh my God I
can’t believe I won.”
If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
A Lutheran
Bishop who served in Alberta, continually told churches and stewardship
conferences, that it only takes 10 tithers in a congregation for a congregation
to have their needs met and to be able to offer good programs and do fantastic
ministry in the community. It takes ten financially faithful people to allow a
congregation to broaden their focus beyond themselves. They also provide a
heart and share an attitude of thanksgiving and thanks living that rubs off on
the people around them.
The church is
to be about following Jesus example. He
tells the disciples that his labour (his work) is leading to his own suffering
and death, and then life. Jesus is about to bear the cross on behalf of the whole
world.
Bearing the
cross of others, is not adding new ones or burdening others with false hope;
bearing another’s cross is not a get rich quick scheme. The cross is about hope that produces hope;
sharing Good News that feeds the masses, opening up and outpouring grace to
heal the broken hearted and a hurting world.
For those who want to save their life will lose it,
I wonder what
would have happened in Gould, if people, or even a person, took on the
responsibility of planning a large scale revival, a healing event, a community
outreach program, a Gospel band tour; something as big as the lottery. Would they have the gut to present it to the
parish council? Would the council say it was too much work? Would the same money used for the lottery
event, be put up for security, parking attendants, porta-potties and directed
to an actual ministry? My experience tells me that the ideas for Gospel events,
would be put aside as pie-in-the-sky: too risky, too much money, too much
trouble.
This is one
example where the church, Christians, us, have become a stumbling block to the
message of Jesus and barriers to people from experiencing God’s grace, because
we have set our mind not on divine things but on human things.
and those who
lose their life for my sake will find it.
I met one of these people
this week. Not face to face, but, rather
through the broadcast of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2017 Inductee Ceremony.
One of the inductees took
the stage with a simple charismatic presence.
Her name, Joan Baez. Baez began as a folk singer in the 60s, singing songs like “We Shall Over Come,” “We Shall Not
Be Moved,” while standing beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at his rallies and
marches; inspiring a generation of song writers to speak to civil rights, human
rights, and at anti-war demonstrations. Her
life’s work included continuing calls for justice and peace through Live Aid,
Amnesty International, and the like.
At 76, she has not changed. The Rolling Stone magazine wrote: Her induction speech was a chance for her to
reiterate her lifelong commitment to political activism. She said, "What has given my life deep meaning and unending pleasure has
been to use my voice in the battle against injustice,"... And Baez was
quick to remind listeners that this battle is ongoing. "Where empathy is
failing, and sharing has been usurped by greed and the lust for power, let us
double, triple and quadruple our own efforts to empathize and to give of our
resources and ourselves," she continued. "Let us together repeal and
replace brutality, and make compassion a priority. We the people must speak
truth to power, and be ready to make sacrifices."
To the mainstream she may
not be remembered, perhaps not even by people of the 60s, other than those whom
she mentored, spoke to, who’ve attended an event she was part of. People won’t
remember the personal sacrifices she made – choices of putting her reputation
on the line, her life in some cases; or holding back 60% of her taxes to
protest the Vietnam War. Her voice, the Good News she proclaimed is still heard
in the music that continues to be sung; living proclamation of the Gospel
spread through following generations of musicians and activists. … and by those
who singalong with the songs on the radio, or at a concert, and have a moment
of hope for the future, a palpating of the heart to suggest a focus for one’s
passion and life.
What
will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or
what will they give in return for their life?
In her induction speech,
Joan talked about the influence 60s folk music had on Rock and Roll. She talked of starting her career in vinyl,
moving to 8-track tapes, changing to recording on cassettes, to albums on CD,
and now full circle back to vinyl ---- The story of her music has come full
circle too. The activism of the 60s, the
protests, civil rights and human rights, participation in wars like Vietnam
(but today in other places in the world) once again are the headlines of the news,
in full colour; and once again the times require the same prophetic voice! She was preaching from the story of her life,
with no regrets, only a passion and a hope, that others will do the right thing
--- bear the cross of others. In this
way individuals, churches, communities will not forfeit their life --- they
will bring life. In fact they will bring
passion to life and 60,000 + people, hearts filled with hope, will flock to be
part of it
Truly
I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they
see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
You can’t tell me – well you could, but, I won’t believe you-
that attending a lottery draw has more hope than standing in solidarity
(bearing the cross) with our neighbours.
You can’t tell me that fundraising out in the world for internal
purposes is as life giving as the passion of being a prophetic voice or the
excitement of being in the crowd singing and demanding justice. You can’t tell me that those 60,000 people
who visited Gould are better off today than they were yesterday, save perhaps
the winner. But the thousands who heard
Joan Baez’s induction speech – or better yet – the song she sung afterward
sneaking in a line directed at Trump’s administration; cut to the heart, was a
slap on the face, was pure Gospel – it is still affecting the hearers, days
later. People are googling it,
reflecting on it, writing about it, preaching about it.
Her story is being shared,
as an example of one, among many who has eyes set on a vision of world – hope
for a world --- that is as the kingdom of God is described.
Jesus’s listeners were told
that some would not taste death before seeing the Son of Man coming in his
kingdom. In a round a bout way, sure in Jesus’s death and resurrection… but
what of those who witnessed the kingdom before Good Friday and Easter; the
blind who could see, the deaf who could hear, the lepers cleansed, prisoners
set free; the poor, the oppressed, the forgotten, the sinner, given worth; those
who experienced grace at the hand of God; is this not the coming of the
kingdom? Justice, hope, Good News for
all people; in Jesus’s time, in Joan’s time, in our time.
Get on with it. Move the
stumbling blocks. Stop setting your
minds on human things. Focus on divine things, choosing to bear the cross –
yours and that of your neighbor. Participate in the coming of the kingdom by
being a prophetic voice, singing of justice, rallying for rights, being a
purveyor of peace, labouring in love, and speaking to the powers that be with
the very way you live your life ---- live TRUE hope, not wasting time and
energy on false hope that does not last --- face the world, your neighbourhood,
with a heart turned towards being in mission for others.
And then watch… imagine ….
60,000 people
come to church, to the parish hall, with excitement and hope; out of
anticipation from what God is doing and has yet to do. And having heard the Gospel, and participated
in God’s grace, go back out and share the news, the mention God over and over,
“Oh my God, oh my God, I have experience God --- come and see.”
That’s where I place my
money. That is where I place my heart.
Labouring in love so all may see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.
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