living worthy of the gospel

Philippians 1:21-30 NRSVUE
[21] For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. [22] If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me, yet I cannot say which I will choose. [23] I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better, [24] but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. [25] Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, [26] so that, by my presence again with you, your boast might abound in Christ Jesus because of me.

[27] Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel [28] and in no way frightened by those opposing you. For them, this is evidence of their destruction but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. [29] For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ but of suffering for him as well, [30] since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/php.1.21-30.NRSVUE

Our calling as followers of Christ is to live worthy of the gospel. As Paul makes it clear, that involves not only believing in Christ, but suffering for him as well. It’s not that we’re to look for suffering and certainly not to nurse a martyr complex. I emphasize the latter only because Christians in the United States have imagined themselves being persecuted when they actually have had pride of place, at least religious freedom. When that’s begun to subside so that others might be able to be in charge now and then in certain places, they consider that persecution. Or when they reject science and history and the academy doesn’t go along with that, they once again imagine that they’re being persecuted. We’ve seen this. We could try to unravel this better. But hopefully sufficient to go on and simply state that this has nothing whatsoever to do with what Paul was referring to here.

The gospel is Christ in his life, teaching, mighty works, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return. And what that’s all about which is love for neighbor and enemy, and the reconciliation of the world to God and to each other. As followers of Christ we’re to live worthy of that good news, our passion being that.

That means we’ll indeed face persecution and suffering of one sort or another from principalities, powers, authorities, systems intent on quite the opposite of the gospel of peace. It’s not that we wish suffering on ourselves and certainly not others. But the kingdom, “kindom” of God is in the way of reconciling, redemptive, healing love whereas the world system is all too often entrenched in self-interest, often men of mega wealth wanting control and not only willing to resort to violence, but imposing a kind of violence in their strict control of those on whose backs they live. If you think that’s overstated, look for that in the Bible and in life, and you’ll see that it’s not, that it’s indeed all too prevalent. So many of us have been shielded from the worst of that so that we easily miss it. But it’s more and more coming to the fore, only getting worse so that it’s becoming increasingly hard to miss.

The gospel and its fruit is not only for the life to come, but for the present life as well. Christ is Lord, and the Lord of love. And we as Christ-followers are caught up, indeed submerged and captive in love to that calling.

Scripture passage from daily reading of Revised Common Lectionary.

don’t slack off

James 1:22-25 NRSVUE
[22]  But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. [23] For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; [24] for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. [25] But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jas.1.22-25.NRSVUE

It is more than easy, in fact it seems to be natural to slack off when it comes to Bible reading and application. There are many reasons why. Try reading through the book of Leviticus to gather at least a couple reasons. Mind numbing and just plain offensive are two from that book. But we have to look for the hidden treasure, and if we do, we can find something of such not only in every book of the Bible, but in every passage as well. We might have to use our imagination to do so, but we’ll hear God speak if only we will listen. The Bible is God’s word written, Jesus Christ God’s Word of whom the Bible beats witness. But that doesn’t matter unless we take the pains to both hear God’s word and put it into practice, applying it to our lives.

James never minces words. And what he’s saying isn’t rocket science, either. We need to keep at it day in and day out. If we do, we will be blessed in our doing. Not just in our hearing, but in our doing.

another Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel

2 Corinthians 11:1-4 NRSVUE
[1]  I wish you would put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, do put up with me! [2] I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. [3] But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. [4] For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/2co.11.1-4.NRSVUE

The Corinthian church which began through the Apostle Paul’s gospel preaching was going through an identity crisis. Yes, they were losing sight of both who they were and who Christ is. They were beguiled, taken in by men who were not qualified, not of the Spirit of Christ. But these impostors evidently came across with a charisma or something or other appealing to them which Paul lacked. Yes, Paul was their spiritual father through the gospel, but these “super-apostles” (2 Corinthians 11:5) would take them further, in reality being taken in by them. Some of these impostors might possibly have been sincere, but they were misled themselves, and therefore in danger of misleading this church.

Another Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel was the issue. Before we fast-forward to the present time, we need to emphasize the  major difference. It was likely a question of power. Their power was worldly, what would have impressed the people of their time. Paul’s power was rooted in the weakness of the cross, living in that weakness himself by way of identification with the crucified resurrected Christ. They might or might not have paid some lip service to that, but that was certainly not the heart of their teaching and life. They themselves had been beguiled thoroughly and so they were thoroughly beguiling, coming across as authentic and very resonant with these still young believers.

At the risk of barely touching on the text, but due to not wanting to go long on this, we can now turn to the present time. We see pictures of images of a traditional white Jesus with American flags in a spirit of bold assertion with willingness to do violence if needed. At the heart of their concern is certainly not the gospel of Christ which Paul proclaimed and lived by. That gospel at best is tainted and even adulterated, more like entirely replaced with something else. And all about the culture war with willingness to empire, to embrace and actually take over in the power of the state, doing quite the opposite of what Christ taught and lived out. As Paul does in 2 Corinthians 10-13, so should we. Pay close attention both to their message and their lives, comparing that with Jesus’s message and his life. Ask the hard questions. Pay attention to the fruit of their lives.

Today too many believers are putting up with another Jesus, a different spirit, and different gospel readily enough. We all must beware lest in any way, shape or form we might be taken in ourselves. Instead we need to seek to become established through the community of faith into the way, the truth, and the life of our crucified, resurrected Lord Jesus Christ.

the battle we’re in (the victory of Christ)

Ephesians 6:10-20 NRSVUE
[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; [11] put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, [12] for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything, to stand firm. [14] Stand, therefore, and belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness [15] and lace up your sandals in preparation for the gospel of peace. [16] With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [18] Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. [19] Pray also for me, so that when I speak a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/eph.6.10-20.NRSVUE

The battle we’re in is spiritual and personal, and is very much connected to systems. The principalities and powers refer both to spiritual entities and systems in place, all anti-human. We could say antichrist and anti-gospel as well, which amounts to anti-human.

Harassment and fear are primary means used by the rulers, authorities, powers and forces to bring and maintain control through violence, marked by greed at the expense of others. We should be aware of their desire and demand for total domination, not only authoritarian but totalitarian rule covering every area of life. And we must not forget, and they won’t let us, their desire for self-glory, complete allegiance to them in and through the system, of course idolatry, we can say political idolatry.

Contrast this to the gospel, the good news of God’s victory in Jesus Christ through the cross. The “kindom” of God. We are told in this passage to stand firm in the strength of the Lord’s power, and to take up the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. The powers against us are diabolical and systemic. They lie, steal, kill and destroy. This is life in “this present darkness.”

It’s a disaster when churches and Christians are taken in by the principalities and powers, deceived to think that somehow such can be in service to the gospel and the gospel cause if they actually imagine that at all. But that’s precisely what we’re seeing today.

We must resist all of this through the gospel no less. Being strengthened through the power of Christ, with the armor of God, engaged in prayers. This both communally and individually. We especially experience the power and reality of this in the community of faith, but it must be carried over into our individual lives.

We stand firm and resist in the victory of God in Jesus Christ. That victory is in and through the cross. Christ won the battle, but we must stand in that victory in Jesus Christ faith. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe, but that’s not a free ride into heaven, but a life of living out heaven in a world hell-bent to live with no regard for that, even in opposition to the good news.

We not only are instruments to share the gospel of peace, but we experience it, live in that peace, ourselves. Yes, even in a world which understands peace in an entirely different way, in opposition to the peace that Jesus Christ brings.

And so, inspite of Christ having won through the cross, for now this conflict continues. And the good news of the victory of God in Christ in the midst of it.

being well grounded according to James (part seven)

James 5:7-11 NRSVUE
[7]  Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. [8] You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. [9] Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! [10] As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. [11] Indeed, we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the outcome that the Lord brought about, for the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jas.5.7-11.NRSVUE

The NRSVUE heading “Patience in Suffering” is apt, the CEB heading “Courageous patience,” interesting, apt also. To be well grounded according to James, we’re going to have to bear adversity because of suffering. As James tells us, we do so in light of the Lord’s return, and with the example of the prophets and Job in mind.

That means and presupposes that we will be in the text of scripture in our faith community and in our own personal space. James is guiding us, but we must follow through.

We must be willing to patiently suffer. Endurance in such is the requirement here. It was in the context of the rich taking advantage of others. That certainly rhymes with what’s going on today.

In light of the Lord’s soon return, we’re to strengthen our hearts. That has yet to materialize, but we live in that “hope,” realizing that this life is fleeting, and that this present time is temporary. The final judgment and salvation is coming. We seek to live faithfully now in light of that.

Fifth Sunday in Lent: Jesus Condemned. John 19:1-16a (Psalm 146)

John 19:1-16a NRSVUE
[1]  Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. [2] And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. [3] They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. [4] Pilate went out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.” [5] So Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” [6] When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.” [7] The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God.”

[8] Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. [9] He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. [10] Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and power to crucify you?” [11] Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” [12] From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against Caesar.”

[13]  When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. [14] Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover, and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” [15] They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” [16] Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jhn.19.1-16.NRSVUE

Psalms 146:1-10 NRSVUE
[1]  Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! [2]  I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

[3]  Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. [4]  When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

[5]  Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, [6]  who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; [7]  who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free; [8]  the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. [9]  The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

[10]  The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!

https://bible.com/bible/3523/psa.146.1-10.NRSVUE

“Holy God,
In this season of contemplation, help us to recognize that you revealed yourself in Jesus, who walked among us and was handed over to be crucified. May we be strengthened by his presence among us today. Amen.”

Prayer of the Day

Kings, kingdoms, empires, rulers condemn, but they aren’t condemned. If the rule of law is followed, governing officials can be charged and possibly convicted in trial. But too often we see something nefarious as in kangaroo courts in which there is no truth and therefore no justice.

In Jesus’s case, Pilate could find no evidence of actual wrongdoing, certainly nothing worthy of death. It was the religious leaders who were pressing the case for Jesus’s execution. Many of Jesus’s people were looking for a Messiah to deliver them from Rome and once for all fulfill God’s promises. The religious leaders were not necessarily in sync with that, but had their own agendas which felt threatened, not aligned with what Jesus was about. He put them more than ill at ease.

What about Rome and its king, Caesar? To Pilate what Jesus seemed to be about posed no challenge whatsoever to that. But before the mock trial was done, Pilate himself had conflicting second thoughts. Pilate felt like he was on trial in a way. The final decision would come from him. He was responsible. And surely when the religious leaders said that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, shivers went up Pilate’s spine in more ways than one. Caesar had the same title so that would seem to be a challenge, even if oblique,  to Caesar, the emperor.

Jesus certainly didn’t fit the description of what an emperor should be, a ruler of Rome. They were ruthless, and to some extent a law to themselves. Yes, witnesses had heard Jesus speak of a kingdom of God, of heaven being present in his proclamation and presence. But wasn’t this the same Jesus who told Peter to put his sword back into his sheath? That Jesus was to drink the cup of suffering his Father gave him? Also in Matthew’s gospel account, that all who take the sword will perish by the sword? So if Jesus was any real actual threat to Rome, that was all but lost to Pilate.

And yet when it came right down to it, Rome through Pilate made the actual decision to have Jesus crucified. It was up to them, and Pilate made that final decision and gave in. He knew he would be in trouble if there was any rioting or uprising by the people. Rome could easily put that down, but Pilate’s job was to keep not so much the peace unless we’re referring to Pax Romana which was by force and violence when necessary.

Jesus Christ’s kingdom was entirely different.  Not by force or violence, but actually accepting force and violence against himself. Accepting condemnation and crucifixion. And thus exposing the true nature of the kingdoms of this world and showing the true nature of his kingdom. Bringing in the only true peace, the shalom promised in the prophets

As Christ-followers this last Sunday in Lent before Holy Week, we do well to pause, remember and reflect on all of this. Yes, we are part of a new world order which upends the old world order. And yet until Christ returns we live with both in place.

Therefore it’s our calling to stop, pause and listen, and follow Christ in a world in which governments and religious leaders are prone to live in opposing narratives. Jesus Christ is the one we see and are in allegiance to.

narrative_lectionary_worship_2025-26.pdf https://share.google/uq5E5ovzuN0UJ1r3A

our needed repentance according to James (part seven)

James 4:1-10 NRSVUE
[1] Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? [2] You want something and do not have it, so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it, so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. [4] Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the spirit that God caused to dwell in us desire envy? [6] But God gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [7]  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jas.4.1-10.NRSVUE

It’s interesting how James is more or less relegated to a kind of secondary status by many Christians today. And the thought on which we’ll focus on with reference to James’s call for repentance to Christians who weren’t getting along is an example of something in James which many think is “law instead of grace” or for one reason or another doesn’t apply to us today. The imperative, “Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Isn’t this nothing more than self-effort, trying to do what only God can do? Maybe this is another case of a command like those of the Sermon on the Mount which only show us our need for a Savior and for God’s grace apart from our works, from anything we could possibly do to save ourselves?

There’s no doubt that the faith which changes us is directed to God, placed not in ourselves but in God. But the working out of that faith or its work involves our participation. Some passages now which point that direction.

Matthew 7:24-27 NRSVUE
[24]  “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. [25] The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. [26] And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. [27] The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

https://bible.com/bible/3523/mat.7.24-27.NRSVUE

Ephesians 2:8-10 NRSVUE
[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— [9] not the result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/eph.2.8-10.NRSVUE

Philippians 2:12-13 NRSVUE
[12]  Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling, [13] for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/php.2.12-13.NRSVUE

Our salvation isn’t divorced from our actions. We can well say that change of life and good works are evidence of it. In the James passage we’re called sinners and told to cleanse our hands, double-minded and told to purify our hearts. Who of us doesn’t struggle with sin and double-mindedness? God helps us, but we’re not automatons, controlled by God. Regardless of how one explains this theologically or philosophically, God calls us to do this ourselves. There’s no escape from that.

Just prior to this command or directive if we prefer is the promise as it were that if we draw near to God, God will draw near to us. This isn’t something that strictly speaking we can do on our own. This is God’s world and in that world we can well say that God helps us to do so. We could substitute word for world here, too and would actually be closer to the message of James. 

This is both immediate and involve a process. After all, who can say they’ve arrived and are no longer in need of doing this word from scripture? So, on the one hand we’re called to decisive action which involves a clean break and change, and on the other hand we’re always called to this since we don’t realize perfection or being finished with doing so in this life.

Cleansing our hands from wrong, from sin and purifying our hearts from double-mindedness. We must do that, God won’t do it for us. But God will give us the wherewithal to do so.

An essential part of our needed repentance according to James.

praying always, without ceasing

Luke 18:1-8 NRSVUE
[1] Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. [2] He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. [3] In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my accuser.’ [4] For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, [5] yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’ ” [6] And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. [7] And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? [8] I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

https://bible.com/bible/3523/luk.18.1-8.NRSVUE

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NRSVUE
[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/1th.5.16-18.NRSVUE

Jesus and Paul teach us to pray always, without ceasing. Of course this can’t mean nonstop prayers to God. There is at least one monastic tradition which through community offers prayer for the world seven days a week, twenty four hours a day. But one might think that there’s bound to be a break now and then. And while prayer is the uttering of words to God, that in itself does not insure that it’s true prayer.

In “the parable of the widow and the unjust judge” (NRSVUE heading) Jesus teaches us that we should always pray for justice and not lose heart. Justice ultimately means what is right and good. Praying for justice implies that justice is being violated or withheld. We might find some of that on some level for ourselves, and we definitely see the need for justice for others around us and in the world.

Paul in the 1 Thessalonians passage quoted above says we’re to pray without ceasing along with rejoicing always and giving thanks in all circumstances, those three directives being the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. This seems grounded in a down to earth relationship with God. As others have said, the prayer here means the disposition of the heart more than the words we utter. Words are important, too, but it’s the Spirit as we see in Romans 8:26-27, that makes the difference taking our weak, feeble prayers and interceding for us according to the will of God.

For Paul and Jesus too for that matter, but we especially see the emphasis in Paul, grace, God’s grace underlines everything. It’s not because of us that this can work, that true prayer happens, but because of God. It’s God’s initiative and dependent on God from start to finish. Nevertheless, by faith we must make the effort to enter into this gift from God. Of course we’ll fall short. We won’t actually pray without ceasing forever. The goal should be to do that more and more, to grow in it.

Just some thoughts as I want to grow in this, myself.

being well grounded according to James (part six)

James 4:1-10 NRSVUE
[1] Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? [2] You want something and do not have it, so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it, so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. [4] Adulterers! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks to no purpose? Does the spirit that God caused to dwell in us desire envy? [6] But God gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” [7]  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jas.4.1-10.NRSVUE

If we’re going to be well grounded according to James, then we’re going to have to live a life of repentance in community. I have another series still in process based on 4:1-10, above, “our needed repentance according to James.” We will mess up at times, yes- sin in community. That’s the issue in James 4. This isn’t referring to isolated, personal sin outside of community, but how well we get along together. All sin affects that, but this is about sin which affects community directly.

Conflicts and disputes indicate something wrong in heart. Learning to live together well with our differences, different perspectives, even disagreements along the way, seeking together to discern the Spirit’s help in arriving to consensus are vital and critical to maintaining our life together and seeing that reality grow and thrive.

But critical to that is our inevitable ongoing need to correct ourselves along the way, ask for forgiveness if need be, and make sure that it’s never about “me,” my opinion or conviction, but about “us,” all of us together, for the good of one and all.

And this isn’t merely some happified experience, but about living in the joy, peace, and love of the Lord (“love, joy, peace…,” the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5). It will require commitment, everyone on board, those leading exemplifying this.

And it’s not only about making things right when we mess up likely more than once, but also necessarily about change. We all inevitably learn through mistakes, the consequences of such, and most of all how they violate love, God’s love among us and for each other.

God’s love is for all, for the world including enemies. For us to live out that love, it must be practiced and honed in the community of faith. And a basic of that is ongoing correction of ourselves maybe through another pointing that out, but sensitivity to that. Making the love of the Lord which binds us all together the priority through which we carry on and live out our faith in the world.

the art of listening

James 1:19-21 NRSVUE
[19]  You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, [20] for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. [21] Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.

https://bible.com/bible/3523/jas.1.19-21.NRSVUE

“The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear.

“So it is His work that we do for our brother when we learn to listen to him. Christians, especially ministers, so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.

“Many people are looking for an ear that will listen. They do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking where they should be listening. But he who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too.

“This is the beginning of the death of the spiritual life, and in the end there is nothing left but spiritual chatter and clerical condescension arrayed in pious words. One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it. Anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) On Listening: Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Advice to Christians | The On Being Project https://share.google/w7ERtW3hKJ3AguaeD

I am working on the discipline of listening more and speaking less. Words are more or less the element in which I live. I fill my mind with them throughout the day. Jesus said that a person speaks what’s in their heart or mind. I’m rarely at a loss of words, and can always come up with something to say. But James would have us cultivate something else entirely, what we might call the art of listening.

It’s a practice and like any practice, it must be learned. Even those who are slow to speak are not necessarily quick to listen. To develop an adeptness to listening takes commitment and perseverance. Awkward silence can all too easily be filled with what might not seem to be empty prattle, but ends up amounting to that. Something I initially missed from the above quote fits here:

“One who cannot listen long and patiently will presently be talking beside the point and be never really speaking to others, albeit he be not conscious of it.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

That is indeed a sobering thought. This is not a matter of being merely silent, but of tuning ourselves to listen, to really hear, and to keep doing that.

The art in listening will come over time. Maybe part of the issue can be our desire to control the subject matter, that we think we know best what hopefully a true conversation should be. Instead we might do well to see ourselves as a companion, a responder instead of an actor, not merely passive but active in listening. Then what words we offer would matter more.

That is my goal today, speak less and listen more. I think I’ve been making some headway in that, for example in our smallish Mennonite fellowship. There’s all too much opportunity to say more, but I have been speaking less. I must let the silences remain, even perhaps hearing sounds in that. With the goal to really hear my friend, hopefully hearing God much better as well.