Mark 13:24-37

²⁴“But in those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

²⁵and the stars will be falling from heaven,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. ²⁷Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

²⁸“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

³²“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ³⁴It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. ³⁵Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, ³⁶or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. ³⁷And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” 

First Sunday of Advent:  Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra

Nerd alert!  I'm a Trekkie.  In Star Trek: The Next Generation there is an episode in which the crew of the Starship Enterprise encounter a new race of beings that only communicate through the allegory of "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra."   The crew ends up in a mess of a conflict because they only hear the literal words and have no reference points to the larger narrative.  In order to illustrate the situation, the alien captain forces a re-enactment of the story so that they may both have a common reference to the allegory.  In the end, the communication from the aliens that sparked a conflict is realized in hindsight as an overture for peace.

This part of the Gospel of Mark is part of Apocalyptic literature that fits in with the scriptures of Daniel and Revelation.  It is symbolic language that references other phrases of scripture and symbols common to the culture at the time...especially the Torah.  Like the Enterprise, we miss the opportunity to understand the rich meaning of Apocalyptic literature if we only listen to tone of the literal words.   Unfortunately, dispensational theology as expressed in the Left Behind Series has encouraged a popular yet lazy and isolated reading of apocalyptic literature which suggests times are getting worse and worse and worse and all we know of this world must be obliterated in order for Christ's Reign of Love to come.  This reading does not meet the test of fitting into the character of God as expressed in the totality of Scripture.  At least in my Reformed heritage, the understanding is that we are participating in Christ's "now and not yet" inbreaking of Kingdom of Justice and Love for humanity.

If we follow the allegorical footnotes, we see that this passage and others like it point to a time when all powers that are known will be turned on their head and the Reign of God will be realized.   Servanthood, hospitality, and love will reign rather than war, money, and power.  Keeping awake means standing ready to serve and welcome Christ in the stranger everywhere.   For me personally, today, it means things like showing up to prepare breakfast at First Presbyterian on Wednesday mornings at 6:30 a.m. for migrant workers or making plans for a retreat to Lebh Shomeah monastery in January on a personal pilgrimage.  For United Campus Ministry it means welcoming those who are marginalized.  For Canterbury Cafe, I know it means showing radical hospitality to all who come in the doors.  For Treehouse, I know it means being a people of social justice.

What does staying awake mean to you?  

How might you make a commitment to "stay awake" this Advent and beyond welcoming the stranger and thereby welcoming Christ into our midst?  

What does it mean that Jesus is coming again?   Does knowing Jesus return is imminent affect your life?

In Communion or the Eucharist, our Presbyterian liturgy opens the table with "For as often as you eat of this bread and drink of this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes again."   I add to this "and his coming again is Good News for everyone."  

As they say at the end of that episode of Star Trek, "His arms open wide."

Happy Thanksgiving and Welcome to Advent!

Rev. Dr. Kyle Walker is the Director/Campus Minister of United Campus Ministry in Aggieland, the campus ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and United Church of Christ at Texas A&M University and Blinn College - Bryan.

Matthew 25:31-46

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

It’s another Yowza! text, isn’t it? Matthew has a lot of those, and these last few months, we seem to have hit them all.  We’ve heard repeatedly about eternal punishment, outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Thus… Yowza!

As our students have wrestled together with how we make sense of these texts, a theme has emerged this semester: we don’t like them! How do we reconcile Matthew’s seemingly harsh judgment with a God of mercy, grace, and compassion? If we’re serious about the whole saved by grace business, how do we understand these texts that seem to suggest otherwise?

Annnndddd, how do we understand this text in light of our Thanksgiving feast this week? (Come join us! Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30 at St Thomas. All welcome!) What might this text have to teach us about gratitude?

When we read these texts as judgment, I wonder if we miss the whole point. It’s easy to key in on the separation of the sheep and goats, and on the eternal punishment/life. But I wonder…. what if, instead, we read them as a glorious invitation to abundant life?

That’s right! Abundant, overflowing, joy-filled, overwhelming, completely alive, fully connected abundant life.  That’s what this text is about. For that’s what we find in learning to see and encounter Christ in our neighbor.

Mary Oliver, a poet, once asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” I love that question. One wild and precious life.

We have one wild and precious life. One span of years with which to make a difference. One lifetime in which we can love our neighbor. One invitation to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world. One life to spend for the sake of the world.

What an invitation! And it’s the invitation of our text.

So, what will you do with your one wild and precious life? Will you learn to see Christ – to really see Christ – and to respond with love? Will you recognize him in the aching eyes of a hungry beggar? Will you reach out to him as she wonders the street in search for shelter? Will you set aside a warm place in your house and your heart to welcome him in the weary traveler?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

Questions:

1. What do you want to do with your life, and how does this relate to the call to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, give clothes to the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned?

2. In whom have you seen this text lived well?

3. How might this text relate to Thanksgiving and to gratitude?

This week’s Bible Blog is written by Pastor Mindy Roll, the ELCA Lutheran Campus Pastor at Texas A&M and Blinn. For more information on the ELCA ministry here, see www.treehouseministries.com.

The Parable of the Talents

14 ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; ¹⁵to one he gave five talents,^* to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. ¹⁷In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. ¹⁸But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, “Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.” ²¹His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²²And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, “Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.” ²³His master said to him, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” ²⁴Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” ²⁶But his master replied, “You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. ²⁹For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ³⁰As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

I think this parable could be titled “Investing in the Kingdom” or how are we preparing for Jesus’ coming again? 

We are approaching the end of the Church Year and the Sunday scripture lessons will be focuses on the themes of final judgment and the proper use of the time and gifts that have been given to each person. The Parable of the Talents is one of the end-time parables in Matthew (24:45-51; 25:1-13 & 25:14-30) that focus on how we are to prepare for the Son of Man, who will come at an unknown time (cf Lk. 19:11-27).

As a man left on a journey, he entrusted his property to his slaves: one slave received five talents; another received two talents and a third slave received one talent: each according to his ability.  The first two slaves doubled the amount given to them but the third dug a hole and hid his one talent.

When the man returned, he praised the first two slaves and finding them trustworthy planned to put them in charge of more. These slaves had taken a risk and skillfully managed what they were given. 

However the slave who received one talent returned the one talent to his master.  The master in turn gave the one talent to the slave who had the greatest return.  Although the third slave was honest and did not lose his master’s money, he was accused of being wicked and lazy.  He defended himself, saying that he acted out of fear because the master was a “harsh man” (v. 24).  The master did not deny this, but for that reason, the slave should have at the very least invested the talent to obtain interest on it.

The master goes on to say that more will be given to those who have much, while from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.  The point being that one must act responsibly and also be willing to take a risk in the face of the coming of the Son of Man. 

The third slave is further punished by being thrown “into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  The darkness alludes to the condemnation of the last judgment and is in direct opposition to entering the joy of the master. 

In the Matthean context, this parable is about the second coming of the Son of Man, and builds on the theme of constant watchfulness.  During this time of waiting, the Christian community is to avoid laziness and fear and to work diligently.

In broader terms, God’s undeniable call demand that we take the risks that must accompany our spiritual maturity and the spreading of the hope in Christ.  Rather than just living safely, we are to risk acting in ways that reflect the creativity and commitment of our Creator.  We are to be good stewards of the Gospel by proclaiming the Good News of everlasting hope and not hiding it away or keeping to ourselves.  Our reward is the everlasting joy of our Lord and the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Questions for thought and reflection:

1. How do you imagine each of the slaves felt when he received his sum of money from the master?
2. How do you imagine each of the slaves might have felt as the master reacted to their various efforts?
3. With which slave do you identify most easily?
4. This parable challenges us to take risks as a part of our call from God.  What risks have you taken in relations to your faith?
5. How are you challenged by the Parable of the Talents, and what are its implications for your life of faith?

Reformation: Romans 2-3:31

Tuesday night I spent dinner with 200 members of various faiths at Pebble Creek Country Club as we recognized the work in the past year on Interfaith Dialogue.    Coach Blair, Dr. Loftin, and various community and religious figures from all over town were there.  Most of the event was planned by and financed by our moderate Muslim friends who run the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue.  

Over the years well meaning people have asked me if I think certain people of another faith are going to heaven.   What about those Mormons, Muslims and Methodists?  What would you say about their eternal destination?   The honest answer I feel compelled to give is that even I, an ordained Minister of the Word and Sacrament with 3 degrees doesn't have access to St. Peter's roll and it isn't published in Scripture.  I suspect that's on purpose.   I do know that John 10:16 speaks of sheep of "another fold" but doesn't specify who it will be and we never hear more about it.  There is room in Divine mystery for others.  I at least know that much from that passage.

This Sunday is Reformation Sunday.   In my tradition, which is the Reformed Tradition that dates itself back to the work of John Calvin and his work to create a systematic Protestant theology, we remember our history.   It is a history I'm not proud to say is full of telling people who is in and who is out.   That ugly part of our history has not served us well and it is the part of John Calvin's legacy you probably know best from history books.

However, few realize that this very same Reformed Tradition also brought us the Latin mantra "Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda!" which means "the Church reformed, always being reformed by the word of God and the Spirit."     

John Calvin, who is most blamed for the doctrine of double predestination, had a couple of other ideas about this which are considered strikingly odd in today's world of true/false enlightenment thinking and unaccountable conscience.   The first is the idea that scripture is a living  rather than static document that, with different contexts and insights, can take on different meanings in the life of the believer at different times and places.    The second is that communities of Christians are collectively more spiritually insightful than any one of their parts.   

In other words, we need to be in Christian community and seeking that community in order to discern the meaning of scripture and the will of God for our lives.

What this ends up being is a check and balance on tradition and the ways we've chosen to understand things.    However, it isn't just an experiential check and balance.  In my Reformed Tradition, one always goes back to reading Scripture within the context of community to review that which we have been assuming all along.   For John Calvin, it often meant being a pretty severe deconstructionist.  For us, however, it can simply mean not becoming so set in our ways that we forget that we always "seek in a mirror darkly" like I Cor. 13 tells us.    This includes getting stuck on denominational identity, history, and dogma.  

What I appreciate about my Reformed Tradition is it reminds me that Kyle Walker is not alone and it isn't all up to me.   It reminds me to seek out the wisdom beyond myself and my pet tradition.  Rather, I am enriched when I seek out Christians who aren't like me.  And, dare I say it...even those of other faiths and no faith who can challenge me in dialogue and help me grow in appreciate of my own faith and even learn about it.

Several years ago this same Muslim group asked me to explain to them the doctrine of the Trinity which is a real stumbling block for them.   I have been examined for my theologically fitness many times and we Presbyterians do so every time we move to another call.  However, nothing challenged me like my Muslim friends asking me to explain every bit of prepackaged jargon I had been taught to spit out when asked about such things.   They made me own it and know it right down the tiniest detail.  I'm grateful for their questions.

Muslims have made me a better and more dedicated Christian through this kind of dialogue.  Heck, it even happens when I bump into Episcopalians and Lutherans!  And, THAT, is the beauty of living a Reformation attitude.  When we study God's word AND look for ways we can gain insight about it from the living witness of those around us, Scripture begins to grow legs and walk with us every moment of every day.   May it be so.

Matthew 22:34-46

³⁴When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, ³⁵and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”³⁷He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”⁴¹Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: ⁴²“What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” ⁴³He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”’?⁴⁵If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?” ⁴⁶No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

Oh my gosh, I love that restaurant’s dessert menu! Have you tried the new drink at Starbucks? I love how pumpkiny it is! Has anyone read that new book – it’s so moving, I love it!

I love it, I love it, I love it!

Ok, guilty. I love the word love, and I love to overuse it. It’s quicker than saying “this particular thing engages my emotions in such a positive way that I have nice, warm feelings toward it.” But, generally, that’s actually what I mean  - when I (over)use the word “love,” I’m referring to something that creates some type of nice emotional response inside of me.

It’s how we are conditioned to think about love, isn’t it? As a feeling, or as a flood of emotions When we fall in love with someone, it’s the feelings that connect us.  We get caught up in what love feels like.

But what if love isn’t about feelings? Or is at least not primarily about feelings?

When Jesus tells us to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves, he’s not commanding us to go foster warm, sweet emotions toward every person we meet. That’s not possible. He’s calling us to do something else: to act.

The love that Jesus is referring to is about behavior, not emotion. Jesus is calling us to act as God has acted toward us – with mercy, kindness, compassion, and goodness. Loving our neighbor is not about feeling love toward them, but about acting on their behalf and treating them with profound God-like love. It’s a new way of looking at love.

Questions:

1. Think of a story about someone who has shown love to you by their actions. What does this tell you about who God is?

2. Who is someone you find hard to feel love toward? How might you be love to them instead?

3. What does this mean on a global scale? How do we be love to our brothers and sisters around the world? What does this mean for our discipleship and our ethics?

This week’s Bible Blog is written by Pastor Mindy Roll, the ELCA Lutheran Campus Pastor at Texas A&M and Blinn. For more information on the ELCA ministry here, see www.treehouseministries.com.

Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said.  So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show difference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality.  Tell us, the, what you think.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”  But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites?  Show me the coin used for the tax.”  And they brought him a denarius.  Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”  They answered, “The emperor’s.”  Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

The Jewish authorities, those in power during Jesus’ life, continue to try and trap Jesus with a skillfully prepared question, hoping that he will answer their question.    One way or another, they are out to get Jesus in trouble.  The Pharisees, the Jewish religious authorities have brought with them representatives of the civil government, the Herodians.    

If Jesus answers their question, he will be in trouble.  If is answers that people should pay the tax to the emperor, then he is in effect setting aside the law of God.  But if he advises that the tax should not be paid then the civil government will accuse him of stirring up a rebellion to the government.  The Jewish authorities, believe they have outwitted Jesus.

As much as the Pharisees want Jesus to answer their question, we should be aware of our own desire for Jesus to tidy up everything by just telling us what the answer is.  Jesus, what do you want us to do?  We want to be able to simultaneously do what will keep us in good standing with the civil authorities and with our faith community.  But instead of answering our question, Jesus widens the question, leaving politics in the dust.

In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, “No on can serve two masters.”  Everyone will have to decide for themselves. What is it that bears God’s image?  And, what belongs to whom?   The emperor can plaster his picture and his words across the whole of the Roman Empire; he can conquer every inch of land on the earth and crush people under his power and authority, but he can never hold the source of any person’s breath and life, not even his own. 

The God in whose image we are created and from whom we receive life is described by the prophet Isaiah:  It was a time when the Babylonian Empire was the most powerful in the world and loomed heavily over the people of Israel.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child? . . . .

Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.”  (Isa. 49:15-16)

What ever has the emperor’s image belongs to the emperor.  Whatever bears the divine image belongs to God.  Every life is marked with the inscription, the image of the One who is its source of being and its destination. 

It is true that the image can sometimes be difficult to recognize, in us and especially in others.  What we normally see is the image that our culture has left upon us? You are what you look like, what you have, what you wear, what you do, the company you keep.  But underneath all that, we all share a much deeper mark, the sparkle of light in our eyes and the sign of a cross, made once upon a time on our forehead.

To give to God that which, by right of creation itself, belongs to God means to return all that we are and all that we have.  What we may be required to give the emperor, the state and temporal order, is only money.  Our total allegiance of heart, mind, and soul belongs to God.

Discussion questions:

1.     The authorities must have been a little frustrated, that Jesus did not answer their question.  Do you expect Jesus to give you answers or give you questions to help you decide for yourself?

2.     How do you decide what belongs to God and what belongs to the world?

3.     How do your decisions influence your daily life?

4.     What are the implications for you that you were made in God’s image?

This week’s blog was written by the Reverend Sandi Mizirl, Episcopal priest and missioner at Texas A&M University and Blinn College.  We worship together on Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm.  All are welcome.  Check us out at www.episcopalaggies.com

Matthew 21:33-46

³³“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.³⁴When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. ³⁵But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. ³⁶Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. ³⁷Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” ³⁹So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. ⁴⁰Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? ⁴³Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. ⁴⁴The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.” ⁴⁵When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

Murder. Violence. Greed. Revenge. Lawlessness.

It’s the kind of story that makes you wonder: what on earth was the owner of the vineyard thinking?

So the story goes that a man plants a vineyard, then moves far away, but leases out the land. The rent? The tenants pay in produce. But since the vineyard owner is far away, he sends his servants to collect the produce… and what do the tenants do? They kill the servants so that they can profit. Not good. And not even logical. So the owner sends more servants (really?) and they, too, get killed. So the owner sends his own son (isn’t he seeing a rather dangerous pattern yet?), and even the son gets killed.

Now this story raises lots of questions, especially related to the owner of the vineyard. First of all, what on earth was the owner of the vineyard thinking? Didn’t he run background checks on these people? Didn’t they have references? Didn’t he learn his lesson with the first set of indiscriminate killings? Why send more servants and not the authorities? Why send your own son?

Looking at this story from 2000 years away, it’s easy to come up with a list of questions related to the actions of the vineyard owner – they just don’t seem logical, do they? And it’s tempting to see the story in simple terms: God must be the vineyard owner, the prophets were the servants sent before and killed, the son was Jesus, and the wicked tenants were the religious authorities and others that rejected Jesus. That means that we are the “other tenants,” right? The ones with the unwritten future, the ones who produce fruit?

Not so fast. While it’s tempting to see this story as an ancient drama, the truth of this story is that it is about us. We are the ones who kill the servants, and we are the ones who kill the son. We are the ones motivated by jealousy, greed, pride, and our own self-interest, and we are the ones who sabotage God’s work in us. And God, in God’s infinite love, patience, and mercy, continues to give us another chance – even when it comes at cost to God. That’s the Good News in this story – the owner of the vineyard does not act rationally, or with good business sense, or with prudence. The owner of the vineyard acts with reckless abandon, hope, and forgiveness.

Questions for reflection:

How are we like the tenants? What are the ways that we kill others out of our own selfishness and greed?

The owner of the vineyard in this story seems irresponsible, risky, and too merciful. How does this change how you understand God?

What does this story mean for the Christian community today? How are we called to act?

This week’s Bible Blog is written by Pastor Mindy Roll, the ELCA Lutheran Campus Pastor at Texas A&M and Blinn. For more information on the ELCA ministry here, see www.treehouseministries.com.

Matthew 21:23-32

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the two sons contrasts the faithless leaders and the faithful outcasts.  What matters?  What is authentic?  What we say or what we do?  Affirming the right thing, but not acting on it, stands in the way of authentic response to God.

Jesus challenges conventional perspectives of right and wrong and shows how different God’s Kingdom is from the kingdoms of this world.

By asking Jesus, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” the chief priests and elders hope to discredit Jesus and trap him into claiming his authority comes from God, so that he can be charged with blasphemy.

In true rabbinic style, Jesus replies with another question that presents the priests and elders with a dilemma.  If they answer that the baptism of John the Baptist was from God, then they must explain why they did not acknowledge John.  On the other hand, if they rely that John’s baptism was “of human origin”, the fear the response of the crowds who believed John was a prophet of God.

After telling the parable of the two sons, Jesus asks the priests and elders, “Which of the sons did the will of his father?”  In answering that the son who actually did go into the vineyard to work, even though he told his father he would not go, actually did the will of the father.  In their answer, the priests and elders exposed their own hypocrisy.  Affirming the right thing, but not acting on it, stands in the way of authentic response to God.

1.     How does the dilemma presented between saying and doing continue to affect us today?

2.     Reflect on the responses of the sons in terms of your own personal relationship with God.  How are you like either one or both of them?

3.     In this parable, Jesus turns conventional assumptions upside down.  What changes are we called to make from the implications of this story?

"It Gets Better" -Exodus 16:2-15

"The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.  The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.  On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days."  So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?" 

And Moses said, "When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him--what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD."  Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, 'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'"  And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 

The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"  In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.  When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 

When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

In the story of the Exodus, we know that the Israelites crossed the Red Sea.  The Red Sea in Hebrew is actually has the dual meaning of "The Sea of the End".   The end of what?   Well, the end of oppression, the end of slavery, the end of suffering, and the end of marginalization as a people.   But in their minds as a people in today's passage, it was more probable to mean the end of food, the end of creature comforts, the end of life itself!   It felt like the ultimate bait and switch and the people wanted none of it!    They wanted to go back into slavery.

I completed my Doctor of Ministry this year and looking back on 25 years of education (27 if you want to allow me to count Preschool---hey Play-doh taught me a lot!), I can say one thing for sure.  I looked forward to every graduation as if it was an Exodus moment in which the shackles of tests and papers would finally end and I would enter into my own realm of Nirvana.  No one told me, though, (well, maybe there was a boring graduation speech that did) that the next step would bring its own challenges, but it did.   It wasn't always harder in the same ways but it was different and still a ton of work.   Even now, I am burdened by the fact that with that a in front of my name means people actually expect me to know something (many times outside my field) and share it!   Education never ends, nor should it.   There's a Zen saying that before enlightenment, one must chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.   Too true.

You can pick any story of liberation.   In our country, think about those released from slavery in the Emancipation Proclamation.   Were they free?  Yes.  Were they still oppressed?  Absolutely yes.   Most of us would still say it is a process that has not finished even with having an African-American President.   At the same time, many other liberating movements in the model of Exodus continue and emerge among the human family for those who are of various races, religions, and personal realities.  

As an example, "It Gets Better" is an Internet-based project founded by Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller on September 21, 2010, in response to the suicide of Billy Lucas and a number of other teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or because their peers suspected that they were gay, such as Raymond Chase, Tyler Clementi, Ryan Halligan, Asher Brown, and Seth Walsh. Its goal is to prevent suicide among all youth (with emphasis on LGBT youth) by having adults convey the message that these teens' lives will improve. The project has grown rapidly: over 200 videos were uploaded in the first week, and the project's YouTube channel reached the 650 video limit in the next week. The project is now organized on its own website, the It Gets Better Project, and includes more than 22,000 entries from people of all sexual orientations, including many celebrities. (Wikipedia entry "It Gets Better")   Many critics, though, point out that this campaign falls short because it does not call for communities to take responsibility and "Make It Better".  

The truth is there is hard work ahead in the walk to liberation and little, if any of it, will happen by inertia.   The "Promised Land" seems elusive as all of us travel ahead from captivity to liberation.   We all have a story of being liberated from something that held us back.  If we don't now, we will.   We like to think we don't complain in our own wildernesses but we do.  We like to think it will just "get better" if we hang on to hope but there is still much work to do on behalf of ourselves and others.  The bottom line, the sacramental line if you will, is that our God may well expect us to continue to chop wood and carry water but He also does not leave us without what we need to move forward.   He is not a Deistic god that is watching us on our own personal reality TV channel.   He is a provider from the abundance of His faithfulness and grace.

The Lord, Adonai, the Holy One of Israel, provides enough manna, bread, for the Journey.   Yes, we may approach the altar lost and uncertain with our question, "what is it?"   Yet we are always met with the provision and hospitality that "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."    

Eat the manna.  Claim the vision. Trust in God.  Walk forward.  God will provide.  Repeat.

Rev. Dr. Kyle Walker is the Director/Campus Minister for United Campus Ministry at Texas A&M University.   UCM meets at the Canterbury House for "Aggie Supper" on Thursdays at 6 p.m.  All are welcome.

Matthew 18:21-35

²¹Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. ²³“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.²⁴When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ²⁵and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. ²⁶So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.²⁸But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. ³¹When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. ³²Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’³⁴And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. ³⁵So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Yowza! Really, Jesus? If we don’t forgive one another, and forgive them from the heart, we’ll be handed over to be tortured until we can repay our entire debt?

Something’s fishy about this passage. For one, the math is nuts. The first slave owed the master ten thousand talents. One talent was worth 15-20 years of work. So, this slave owed the master something like 150,000 years of work. Um, that’s crazy! The number was not even fathomable to the ancient mind. It’s like your financial aid officer saying, with a completely straight face, “You owe the school a ga-gillion, fa-billion dollars.” What on earth is a ga-gillion, much less a fa-billion? The number is meant to be ridiculous and unfathomable. The next slave, on the other hand, owed the fellow slave something like 100 days of work. This was fathomable. Jesus is clearly making a point with these two sets of numbers – what’s he up to?

Second, the call to forgive is not for seven, but 77 times. Peter thought he was being awfully generous to offer to forgive seven times (three was generally thought to be the max by the teachers of the law). But Jesus turns even this upside down. Not seven, Peter, but 77 times. Not the generosity you think you are capable of, but multiple that – and then multiple it again.

This text tells us something about human nature, doesn’t it? We want to receive mercy and forgiveness; we want to act with judgment.

And here’s the thing: judgment is so much easier. To be the one who acts with mercy and forgiveness… let’s be honest: this takes more humility, strength and faith than we are capable of – even on our best days. But to trust that God works forgiveness and mercy through us – that forgiveness is God’s business and God’s good gift – that’s Good News.

This week we mark the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. What does this text mean when we think about it in the light of this anniversary? What does forgiveness mean? What might God be working through us? 

Readings for Sunday, September 4, 2011

Proper 18A

Exodus 12:1-14

Psalm 149

Romans 13:8-14

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples, “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.  If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.  But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.  Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.  Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

My first challenge to you in this reading is to think about what is being said here and to realize this is the problem of a much more highly organized Christian Church community than the small community of Jesus and his disciples.  Having said that, the process described serves us to emphasize the need to do everything possible to maintain the community and avoid schisms. 

Three steps are given when one member of the community sins against another.  First the offended party should take the initiative to restore the severed relationship by going to the person and explaining the offense.  Here we see that forgiveness and reconciliation begin with an intentional encounter between alienated individuals. 

I believe the point of the suggested three-step procedure is to provide several opportunities for repentance and reconciliation in order to maintain the well-being and unity of the community.   Both parties must be listeners to the other.  The process is based upon an honest expectation of good will and reflects Jesus’ law of love.

Questions for discussion:

1.     

Think about a conflict from your own experience.  What were the factors that influenced the eventual outcome.  What was your initial response to conflict?

2.     

How could the process Jesus described be applied to resolve dissention in the Church today?

3.     

In what ways could these basic steps be helpful in your personal relationships?

4.     

Under what circumstances do you think the final step of expulsion from the community might be warranted?  At what point does the welfare of the entire community take precedence over maintaining relationship with a particular individual?