SCRIPTURE
John 1: 14
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full grace and truth.
One of my favorite rituals of Christmas is unpacking and setting up my Nativity sets. I collect them as remembrances of special travels or chose ones that tell the nativity story differently than I so often see in local churches: a blonde Mary wrapped in blue, holding a happy, chubby Baby Jesus as Joseph gazes in adoration. To me, these different Nativity interpretations are reflections of how we long to find God’s image in our own.
Seeing how other cultures interpret the Nativity story always fascinates me. The set from Laos, bought one year at the Alternative Gift Fair, replaces the stable with a raised wooden hut. Baby Jesus sways in a hammock cradle, guarded by a water buffalo. Mary and Joseph wear sarongs. The Mexican one purchased in San Diego when my husband and I were first married, features not the three Magi, but a little girl with a basket of flowers who worships Jesus. My mother gave me an American Indian set with a tepee for shelter and a buffalo and two wolves guarding the manger. In another set, Baby Jesus rests in the Ecuador reed boat as Mary and Joseph with the long, dark faces reflective of that country’s art solemnly gaze down at him. In my set from Peru, Joseph and Mary are robed in traditional Peruvian garments and a llama offers its warmth to the babe.
Each year, these diverse images cause me to ponder how we long to find Jesus in our own faces, in our homes, and imagine him living a life like ours. I once read a Christmas story with the premise that God sent his son for the purpose of crossing the barrier we create of the unapproachable God by creating the bridge of Jesus. Our limited capability to understand created a barrier in communication. God’s answer wasn’t another burning bush or a thunderous voice from on high, but a human face - one that looks like us. Perhaps that is why we create nativity sets that reflect ourselves, our animals, our homes. The real challenge during this time of Advent, this time of waiting, is turning around the question, asking ourselves not how we see Jesus in ourselves but rather how can we find the image of Jesus in others. How do we find Jesus in those who are grouchy, impatient, overly talkative, lonely, perhaps homeless – people in whom we don’t want to find our images reflected?
With three children in three different schools, Beth Mixson is just happy when she makes it through the week without a leaving a child behind while her husband ,David literally flies in and flies out. She is always empathizes with Martha in the New Testament.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
December 24, by Ron Roberts
John 1: 1-5
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all thing were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
It seems that these times are really times of darkness, and maybe, just maybe we do not understand the light. Maybe this is a time for a personal, a community and a national renewal. Maybe our question should be how do we as children of God in this place and in this time lead a renewal, lead in understanding the light. We can not light the whole world, but we can work on our corner and our place.
Lord, give us the wisdom and the temperament to discern your will for us. Give us the strength and courage to follow you and be the people you have called us to be.
Ron Roberts is chair of the Community Life Committe at RPC. He and his wife Pam live out hosptiality in their lives. Ron is a gifted grill-master and smoker....and most of us wonder what is in Rowdy Ron's special spice rub!
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all thing were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
It seems that these times are really times of darkness, and maybe, just maybe we do not understand the light. Maybe this is a time for a personal, a community and a national renewal. Maybe our question should be how do we as children of God in this place and in this time lead a renewal, lead in understanding the light. We can not light the whole world, but we can work on our corner and our place.
Lord, give us the wisdom and the temperament to discern your will for us. Give us the strength and courage to follow you and be the people you have called us to be.
Ron Roberts is chair of the Community Life Committe at RPC. He and his wife Pam live out hosptiality in their lives. Ron is a gifted grill-master and smoker....and most of us wonder what is in Rowdy Ron's special spice rub!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
December 23, by Bethany Crawley
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 4: 13-16
[Jesus] left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum…so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
I have to start with a confession: I have tried a few times to start this blog. I have talked about it with myself, discussing it out loud while driving; I sat down and read the scripture a couple of times; I surfed Bible Gateway to see different versions. But nothing profound, deeply satisfying, enlightening or inspiring came to me.So, I just did not write.I have been a little embarrassed to see Michelle lately. I have mostly stayed a few steps away from her, smiling at a safe distance and nodding my hellos. She knew, of course, that I had not written anything in response to her request that I blog. I am days overdue now. In fact, I wanted this morning to tell her how wonderful her sermon was, how I have fallen in love with the salutation and prayer to Mary, Full of Grace.
I wanted to tell her how I sometimes, at night when I go in to check on my daughterEliza, I put my face close to her warm cheek and whisper . . . "Mary, Full of Grace, Blessed are you among women. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus; Holy Mary, Mother of Our God, pray for us sinners, both now and at the hour of our deaths." I sometimes whisper the whole thing. I sometimes whisper this prayer and need almost to cry because I can physically feel my heart swell in a way that tightens my throat. I whisper this prayer because, if it were spoken out loud, I could not bear the love it brings with it.
The part about this prayer that levels me every time is the word "now." It is so beseeching. It is so immediate. Now, in this moment, we cry out for grace. Pray Now, please! Intervene in this moment. Come now.
Most of us are not ready. We are not really ready for God to come - not right now. Most of us are still waiting to look into the faces of our enemies and see our brothers and our sisters. Most of us are still waiting to hear those still words calling us during the longest of our nights, words that will bring light, clarity and the promised peace that passes our limited understanding. Most of us are waiting to have the courage of heart to follow the calls that we have already heard. Most of us cannot say that we have done enough to shelter those in need, to feed those children who are hungry, much less their parents. Most of us have not done enough to lift up and carry for a distance the least among us. Probably, many of us fear that our eyes are not prepared for the full light of pure love.
I long for a time when I am ready. I long for a time when I can bear the love that comes with the breath that beseeches Got to come now.
Bethany Crawley, an elder at Riverside Presbyterian Church, is a great lawayer but a more amazing yoga instructer. She has just opened Lotus Yoga on Stockton. Yoga with Bethany often is a mix of a great workout, prayer and worship. Bethany also directs the Cold Nights Sheltor for RPC. If you would like to volunteer to help at the homeless sheltor anytime this winter on a Tuesday......contact her at Bethany@lotusyogajax.com
Matthew 4: 13-16
[Jesus] left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum…so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.”
I have to start with a confession: I have tried a few times to start this blog. I have talked about it with myself, discussing it out loud while driving; I sat down and read the scripture a couple of times; I surfed Bible Gateway to see different versions. But nothing profound, deeply satisfying, enlightening or inspiring came to me.So, I just did not write.I have been a little embarrassed to see Michelle lately. I have mostly stayed a few steps away from her, smiling at a safe distance and nodding my hellos. She knew, of course, that I had not written anything in response to her request that I blog. I am days overdue now. In fact, I wanted this morning to tell her how wonderful her sermon was, how I have fallen in love with the salutation and prayer to Mary, Full of Grace.
I wanted to tell her how I sometimes, at night when I go in to check on my daughterEliza, I put my face close to her warm cheek and whisper . . . "Mary, Full of Grace, Blessed are you among women. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus; Holy Mary, Mother of Our God, pray for us sinners, both now and at the hour of our deaths." I sometimes whisper the whole thing. I sometimes whisper this prayer and need almost to cry because I can physically feel my heart swell in a way that tightens my throat. I whisper this prayer because, if it were spoken out loud, I could not bear the love it brings with it.
The part about this prayer that levels me every time is the word "now." It is so beseeching. It is so immediate. Now, in this moment, we cry out for grace. Pray Now, please! Intervene in this moment. Come now.
Most of us are not ready. We are not really ready for God to come - not right now. Most of us are still waiting to look into the faces of our enemies and see our brothers and our sisters. Most of us are still waiting to hear those still words calling us during the longest of our nights, words that will bring light, clarity and the promised peace that passes our limited understanding. Most of us are waiting to have the courage of heart to follow the calls that we have already heard. Most of us cannot say that we have done enough to shelter those in need, to feed those children who are hungry, much less their parents. Most of us have not done enough to lift up and carry for a distance the least among us. Probably, many of us fear that our eyes are not prepared for the full light of pure love.
I long for a time when I am ready. I long for a time when I can bear the love that comes with the breath that beseeches Got to come now.
Bethany Crawley, an elder at Riverside Presbyterian Church, is a great lawayer but a more amazing yoga instructer. She has just opened Lotus Yoga on Stockton. Yoga with Bethany often is a mix of a great workout, prayer and worship. Bethany also directs the Cold Nights Sheltor for RPC. If you would like to volunteer to help at the homeless sheltor anytime this winter on a Tuesday......contact her at Bethany@lotusyogajax.com
Monday, December 22, 2008
December 22, by Chris Bacca
SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 33: 14-16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
As I consider my earliest memories of church and the teachings of Jesus, two words reflecting those teachings come to mind: righteousness and justice. This passage in Jeremiah reminds us that “The Lord is our Righteousness.”
Jesus is, I believe, at the very heart of all that is right and just in the world. As humans, undeniably ill-equipped and typically unwilling, we often fall very short of our end of the bargain. Yes, Jesus is our righteousness, but we are the stewards of that message on earth; we are called to emulate his teachings and to abide by and trust in his promise. We are also called to be righteous and just.
As a teacher in an inner city school, my reality of what is right and just is constantly at battle with what I believe and have learned it should be. I long for a community, for a state, for a country, and for a world where poverty is undeniably unjust. I long for a society that will finally stand united behind those who are the most vulnerable; I long for a better life for all of my students. My faith is often challenged when I hear the stories of my children’s lives and when I visit their homes. It seems to me unjust that I have so much while my students have so little. Still I believe. I believe that Jesus is with these children. He is in each of the teachers who care for them mentally, physically, and emotionally. He is with the churches that unite to provide school supplies. Jesus resounds in the spirit and drive of each of my students to do just a little better than they did the day before. Jesus lives in the “yes we can” attitude of each of my children.
I long for a society that will see the beauty of children. I long for a society that will do everything possible to provide for the neediest in our midst. I long for a society that sees the beauty of Jesus’ promise and renews the call to bring righteousness and justice to the world.
Chris Bacca is soon to be an elder at RPC for the class of 2011. He is teacher of the year in his first year of teaching and Long Branch elementary Schoo and tutors at the Sanctuary. He has a heart for children and mission. Chris currently teaches our Sr. High Sunday School Class with Winkie Booker and Betty Rosenbloom.
Jeremiah 33: 14-16
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
As I consider my earliest memories of church and the teachings of Jesus, two words reflecting those teachings come to mind: righteousness and justice. This passage in Jeremiah reminds us that “The Lord is our Righteousness.”
Jesus is, I believe, at the very heart of all that is right and just in the world. As humans, undeniably ill-equipped and typically unwilling, we often fall very short of our end of the bargain. Yes, Jesus is our righteousness, but we are the stewards of that message on earth; we are called to emulate his teachings and to abide by and trust in his promise. We are also called to be righteous and just.
As a teacher in an inner city school, my reality of what is right and just is constantly at battle with what I believe and have learned it should be. I long for a community, for a state, for a country, and for a world where poverty is undeniably unjust. I long for a society that will finally stand united behind those who are the most vulnerable; I long for a better life for all of my students. My faith is often challenged when I hear the stories of my children’s lives and when I visit their homes. It seems to me unjust that I have so much while my students have so little. Still I believe. I believe that Jesus is with these children. He is in each of the teachers who care for them mentally, physically, and emotionally. He is with the churches that unite to provide school supplies. Jesus resounds in the spirit and drive of each of my students to do just a little better than they did the day before. Jesus lives in the “yes we can” attitude of each of my children.
I long for a society that will see the beauty of children. I long for a society that will do everything possible to provide for the neediest in our midst. I long for a society that sees the beauty of Jesus’ promise and renews the call to bring righteousness and justice to the world.
Chris Bacca is soon to be an elder at RPC for the class of 2011. He is teacher of the year in his first year of teaching and Long Branch elementary Schoo and tutors at the Sanctuary. He has a heart for children and mission. Chris currently teaches our Sr. High Sunday School Class with Winkie Booker and Betty Rosenbloom.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
December 21, by Emma Gunther, Will Walker and Jack Raynor
Scripture
Matthew 1:18a
"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way....."
Jack Raynor, 3 years old
"Jesus was born on a farm."
Thats how it happened! Our Children reflected Sunday on What Christmas means......
Will Walker, 5 years old
"Christmas means Jesus.
Thats his birthday.
He is a very special man.
Jesus helps us and made the world."
When Emma Gunther, 3 years old, was asked.....she broke into song:
Jesus had a birthday
just like you and me
He had a lot of presents
and a party too!
For a birthday candle, God gave him a star
Singing..........Happy birthday Jesus!
Maybe it is all that simple!
Jack Raynor loves to play with his friends at RPDS and loves his teacher Ms. McNeil. Jack loved his recent vacation with his mom- Erin, Dad- Jeremy and his little brother Evan.
Will Walker has been a member of Riverside since he was born! He and his friend Shep Tise love to play hard at everything including soccer. Will and his brother Ryan, enjoy hanging out with their parents Vance and Allison Walker.
Emma Gunther loves ballet. She loves coming to logos on Wednesdays, especially since it is in the same place where she goes to school during the day and when she comes to church on sunday. Emma still lives with her parents, Nydia and Erik Gunther.
Matthew 1:18a
"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way....."
Jack Raynor, 3 years old
"Jesus was born on a farm."
Thats how it happened! Our Children reflected Sunday on What Christmas means......
Will Walker, 5 years old
"Christmas means Jesus.
Thats his birthday.
He is a very special man.
Jesus helps us and made the world."
When Emma Gunther, 3 years old, was asked.....she broke into song:
Jesus had a birthday
just like you and me
He had a lot of presents
and a party too!
For a birthday candle, God gave him a star
Singing..........Happy birthday Jesus!
Maybe it is all that simple!
Jack Raynor loves to play with his friends at RPDS and loves his teacher Ms. McNeil. Jack loved his recent vacation with his mom- Erin, Dad- Jeremy and his little brother Evan.
Will Walker has been a member of Riverside since he was born! He and his friend Shep Tise love to play hard at everything including soccer. Will and his brother Ryan, enjoy hanging out with their parents Vance and Allison Walker.
Emma Gunther loves ballet. She loves coming to logos on Wednesdays, especially since it is in the same place where she goes to school during the day and when she comes to church on sunday. Emma still lives with her parents, Nydia and Erik Gunther.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
December 20 by Rebecca Creed
SCRIPTURE
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
When I asked my ten-year-old son Gray to summarize this passage, he explained:
Joseph was engaged to Mary, but he figured out she was pregnant. He didn’t want to embarrass her, so he made plans to break the engagement. He changed his mind after an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid.” Joseph married Mary, and she had a son. Joseph named the baby Jesus.
However, when I asked Gray what he “yearns” for, he had trouble. How does a ten-year-old, who has almost everything he could possibly want, yearn for anything? We looked up the word “yearn” in his junior dictionary and found this definition: to “wish for very deeply.” So what do you wish for? I asked. Faith? Peace? Goodwill on earth? A deeper understanding of God? This, the deeper understanding of God, is the one he settled on.
For me, the question is easier. I yearn for answers, answers to the age-old questions of faith, of my purpose, of my responsibilities as a parent. And what I realize is that I am so busy with the business of living – so consumed with thoughts of planning dinner tonight and lunches tomorrow, with worries about work and deadlines and billable hours, with scheduling carpools and homework and after-school activities – that I no longer take the time to listen for answers. How, then, can I help my children grow to a deeper understanding of God when I’m still struggling with my own understanding?
In this passage, God gives Joseph the answers. God answers the questions that Joseph must have been asking himself about Mary and, maybe more importantly, about his own role in all of this. God helps Joseph understand what it all means and reassures him that everything will be okay.
More importantly though, Joseph listens. He hears God’s answer, and he follows God’s instructions. God is with us, if we would only take a moment to watch and wait for Him.
This Advent season, may we all take the time to listen for God. Only then will we hear the answers for which we long.
Rebecca Creed is an attorney with a small appellate firm in Riverside. She loves her time with her husband Chris and their two children, Gray (10) and Alice (6). The Creeds are enjoying their newest addition to the family: a six-month-old yellow lab named Mae, whose favorite part of Christmas is chewing on the wooden Nativity set.
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
When I asked my ten-year-old son Gray to summarize this passage, he explained:
Joseph was engaged to Mary, but he figured out she was pregnant. He didn’t want to embarrass her, so he made plans to break the engagement. He changed his mind after an angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid.” Joseph married Mary, and she had a son. Joseph named the baby Jesus.
However, when I asked Gray what he “yearns” for, he had trouble. How does a ten-year-old, who has almost everything he could possibly want, yearn for anything? We looked up the word “yearn” in his junior dictionary and found this definition: to “wish for very deeply.” So what do you wish for? I asked. Faith? Peace? Goodwill on earth? A deeper understanding of God? This, the deeper understanding of God, is the one he settled on.
For me, the question is easier. I yearn for answers, answers to the age-old questions of faith, of my purpose, of my responsibilities as a parent. And what I realize is that I am so busy with the business of living – so consumed with thoughts of planning dinner tonight and lunches tomorrow, with worries about work and deadlines and billable hours, with scheduling carpools and homework and after-school activities – that I no longer take the time to listen for answers. How, then, can I help my children grow to a deeper understanding of God when I’m still struggling with my own understanding?
In this passage, God gives Joseph the answers. God answers the questions that Joseph must have been asking himself about Mary and, maybe more importantly, about his own role in all of this. God helps Joseph understand what it all means and reassures him that everything will be okay.
More importantly though, Joseph listens. He hears God’s answer, and he follows God’s instructions. God is with us, if we would only take a moment to watch and wait for Him.
This Advent season, may we all take the time to listen for God. Only then will we hear the answers for which we long.
Rebecca Creed is an attorney with a small appellate firm in Riverside. She loves her time with her husband Chris and their two children, Gray (10) and Alice (6). The Creeds are enjoying their newest addition to the family: a six-month-old yellow lab named Mae, whose favorite part of Christmas is chewing on the wooden Nativity set.
Friday, December 19, 2008
December 19, by Chris McCain
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I give thanks to my* God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6just as the testimony of* Christ has been strengthened among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let me confess: when Paul, writing to the nascent and fractured church in Corinth, tells early followers not to worry about spiritual gifts as they eagerly await Christ’s return, I can’t help but think his grandiloquence falls deafly on my postmodern ears. I understand that everyone wants to hear reassurances in times of turmoil and promises that better days are yet to come—especially appropriate in today’s economy. But trying to relate Paul’s eternal optimism to everyday life in an era of divisiveness, strife, financial insecurity, and fear seems a bit incongruous, even naïve.
Yet we aren’t so different from the Corinthians. As was the case in the 1st century CE, the ways of the world are rapidly changing. Systems of thought and governance that functioned well for 19th and 20th centuries no longer seem relevant. In recent article in GOOD Magazine, writer Parag Khanna discusses the evolution of the “nation-state.” No longer do international borders and the dominance of governments in decision-making make sense in a globalized economy. Says Khanna, “The nation-state has just about passed away in terms of exclusivity. Now, when people talk about countries and international relations, they have to acknowledge that what they’re talking about is, at best, a particular slice of what’s going on in the world, and is not at all representative of the entirety of what’s happening.” Khanna argues that we are entering into an age of “neo-medievalism”: “As in the 14th century, we now have empires, religious groups and fanatics, fears of the plague and superstition, multinational corporations, and city-states—Dubai is the new Venice.”
So should be excited about or afraid of what’s to come? Experience tells us this world isn’t static, and that change is the only constant. As the Corinthians did not remain a persecuted underground sect forever, perhaps we must humbly acknowledge that the proud American hegemony may be faltering. Should that frighten us? I hope not.
Immediately following these verses, Paul tells the Corinthians: Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
Finding that common purpose isn’t easy, but for us as Americans—as citizens of this vast and beautiful world—to go boldly into the future, we must be willing to set aside our differences, avoid insularity, and see all human beings in our midst as neighbors, as friends, as ourselves.
Prayer:
Gracious and loving God, we ask that You grant us hope and peace amidst the uncertainty of Your magnificent creation. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Chris McCain is a member of the stratigic planning team at Riverside and you will find him assisting with worship at the 2nd Sunday Services. Chris is a Davidson graduate who works for a local foundation.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I give thanks to my* God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— 6just as the testimony of* Christ has been strengthened among you— 7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let me confess: when Paul, writing to the nascent and fractured church in Corinth, tells early followers not to worry about spiritual gifts as they eagerly await Christ’s return, I can’t help but think his grandiloquence falls deafly on my postmodern ears. I understand that everyone wants to hear reassurances in times of turmoil and promises that better days are yet to come—especially appropriate in today’s economy. But trying to relate Paul’s eternal optimism to everyday life in an era of divisiveness, strife, financial insecurity, and fear seems a bit incongruous, even naïve.
Yet we aren’t so different from the Corinthians. As was the case in the 1st century CE, the ways of the world are rapidly changing. Systems of thought and governance that functioned well for 19th and 20th centuries no longer seem relevant. In recent article in GOOD Magazine, writer Parag Khanna discusses the evolution of the “nation-state.” No longer do international borders and the dominance of governments in decision-making make sense in a globalized economy. Says Khanna, “The nation-state has just about passed away in terms of exclusivity. Now, when people talk about countries and international relations, they have to acknowledge that what they’re talking about is, at best, a particular slice of what’s going on in the world, and is not at all representative of the entirety of what’s happening.” Khanna argues that we are entering into an age of “neo-medievalism”: “As in the 14th century, we now have empires, religious groups and fanatics, fears of the plague and superstition, multinational corporations, and city-states—Dubai is the new Venice.”
So should be excited about or afraid of what’s to come? Experience tells us this world isn’t static, and that change is the only constant. As the Corinthians did not remain a persecuted underground sect forever, perhaps we must humbly acknowledge that the proud American hegemony may be faltering. Should that frighten us? I hope not.
Immediately following these verses, Paul tells the Corinthians: Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose.
Finding that common purpose isn’t easy, but for us as Americans—as citizens of this vast and beautiful world—to go boldly into the future, we must be willing to set aside our differences, avoid insularity, and see all human beings in our midst as neighbors, as friends, as ourselves.
Prayer:
Gracious and loving God, we ask that You grant us hope and peace amidst the uncertainty of Your magnificent creation. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Chris McCain is a member of the stratigic planning team at Riverside and you will find him assisting with worship at the 2nd Sunday Services. Chris is a Davidson graduate who works for a local foundation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
