“God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.” Psalm 57:3b
when i wander into"And they took offense at him." Mark 6:3b
we applaud when you"'On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.’” Acts 15:11
no hoops to have"On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side.' And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?' 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?' Mark 4:35-41
yes,"He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them," Mark 4:2
"Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man who had the withered hand, 'Come forward.' Then he said to them, 'Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?' But they were silent. He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored." Mark 3:1-5
There were a lot of Pharisees around when I was growing up, those nosy Parkers who spent their day of rest making sure everyone was toeing the line on Sunday. True, one restaurant could be open, as well as one drug store (for emergencies), with both types of businesses taking turns. But everyone else better mind their manners. Movie houses were closed, main street looked like a ghost town, and your parents might get a call if their kids were seen in the front yard playing any sort of game (apparently, Sunday's boundaries did not include backyards).
Yes, those were different times and, thank God, most of those restrictive rules are gone. Though like so many other things today, there is a nostalgic longing to go back to those good ol' days. After all, if every other option in town was closed, no wonder the places of worship were so full. It was not so much about faith perhaps, but that was where folks, especially kids, could hang out with their friends on those long Sundays.
I am not sure if we understood what Sabbath was truly about back then, and maybe we haven't made much progress in all those decades since. Yes, it is about rest. Holy rest, sacred rest, renewal of one's soul. Sometimes we get it by gathering in worship with others, or sharing in a meal, going on long hikes, reading a book, sitting in silence, or even taking a nap. Not just on Sunday but whatever day we use for Sabbath keeping.
But in doing these things, and others, are we really paying attention to what observing Sabbath is all about, are we listening and discovering what Jesus is trying to emphasize in this encounter? It seems to me that we are focusing more about what we are doing then what Jesus is saying in a new way about the Sabbath. Maybe, in our own way, we are devising different ways to keep this commandment as a way to earn points with God, rather than hearing Jesus telling of how the Beloved Community is bursting forth in our very midst, and we need to stop getting out of the way.
Maybe our insistence (and it comes across across that way at times) that every believer find some time to keep Sabbath is simply a new rule replacing an old one. Maybe the higher judicatories of churches making sure that religious workers are taking 'Sabbath time' is simply a new regulation then an encouragement of a spiritual discipline. Maybe we preachers are creating some sort of litmus test when we inquire about what our people are doing to improve their spiritual life.
None of these efforts are wrong, but I worry about how they might become barriers to the renewing work of healing, justice, restoration, and hope that Jesus focused on in his life and ministry. Perhaps the challenge is the same as it has always been, of discovering how we can find and reclaim that marvelous rhythm of work and rest which Sabbath is meant to offer, recognizing that there are those times when work takes priority, but also being aware of those moments (which more often than not are not planned) when our hearts, our bodies, our souls simply sat 'rest.'
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
"And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples — for there were many who followed him." Mark 2:15
Anybody who has been around me for awhile, or read any of my devotional type writings, know that I love golden retrievers and orange cats, pretty much anything involving chocolate (except when folks try to make it spicy for some weird reason), a good cup of tea, and books. Especially mysteries.
I have a special affinity for those set in the British Isles. Perhaps it is because the very first detective I discovered decades ago was Sherlock Holmes. I don't know. But they do appeal to me. Recently, I have become addicted to the Bryant & May series by the late Christopher Fowler, as well as trying to read my way through the British Library Crime Classics collection.
I shouldn't be that surprised, but I am always intrigued by how many times pubs play a role in these mysteries. Gathering places for both detectives and troublemakers, intimate glimpses into the lives of locals no matter what the decade, physical locations in London, Glasgow, and cozy villages. The titles of each of the Richard Jury mysteries by the gifted Martha Grimes are the names of pubs in the book. And as a fan of C. S. Lewis as well as Tolkien, I have to mention The Eagle and the Child. (Maybe someone could write a mystery series featuring the Inklings as amateur sleuths??)
I can envision The Tax Collectors and Sinners being a perfect name for a pub. Located not on some main throughfare or in a large village, but down a some narrow side street in a city or in a small village where cars on the busy highways fly past, never noticing the turnoff. It's placement is a little iffy, so the constable walking by might warn you to 'mind how you go' and the street corner preacher is calling you and the other folks heading toward the pub to repent and go the other way.
A pub with windows that need some cleaning but where you see warm lights glowing behind the panes. A pub where the front step is worn smooth by all who have gone in and out over the years, and the door is just a little bit wonky because folks held it open for a few moments before reluctantly shutting it behind them when they left. A haven where folks make room for you at the bar, as the Spirit is wiping off the moisture from cold pints and listening to the stories of loss, grief, and loneliness. A place to get the best Ploughman's Lunch, Fish and Chips, or Pie and Mash. A respite where you can have a quiet conversation at a corner table with an addict, an ex-con, a drag queen, and Jesus, all of them telling stories right and left. A warm spot when everyone has turned a cold shoulder on you, but be careful when God invites you to play darts, claiming to know nothing about the game.
With the sign needing paint, and the arrows on the corner constantly taken down by the prim and proper crowd, it might be hard to find, but if you keep looking, you will be glad you found it, as you step into that sacred pub called The Tax Collectors and Sinners.
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
I would not seek out a church whose names sounds like they are in the oil business, trying to convert rather crude folks into more refined, cultured people. Yet, I would try out the Muddy Church, where folks whose shoes are spit-polished sit next to those with jeans which have patches patches. Where sticky-fingered kids hold hands with those who have at least one ring on every finger. Where dogs walk around licking up all the food dropped on the floor and folks can pick up a cat at the door who will curl up in their lap during the service.
I know at some point I will probably need a Church of the Bewildered, where folks who are living in their second childhood hear nursery rhymes about grace and sing along on familiar songs. Where people who cannot remember their own names find everyone wearing nametags - with 'Beloved' printed on each one. Where volunteers take care of people who seem confused as to where they are, while their caregivers are in other rooms getting massages, pedicures, or taking naps.
I would feel downright uncomfortable in a church convinced it has all the truth. But the church that has a big question mark on the roof, instead of a steeple? I would give that a try. More and more, I am attracted to the doubters, the questioners, the skeptics, the scoffers, the young who have no filter when it comes to challenging platitudes, and the older folks who are wise enough not to think theology is simply a game of 3 card monte.
I would not go to a vertical church, though I understand quite clearly what that name implies. But the Flat On Our Faces Church? The one with those who have fallen flat on their faith, and where those who slip on the banana peels tossed on the ground by the arrogant so they can have a good laugh at the vulnerable attend? The place where the rough sleepers are offered shelter with out question, where the trans kids who have been kicked out of their homes and victimized by politicians find a family, the one where the groans of the heartbroken are not only heard but turned into songs? The home where everyone knows who you are because they know exactly who they are - foolish, forsaken, hopeful, mistake prone, getting most things wrong but getting grace right, tossed aside by the world yet out in the streets working for justice, trusting in that loser Jesus who was as doomed to die as we are
yet who refuses to give up on giving us life?
Yeah. I definitely would give that faith space a try.
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. 1 Samuel 17:50
One of the hermeneutical 'tricks' I learned years ago, was to invite people to see themselves in a particular story in the Bible. Do you see yourself as the lead, a character actress, just one of the extras who stands around for an hour, before being glimpsed in the crowd or walking in the background of a scene. I was taught that it was a useful technique (especially if one was experiencing a 'sermon block' and Sunday was coming up fast in the rearview mirror.
But what I discovered, and still notice in social media comments/posts/memes, is that 99.9% of us (and I include myself) always, always see ourselves as the hero, the one in the starring.
We are always David, killing the giant with a stone flung with our small slingshot. We never see ourselves as the giant standing there, taunting and threatening the weak, vulnerable Israelites.
We never see ourselves in the role of the greedy, manipulating money changers in the Temple, We are always the passionate, outraged, righteous Jesus, driving them out.
Though we might admit to being Peter (just as a brief, quickly forgotten cameo) but Judas? Never! Never!
But, if we are privileged because of our money, education, ancestry, work, where we live, the vehicles we drive, the ease we have to travel where and when we want, the good healthcare and all the other perks, well
maybe we are more like the bully Goliath, lording it over the forgotten, the rough sleepers, the folks working menial jobs.
Maybe we are more like the money changers, paying close attention to the vagaries of our pensions and portfolios, and begrudging the requests to be more charitable towards those who are struggling.
Maybe we are more like Judas when we sell out Jesus for the politician we support, the economic system which benefits the privileged like us, the religious belief that is aligned more with our personal dislikes than God's love for every single person around us.
Maybe, just maybe, we are not as heroic as we see ourselves.
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:4-8
As far as I know, John the Baptist has never appeared on any greeting card. Which is surprising, since he plays such an important role in the life of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry. But it may not be that surprising, since who would want to receive a card with a wild-eyed, bushy-haired, strangely dressed, locust-breathed fellow waving his arms and shouting for everyone to repent before all hell breaks loose.
But that's not what John is doing, at least here in Mark's gospel.
He is not preaching repentance, and get right with Jesus should you die before the sun rises tomorrow. He's calling people to be baptized. And he does so by taking a moment, a story the listeners know all too well.
He calls people to come out of the city, come out of the rural places, and gather on the edge of the river. He knows, as they all do that life is not what they expected or wanted. They are weary, they are in despair, they worry about the future. They are trapped, they are locked in by their fears, they (like the ancestors in Egypt) are under the control of harsh taskmasters. The Romans may not be forcing them to make bricks out of mud and straw, but they might as well have been.
And now, they stand on the edge. Being called, challenged, encouraged to step into the water, to leave their lives, their burdens, their past behind. Yes, step in to be baptized, but also to symbolically walk through the waters which will bring them to the other shore where hope, new life, new promises await.
It's God's grace which creates the opportunity for them to turn their back on the past, and walk into God's future. It is God's hope which washes their feet of their dreary lives up to this point. It is God's love which will lap around their feet and tickle their toes as they break into great laughs of joy. It is God who is calling, providing, pointing the way and promising to be with them on this journey. Not with a pillar of cloud by day, or a pillar of fire by night,
but with the Beloved who steps into the water with them, and leads the way.
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him. The following day they came to Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. On Peter’s arrival Cornelius met him, and falling at his feet, worshiped him. But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a mortal.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found that many had assembled; and he said to them, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. Now may I ask why you sent for me?” Acts 10:23b-29
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is now before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the LORD chosen this one.” Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any of these.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:1-13
This is a much beloved story from Scripture.
Saul has made a right mess of this thing called leadership, and while many seem to still want to cling to him and his failed leadership, God has something else in mind. As usual, God is going to try another way, God is going to do a new thing.
God sends the prophet, Samuel, as a nominating committee to find a new king. He is directed to go to a specific place, to a specific family where the choice will become readily apparent. But it doesn't. Samuel, like many committees charged with finding a suitable candidate for a position, is tricked by appearances. Who is the most athletic, the best looking, the most charismatic? Who is going to have 'star appeal' and wow all the focus groups and make outstanding ads?
No big surprise, God will have none of that. Samuel says (with each one), "Found him!" God says, "Keep looking." Finally, with all the logical candidates given a thumbs down by God, Samuel asks, 'that's it? Nobody else left?" Well, there is the baby of the family, and of course, he has the most menial of tasks, he's out in the fields with the sheep. And there it is, the big reveal. Not the most athletic, the best looking, the most charismatic. But the dirtiest, the smelliest, the most naive of the clan. But when David shows up, God says, "Finally. Pick him."
It is not really surprising. The role of shepherd and the role of leader are intertwined in the Old Testament. Once Jesse says, 'oh yeah. There's a boy out in the fields with the sheep,' we know the rest of the story.
But here is what has always bugged me about this beloved story. God says 'don't look at the outer appearance,' yet when David is chosen, we are told quite clearly what a hunk he is! Why throw that in? Was it a wink-wink from the writer of the book to reassure us that the best leaders are always the most popular, the most charismatic, the most athletic?
Or is it a subtle suggestion that, like us, sometimes God has trouble making up the divine mind?
(c) 2023 Thom M. Shuman
