We hear of remarkable people—in the Bible and elsewhere—into whom God poured himself and who then pour themselves out for God. But can we be like them? Is the cost of coming so close to God that we want to give our lives to him? Is it more than we will be willing to pay?
Who are these people? These Prophets and mystics?
Spokane Friends met at A.M. Cannon Park on Sunday to worship and play. I think I found a a great text for a Picnic! It is a story that has caused heads to be scratched in Jewish circles for millenia. It is of the same character as the continuing discussion of why God didn’t permit Moses to enter the Promised Land. Uzzah is struck dead on the spot by God when he simply reaches out to keep the Ark of the Covenant from falling from an ox-cart. David was angry with God and then scared. Later he was envious enough to try moving the Ark again but this time by the book. And the result was a huge barbecue.
It has always been important to me that Jesus, when speaking of himself, often called himself ‘Son of Man’. It reinforces my understanding of Jesus’ humanity. I guess I need to know that Jesus was a human being, a person who knew the struggles, disappointments, interruptions, physical limitations and pain that every person experiences in life. Of course that Jesus was a human being requires that he be seen and understood in the context of his own life and times. But I think there was something else going on in Jesus’ mind when he calls himself ‘Son of Man’, something that, I think, every one can understand. I think he understands himself to be within the tradition of the Prophets of Israel. I think he identified with what Ezekiel experienced.
The text presents Jairus as the President of the local synagogue but we shouldn’t miss the reality that he is first, a desperate and grief stricken husband and father who comes pleading for the healing of his daughter. What parent among us doesn’t want healing and wholeness for our son or daughter? Those of us who have spent anytime in ministry have met Jairus. We have sat with him in emergency rooms, hospital cafeterias and chapels and pediatric clinics. We’ve affirmed the healing ministry of Jesus. We have all grasped for any divine power that can overcome the human realities that life itself presents. These stories force us to consider how the church responds, in the name of Jesus, on behalf of healing and life….
My daughter, Merideth, who teaches fifth graders shared on Facebook what she said was a great way to end the school year. They were studying the Persian Wars and one of her students raised her hand and asked, “Wait…who is the bad guy?” This, she said, led to a most spirited and well thought-out debate. She said that she was beyond proud of her class, especially when they came to the conclusion that it depends on who is telling the story. That’s holds true when it comes to the book of Samuel.
“People stand up and say stupid and outrageous things all the time. Usually we ignore them, or poke fun at them, especially when they hold or are seeking public office. The people who upset us, are the ones who step outside the status quo, but who are correct. The ones we really hate are the ones who have reason or evidence on their side, and who show us that we are wrong. Those who challenge “the way things ought to be” are dangerous. They threaten to upset everything. It is not just the rich and powerful who are at risk from such a person. Those of us who are lackeys are sometimes very comfortable lackeys, thank you, and have nothing to gain from some malcontent who is crying for justice and freedom.”
This passage from the Gospel of John contains the longest sustained discussion of the Holy Spirit. Jesus opens by saying: “When the Advocate comes…” The Greek word translated here as Advocate is “paraclete”, “para” meaning “to the side of”’ and “clete” meaning to be “called”. This paraclete doesn’t come on its/ his/ her own volition. The Advocate is dispatched to us by Jesus from the Father. The first thing the paraclete is expected to do is to witness, that is to testify on Jesus’ behalf. This is a pretty important distinction here – the advocate doesn’t testify about Jesus – the advocate speaks for Jesus – continues the conversation which will be interrupted by what lies in Jesus’ immediate future. Jesus names this advocate ‘the Spirit of truth’.
Ian Poulton of Leinster Ireland, beginning with Acts 1:21 where it says: “It is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time ” quotes George Bernard Shaw: “Reasonable people adapt themselves to the world. Unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. All progress, therefore, depends on unreasonable people.” What an interesting thought: all progress depends on unreasonable people. When you think back through history, when you think of explorers, and inventors and the scientists who made great breakthroughs, they were unreasonable people. Some just wouldn’t conform, some were eccentric, some were regarded as being quite mad. Had they been reasonable, they would have accepted the world as it was, they wouldn’t have questioned what was seen as being the way things were by everyone else.
Last evening, at the graduation celebration for Rachel and her room-mates, I heard the intentions for their futures shared by five young women. None had evidently pursued a college degree looking for a spouse. Each of them had next steps in mind toward advanced degrees and careers. None of the occupations envisioned would be considered traditionally for women: marketing, economics, computer technology, ocean biology… These women are the product of generations of liberation. It is something to behold.
In these fifteen verses of the fourth chapter of 1st John the word love is used twenty-five times. That may be cause to challenge the 13th Chapter of 1st Corinthians for the title of the “Love Chapter” of the New Testament. In these few verses we hear that God is love, that God loves us and that love is from God. We are encouraged, time and again, to love one another. It goes further than that – it is a mandate: “…those who do not love a brother or sister can’t love God –those who love God must love their brothers and sisters…” We learn that the only way we can love at all is because God first loved us.
Our purpose is encouraging, loving, and supporting a diverse group of people who gather to deepen their experience of the inner light of God. We direct this inner light outward in service to others to share the love of Christ.
**Following the teachings of the Living Christ, we are an open, loving, and affirming community.
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Spokane Friends Meeting
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