Author: rsferguson

Meditation 285

John 15: 9-17

This passage begins with Jesus saying “as the Father has loved me so have I loved you; abide in my love. What an amazing thing that is, to know that Jesus’ love for us is as great as God the Father’s love for Jesus. This is the kind of love that is so perfect and so deep that it cannot be described in human terms, yet we receive it from Jesus, we live it, we share it and we do try to explain it.

The modern theologian Richard Rohr talks about the love of God lighting up our lives, much like we light up when we see someone that is precious to us. Rohr says, “When God gazes at us and we gaze at God we light up. . . . And God lights up with joy of being recognized by the one that God created in God’s own image and likeness for the very sake of this recognition. It’s an … intimate communion; a tender recognition of oneness that we might rest in it, resting in us . . . resting in this communion in each other, as each other, through each other, beyond each other in this endless interconnectedness of life itself, of love.” (Richard Rohr. Center for Action and Contemplation. April 2018)

The interconnectedness of being with God is only the beginning for “If we are to be a continuation of God’s way of seeing, we must, first of all, be mirrors. We must be no-thing so that we can receive some-thing. To love demands a transformation of consciousness, a transformation that has been the goal of all saints, mystics, and gurus. And the transformation of consciousness is this: we must be liberated from ourselves, which is done by somehow becoming the other. Think of Paul’s famous “I live no longer, not I, but with the life of Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This is not fantastic religious poetry, it is the heart of the experience of human and divine love. What we allow ourselves to see is what we eventually become. (Richard Rohr. Center for Action and Contemplation. April 2018)

What we allow ourselves to see is what we eventually become. This is so simple a statement and yet it is deeply true. Our minds are very powerful and the way we interpret our world will affect our feelings and will determine the point of view we bring to our lives.

Preacher Jerry L Schmalenberger  (sh-mal en berger) has this to say: Perhaps we have been misrepresenting Christ. The Interpreter’s Bible says: ‘For enter a church during a time of worship, and one finds gravity and seemliness and a feeling of reverence. But would anyone, stumbling in, sense that here are people who have made a glorious discovery, and are thrilled and joy-possessed?’

The New Testament makes plain that those who saw Jesus in the flesh were struck by a certain sunny-heartedness about him. The prim minds of the day did not easily associate good cheer with religion. Jesus stood out as one who was thrilled to know God and who was offering us a way of living that was joy-possessed. If Jesus had been like every other prophet who died at the end of his life, then we wouldn’t to expect him to invite us to any privilege or responsibility. When he was on the cross and said ‘It is finished,’ that was not the end, he cracked wide the tomb door and sprang out of death’s grip on that first Easter. Therefore we must consider that God is alive here, calling, gathering, sanctifying us, his disciples! It’s a vital sign of the true congregation of believers.
So often we live our lives on the cross side of Easter rather than the resurrected and alive side. Our Christian lives ought to reflect that joy – Jesus likened us not to a funeral procession but to a wedding reception.
Let the liturgy lift us up. Let the hymns make a happy, easy melody.
Let the preacher smile and be enthusiastic. Let the congregation radiate the warmth of it all.
Joy is what we are chosen for and joy is what we offer to all who come.

Meditation 284

1 John 5: 1-6

In this passage we are told that those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God conquer the world. This is an amazing promise that is made because of the love of God which has been made known to us through Jesus. Jesus who taught us a new commandment. The new commandment is that we love one another as Jesus has loved us. (John 13:34)

Being able to conquer the world is a big thing to grasp. The world is so large and the needs of the world are so great. I think that the way we conquer the world is not in the way that men and armies have tried to do so. Those of us who are followers of Jesus, who have been commanded to love one another, conquer the world by living the new commandment, and by not becoming like the forces around us. Nelson Mandela famously said “Forgiveness liberates the soul, that is why it is such a powerful weapon.” The normal human reaction to the forces of the world is to react, the new commandment helps us to act as Jesus would. We conquer the world step by step.

This life changing love of God was evident in the life of the apostle Peter who we read about yesterday. Peter had been given a vision to go and visit a Roman soldier, Cornelius, and share the gospel with him. If someone had said to Peter before he had his vision that he would go to a Roman citizen to share the gospel with that one, and to baptize; I do not think that Peter would have believed that such a thing was possible. He had been taught that they way to God was through the covenant that God had given and that Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant. He may have felt that a Roman would need to show adherence to the practices that the Jewish people followed, as well as believe in Jesus. This was the way Peter had come to faith. The Spirit of God compelled Peter to share the good news of Jesus with Cornelius and to hold no other expectation. Peter was beginning to see that God does not make distinctions between people.

The change that took place in Peter’s heart when he responded to the message from God was one of the ways that the love of God is conquering the world. Because of his changed heart, Peter brought the gospel to more people than he would have before. Because of his changed heart he is an example to us of how to reach out to those around us.

Today we would not ask those who are inquiring about faith to observe the way of the first covenant given by God. We did not do so ourselves. It is however tempting, as believers, to give some of our practices too much importance. We can confuse the tradition with the truth. Thankfully, we have been given the love of God which changes the world, and the first change is our heart, so that we are able to bring God’s truth to the circumstance in which we live.

Meditation 283

Acts 10:44-48

These verse in Acts are the conclusion of a visit that Peter makes to the home of Cornelius. Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian Cohort, which means that he had a ranking position of authority in the Roman army. Even though Cornelius was not a Hebrew, we are told that “he was a devout man who feared God …he gave alms generously … and prayed constantly to God.” (Acts 10: 2) One day he was given a vision in which he was directed to send for Simon Peter, which he did. When Simon arrives at the home of Cornelius, he shares the good news of Jesus and he is prepared to baptize Cornelius and those in his household.

Up to that time it had been accepted that those who were baptized would be those who had followed the Jewish faith. It seemed too big a leap for some to accept that the good news of Jesus was for the circumcised believers (the Jewish people) and the uncircumcised or Gentiles.  When Peter arrives at the home of Cornelius there are those from the surrounding community who come to hear Peter preach. We are told that while Peter was speaking that the Holy Spirt fell upon all who were listening, and that the circumcised believers were astonished that the Spirt fell upon the Gentiles as well. After this powerful demonstration from God, no one doubted that Cornelius and his household should be baptized.

For those early believers the message was clear, God does not distinguish between who is allowed to believe in Jesus and who is not. The gospel is offered to the whole world, and so the gift of the Holy Spirit is not confined to only a segment of humanity.

In the twenty-first century we do want to be able to connect with one another as Peter did with Cornelius. We want to be able to live the truth that God sends the Holy Spirit upon those who are like us, and those who are different. As believers we want to embrace those of different backgrounds and abilities, so that under the leading of the Spirit we may worship and work together. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, we, like Peter, may be led to see others as God does.

Let this be our prayer:

God, who comes to us as the Spirit, who breathes the fire of passion into us,

Who inspires us to compassion and courage, You stir up in us the love made known in Christ.

You gift us with a message worth proclaiming, Not just as empty words, but in actions and deeds.

You change the game. You transform us and our living.

You work in us subtlety from the inside out.

You bring to us peace in the midst of the struggles and chaos of life.

Touch us now in ways we least expect.

Surprise us with your reality, and ignite our sense of passion and purpose, that we might grasp the gifts you offer in us,

Take them and serve those who need of them in the world. Bring us into your communion of the common good. Amen.  (Source: Jon Humphries, Prayers that Unite)

Meditation 282

Psalm 98

This psalm is one of the psalms of praise that may have been written after an occasion when the psalmist had experienced the deliverance of God. It may also have been a psalm that was intended to be used for one of the main celebrations of the Hebrew people, such as the yearly reminder of God delivering them in the Exodus. Whether this psalm was intended as a personal expression of praise and thanksgiving, or as a corporate prayer, it is beautiful.

The structure of Psalm 98 is one in which the writer makes a statement and then builds one it.  We start with “O sing to the Lord a new song.” Right away the psalmist has our attention and we are invited to sing, not just any song, but a new song, then the reason for such praise is given, the Lord has done marvelous things, and if that is not enough, the Lord’s right hand and holy arm have gotten victory. Then before the excitement dies down, we are told the Lord has made known victory, and the Lord has remembered steadfast love and faithfulness. As the psalmist builds on these proclamations, we are brought to the truth that “All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.”

From this place of adoration, the entire earth is invited to make a joyful noise, to sing praises to the Lord not only with our voice but with the lyre and trumpets. The sea is invited to roar in praise of the Lord, as are the floods to clap their hands, and the hills to sing for joy. In conclusion the psalmist tells us that the Lord is coming to judge the earth, and in so doing the Lord will bring righteousness and equity.

As we read this beautiful poem of praise our hearts are lifted and we are brought before God in joy, because of who God is and what God does for the earth. According to the psalmist the intention of God is righteousness and fairness. Although this psalm is hundreds of years old, it can still be used to express what continues to happen today. This morning I saw a post on Facebook that was that was also the sharing of experience that makes me rejoice. It was a story shared by young woman who is a friend of my son and daughter in law. This friend is in the process of making plans to travel to be with her brother who is hospitalized due to COVID 19. As people have been made aware of this stressful trip; there has been an outpouring of support, from the social worker at her brother’s hospital who helped with making arrangements for rebates on travel expenses and names of accommodations close to the hospital, to someone giving travel points to book a ticket, to those who have given money to those who have been locally supportive in many ways. She has been overwhelmed by the way God’s righteousness and fairness have been shown through the actions of caring people. Her heart is full, and she is thankful to God and to those who have been helpers in this time. I am sure that the invitation to sing to the Lord a new song is one that is being acted out as I am writing.

Meditation 281

John 15: 1-8

This passage begins with one of the “I am” statements that Jesus makes in John’s gospel. When Jesus said “I am” he would have gotten the attention of the faithful people, because “I am” is the way God had chosen to be known. (Exodus 3). When Jesus said “I am the true vine” he was using words that were loaded with meaning. He was claiming oneness with God and he was using the known metaphor of a vine to describe the caring of God.

Here in John’s gospel, we see that God tends “the Son-vine, pruning the branches for abundant fruitfulness. Grapevines do need pruning; grapes need sun but not too much. So, in this image the Father does that precision tending for the perfect balance of light and shade.”

God is a very good vine keeper and the careful work is described further. the branches on the vine that bears no fruit are pruned and removed. The words for prune and remove in John 15:2 and cleansed in v. 3 are very similar in the original Greek and the way Jesus uses them so close together would have caught the ear of his first audience. “The work of the gardener-God continues the Son’s cleansing work of love.”

“The overwhelming thrust of the passage is fruitfulness. The words bear fruit appear six times in these eight verses. Fruit-bearing is not something that the branches do by force of will. The fruit happens organically because the vine is true and the gardener good. But the branches of this passage do choose to abide.”

“Abiding is important in John, where love of God means mutual indwelling. …the vine image is [a] … way of talking about abiding places (places where one is deeply at home), and both the vine and the abiding places are ways of talking about love.”

“Abide is one of the two imperatives of the passage. The branches have to abide because without the vine, they are fruitless; they can do nothing. And if they do abide and Jesus’ words abide in them, then [they will ask] …. There can be little doubt that what the branches will ask for will be shaped by the one who tends them; they will surely ask for the fruitfulness for which they have been pruned.”

(Quotations from Meda Stamper. Working Preacher)

The image of God as the caring vine keeper who tends the vine and branches so that the branches bear fruit is comforting and encouraging. I can’t help but feel that Jesus was being very generous when he said that we are the branches grafted into the vine. The branches of a vine do need a lot of care as described above, but they stay in place. The branches are not actively disobedient the way people can be, going off in our own direction on impulse. (In this way the sheep/shepherd image is more accurate). Regardless of how we are in relation to who Jesus is, he remains as the vine. Jesus is the one who gives life and God is the very good vine keeper who gives good care so that we may bear fruit.

Meditation 280

John 15: 1-8

When Jesus spoke to people and used images like being a shepherd (last weeks’ gospel reading) and being the vine (John 15), he was using images that were familiar to those who knew the Hebrew Bible. They would know such references as Psalm 95:7 where we read “For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.” Similarly in Psalm 79:13 we read “So we are your people and the sheep of your pasture.”

In a similar way, the image of Israel as a vine is found in the Psalms and the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Hosea. The people of God, or Israel, is the vine that God cares for as carefully as a vinedresser cared for a vineyard. To keep a vineyard healthy there needs to be constant care of the vine and the soil, as well as protection from insects and weeds. A vine keeper is always at work, just as God is always at work to care for the people of God.

When Jesus has used the image of the vineyard in other places it has been one of warning. In Mark 12, the owner of the vineyard goes away; the tenants left in charge are boisterous and disobedient. The owner of the vineyard sends messenger after messenger who are beaten or killed. Finally, the owner sends his son, who the tenants also put to death. As a result, the owner of the vineyard gives the vineyard to others. In Mark the vine image is one of warning to be aware.

In John the vine image is used differently than in the other gospels. In John there is an image of the vine being cared for to give life to the branches grafted on. The description of the pruning that keeps the vine healthy would be familiar to those who lived in Jesus’ day, as vineyards were a part of the local economy. The vine is healthy and the branches grafted onto the vine bear fruit. Those who know about growing grapevines know that they bear on new growth. A branch must be pruned to be able to bear fruit. The well-tended vine will be watered, fertilized and, pruned so that life can be given.

Jesus says that he is the vine and then he invites those who hear this parable to abide in him. Jesus is telling his hearers that they will be kept safe by him. When they abide in Jesus they will be deeply at home (Meda Stamper. Working Preacher)

Take time today to be deeply at home with Jesus. Find a quiet place where there will be no distraction. Close your eyes and imagine that you are resting on a strong vine or tree. This vine will support you, and in this quiet place you can let go of the concerns that you carry with you. You can trust the vine because it is strong and it is healthy. As you trust that you are supported, feel the tension leave your body. When you open your eyes again, revel in the feeling of calm, give thanks to God for caring for you. As you go through your day, return to this feeling of calm and ask for God’s strength to live from this place of security.

Meditation 279

1 John 4: 7-21

We could read this passage and come away thinking that people are pretty great and that there is no need for growth in our lives. God loves us, so what more is needed. For those who come away with this opinion, “1 John expresses it in a way that leaves no room for doubt: “just as God is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17 b). In context, it’s clear that 1 John is not saying that Christians are omnipotent or omniscient or morally pure. No, 1 John is saying that because God lives in us, we embody God’s love for the world. We are not gods, but we are God’s. God’s love is incarnate in us. (Judith Jones. Working Preacher)

As those who know first hand that we are loved by God and cherished, we are invited to share that love with others. 1 John is very clear on that point. In verse 20 we read “Those who say. ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers and sisters, are liars for those who do not love a brother or sister, whom they have seen cannot love God whom they have not seen.” To love someone who is like us and who is kind and giving is easy, we all do that. God wants us to love in the same way that God loves, to love all without exception.

We have seen the way people react to one another when we watch and listen to the news. Politicians have vile things to say about their opponents, and those who stand for a cause may belittle those who have another point of view. The practice of tolerance can be seen as a weakness. Against this backdrop of human flaw and frailty we have the example of God’s love, which is best shown in the life of Jesus. Jesus was one who reached out to both the weak and the poor, he healed the outcast and he healed the Roman solider who was wounded on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Jesus was respectful to Nicodemus the Pharisee as he was respectful of the woman taken in adultery. Jesus spoke the truth boldly, but he hated no one.

As we come to God in our faith walk, we may be confident that we do not have to earn God’s approval. God loves us as we are, and as those who are loved by God, we are invited to live that love to show to others the Holy One that we serve and adore. This is a marvellous thing. It is hard for people to accept that they are loved as they are, and that God has a purpose for them. The writer Marianne Williamson put it this way “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (“A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles”. Marianne Williamson)

Daily we may revel in the truth that we are loved by God. We do God no service by belittling this truth, and by doubting that we are of use in our world. God loves us and will work with us to be the means by which another sees the grace of God at work.

Meditation 278

Acts 8:26-40

This story of Philip is an intriguing one. Philip is directed by an angel of the Lord to go toward the south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. Here Philip finds someone who needs him to explain scripture.

This story raises a lot of questions for me. How did Philip know that he was talking to an angel? Do angels still move among us with messages? Did Philip question whether or not he should as the angel said? Was Philip nervous? Or excited?

We are told that when Philip went down that road he saw the Ethiopian reading the book of Isaiah, and the Spirit directed him to go to the man’s chariot and join him. Again we see that Philip is compliant. Philip is so in tune with God that he recognizes the messengers from God as soon as they speak to him. What might that be like, to have such a close connection to God that we hear and follow such messages?

While we may not have angels appear to us, or hear the Spirit speak to us in words that our ear understands, we believe in our hearts that God is still active in our world. We are the future generation that the psalmist mentioned in yesterday’s reading, the ones that would proclaim [the Lord’s] deliverance to a people yet unborn. (Psalm 22: 30-31). We may wish that God would appear and give a definitive answer and action when we pray for peace and healing and guidance. But we also know that this has not been God’s way. God gives an invitation and we chose to follow it or not. Those who are faithful to God’s invitation do so in a world where sometimes good things happen and sometimes bad things happen.

From the days of the giving of the Ten Commandments, to the prophets, to the letters of the early church; God invites people to live according to the covenant and they do so right beside those who ignore the covenant. We know that when Jesus came to be with us, and when he died and rose again, he was the final answer to sin. The good news about Jesus that Philip explained to the Ethiopian was the good news that we are free to be children of God.

We may think that it would be nice if all of the things that we look upon as bad were taken away, and if we all lived lives of loving God, and loving our neighbours as ourselves. A part of us may long for no conflict or trouble, but this is not the way God does things. Each day we may chose to live the way God has revealed to us, to be the ones who have hope, to be the ones who do not give up, to be the ones who live the truth the God has made known to us.