New Life Reading

Today we move into the “New Life” section of the Bread and Wine reader. Today’s entry is part of the well-known poem entitled “The Everlasting Mercy” by former British Poet Laureate John Masefield. The poem tells of the hand of God seen in giving life to the dead and life to the crops in the field. In a highly Christoligical section the speaker praises the attributes of the risen Lord. One line in particular sticks out, “O Christ, the plough, O Christ the laughter.” Over the years I have seen and heard different references to the smile and laughter of Jesus. I’ll confess it’s still hard for me to hold His stern obedience and joyful laugh in proper balance in my mind’s eye. For example, when I read the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7 I picture a direct, almost stone faced lecture. When I try to picture, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” coming from the mouth of Jesus in a tender, caring demeanor I grow uncomfortable as though His teaching loses the intended force and importance. I know this is not the case but holding “Christ the plough (hard working, direct) and O, Christ the laughter (joy, ease of mind) together is not easy for me. It causes me to confess to the God of perfect balance that I am tempted to either be overly stern and rigid or careless and dismissive, the middle is hard. In His mercy Christ is patient with my out of balance view of Him and unbalanced expression of Him in my own life.

God has mercifully given to us and in response to that we give all of us to Him in a variety of ways. One way is seen in Malachi 3:8-12 as the people of Israel are called to tithe. The New Testament never negates the call for a tithe. It emphasizes that all giving is a matter of the heart in right relationship with God, “for He loves a cheerful (Christ the laughter) giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Resurrection Reading

In today’s reading, Howard Hageman elaborates on the “already, not yet idea” as it is displayed in the pertinent thief on the cross. Simply stated having the presence of Jesus with and in us now gives us paradise even amidst the harsh conditions of the world. We certainly look forward to its complete fulfillment in eternity but that in no way should diminish the great reality of now. Hageman lays out exactly what he means:

I mean that it is possible even in the contradictions and confusions of this life to keep the center of your being calm and undisturbed. I mean that it is possible even in this life to go through one hellish situation after another with strength and confidence of spirit. I mean that it is possible to endure physical pain and suffering while the mind and heart are filled with peace and joy.

Realizing this paradise is incremental in our lives not immediate even thought the possibility exists immediately. Like so many realities of our relationship with Christ, the actualization takes time and peaks and valleys. Don’t be too hard on yourself but always remember that Christ’s presence in our lives holds the promise of hope and joy even in these often evil times.

On this journey we need others to help us along the way and to be helped by us as well. Let us pray for one another.

James 5:13-18

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Resurrection Reading

In today’s reading, Alister McGrath brings two Resurrection topics together. He weaves the truth of the victory over sin with the idea of the “already not yet of the Kingdom.” McGrath asks the question this way, “…if the power of sin, death and evil has been broken, how can we make sense of the fact that i still continues to plague us?” The second half of the essay answers the question with a borrowed metaphor from the Second World War. Just as much of Europe was occupied, we were gripped by sin. But when word of allied victories came there was a change in outlook even though the occupation continued. Then, eventually, the victory was fully realized. McGrath closes the comparison, and the essay, with this conclusion. “Their (sin, evil and death) back bone has been broken, and we may begin to live now in the light of that victory, knowing that the long night of their oppression will end.”

Knowing the truth of God’s Word recorded in Scipture is vital to living in light of that victory.Memorization and careful study are practices that grow us spiritually and are worthy goals to go after. The Word of God finds its full meaning in and through Christ. The Bible should not be used to bully, or just to win an argument. It is a declaration of God’s character, and his heart for the recreation of fallen creation.

11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:11-13

Resurrection Reading

In today’s reading, Fredrica Mathewes-Green, compares the childlike frivolity of Christmas to the perceived boredom of Easter. Mathewew-Green tries to reconcile the jubilation associated with Christmas with the passing blase sometimes associated with Easter. From a theological Biblical perspective it is clear that Easter celebrates the essential act of Christ’s incarnation. Without the resurrection, argues Mathewes-Green and others, the birth of Christ bares little significance. She is not arguing for a damper on Christmas celebrations nor for Easter celebrations to adopt Christmas traditions. What is being highlighted is the profound praise to God the resurrection calls for because of its victory over death. Mathewes- Green distills the significance of Resurrection and our celebration well with the following,

Easter tells us of something children can’t understand, because it addresses things they don’t yet have to know: the weariness of life, the pain, the profound loneliness and hovering fear of meaninglessness. Yet in the midst of this desolation we find Jesus, triumphant over death and still shockingly alive, present to us in ways we cannot understand, much less explain.

Jesus is “shocking alive” and “present.” As we revel in life over death we celebrate. Praise of God is central to our worship and living in Him. May that praise ever be on our lips as we travel this often treacherous life. Psalm 113 calls us to this kind of praise in our spiritual formation.

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, you his servants;
    praise the name of the Lord. (Ps. 113:1)

Resurrection Reading

Today’s reading comes from C.S. Lewis’ essay directly entitled “Resurrection.” In it, Lewis uses, at least in part, his Trilemma argument from the whole foundation of Christ to argue for a true, revolutionary resurrection. The Trilemma stated that Jesus was either Lord, Liar, or Lunatic. For the Resurrection it is more like Lewis’ dualemma. Either God came down into humanity and pulled humanity out of death (Christian view) or it’s a crazed deception (lunacy or lies). Evidence, historical and literary, points to an empty tomb and a real resurrection. This reality was brand new in creation. This was death to life and that reality leaves us with a choice that Lewis characterizes succinctly, “You must accept or reject the story.” The acceptance of the resurrection leaves us not with just a speculative, “wow that changes everything.” It should leave us with the introspective question of “how does it change me?” Lewis turns the essay into a conversation. Coming from the point of a person who’s life has been changed by the realness of Jesus, Lewis asks readers to consider if it might also be real for them. This is part of Spiritual formation, as the Spiritual truths of Christ become real for us they show up in real life in real conversations among our various human relationships. John 3:1-16, Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, is an example of this kind of conversation. Jesus, with patience and respect, talks to Nicodemus, starting from Nicodemus’ perspective and going towards Spiritual truth. Some us were taught that “good” Christians show up at a strangers’ front door and recount the bullet points of an evangelistic tract. At least in John 3 we don’t see this as the example from Jesus. The resurrection changes everything, so maybe it should change our conversations as well.