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The Third Word

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“Woman, behold your son.”

John 19:26-27

This week our reflection on the Third Word is written by Brenda Mitchellweiler.

 

When reading texts involving Jesus’ parables, words, and actions, there is often more to the story, more than one way of exploring meaning. In this scene, Jesus agonizes on the cross. The soldiers have just cast lots for his clothing. Mary, a few other women and Jesus’ “beloved disciple” John are near Jesus. So near they hear his labored words calling to Mary, and then to John. He says to Mary “Woman, behold your son!” To John, he says “Behold, your mother!”

An amazing effort by Jesus to get their attention. From excruciating pain, he needs them to recognize a vital truth. In this dark hour, he works to get Mary and John to behold something beyond mere relational or societal dictates. Jesus may have been ensuring the practical care of Mary by John. However, he could have made these arrangements prior to the cross. So why now is Jesus, through labored breath, in the last moments of life, drawing Mary’s and John’s attention? To what does he call them to behold? Is there more?

Ultimately, on the cross Jesus is without words. His body is lifeless. The deep darkness of the hour is palpable, visual, and REAL! John and Mary walk away from the cross in REAL darkness. They feel fear, pain, confusion, hopelessness, gut wrenching sorrow, and agony beyond words.

Yet, the more of the story now comes into play.

We recall the words of Jesus at John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” The call of Jesus to Mary and John that they become family is key. He calls them to love one another, calls them to act as mother and son. We tend to not hear or behold the depth and power of loving one another as family. In this dark hour, Jesus gives Mary and John a way through their darkness. Be family, he says to them. The only way through our world and our own moments of fear, pain, confusion, hopelessness, gut wrenching sorrow, and agony beyond words is through loving each other as he has shown us. Be family, he says to us. Loving each other is essential to our survival in this world. Loving each other is more than just labeling each other brothers and sisters in Christ. Loving each other the way Jesus has shown us is active. It is sometimes difficult. It is sometimes awkward. But it is essential. It is family.

What drew my family to the Christ Kaleidoscope congregation most is the way you all actively love. We have been blown away and blessed by your works of love. The love you have for the school in Cambodia, the hurting in Florida, the marginalized, and simply the hurting is beautiful to behold and compels each of us to love more like Jesus. Your works of love are palpable, REAL and essential to those around you! We are grateful for your witness of Jesus’ love to us and this world. Grateful that you love one another!

 

 

 

 

 

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The Second Word

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“This day you will be with me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

This week our reflection on the Second Word is written by Ken Chuang.

 

Jesus is hung on the cross between two criminals. The first criminal mocks Jesus “Aren’t you the Messiah?  Save yourself and us!” The other says “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die, but this man has done nothing wrong … Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” To which Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

What does this say about Jesus that even as he has been forsaken by his Father and is being crucified, in that very moment, he is still doing God’s work. Putting his own suffering aside, and forgiving the faithful criminal and offering him his salvation. Jesus is loving and merciful and constantly sacrificing for the good of others — the ultimate sacrifice of life. He is able to endure this because of his ultimate faith. What can we endure if we had such strong faith?

Salvation through faith and not deeds. The faithful criminal is the perfect example of this. We don’t know what heinous crime he has committed, but he puts himself at the mercy of Jesus and repents and through that faith is saved even as he is about to die. How awesome is it that this criminal can look past his current predicament and shame to the coming glory. Compare this to the first criminal who like the other is suffering, but all he cares about is saving himself through whatever means possible. Heck, he may even say he believes in Jesus for the sole purpose of saving himself without any care for right or wrong, regret or remorse … caring only about himself. Look at the Jewish leaders of that time with all their good deeds — they were unable to earn salvation because they lacked belief and faith. How different are they really from the first criminal?

Now, imagine how much more rewarding our lives can be if we are faithful each and every step of the way. How many times in our lives do we think we are doing good deeds, but if not done with the right heart, it is meaningless. Are we doing to please ourselves, others, or God? Only one can lead us to true faith and salvation. The posture we take with our actions and deeds belies our true belief.

Lastly, I’m reminded of Pastor Ken’s message on “Transfiguration Sandwich” … God with us, God above us, God for us. Our almighty Father is multidimensional. God with us: he is a loving God that answers our prayers. God for us: he is a merciful God forgiving our sins and offering us salvation. God above us: he is an almighty and enforcing God — the only one that will judge us and knows our true intentions. A God that we should all fear. All are important to our faith and ultimately leads to our salvation from this present evil age.

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The First Word

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“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34

 

1. “Father…”

How often do we respond to God with resentment when we don’t get our way? Even in the midst of a gruesome public death, Jesus continues to call God “Father.” Filled with anguish, Jesus petitioned God to remove the cup of death and suffering looming before him (Lk. 22:42-44). Yet God’s response was not the one Jesus desired. Still, Jesus does not let this stand in the way of his relationship with the one he calls “Father.” Even in the worst of situations, he affirms the goodness of our God.

2. “…forgive them…”

When beset by our own suffering and pain, how often is our first thought for the people around us? It seems appropriate that Luke’s account renders Jesus’s first words on the cross as a petition for the forgiveness of others. After all, what is the cross if not a symbol of God’s working for us? Still, it is striking that we find in such an agonizing image God’s word to us that we are forgiven.

3. “…for they know not what they do.”

Who is the “they” that Jesus prays for in his petition? Likely, “they” are the Roman soldiers who drove nails through his body and the Roman authorities who condoned it. “They” probably also includes the Jewish leaders who demanded his execution and the Jews in the crowd cheering for his death. An act at the height of injustice, the image of God on the cross is somehow accompanied with words that long for the forgiveness of those who perpetrated it. Apparently, forgiveness can come even to those who put God on a cross.

It is telling that we find Jesus’s petition for their forgiveness at the symbolic moment of man’s rejection of God. Clearly, these words together with the image of the crucifix demonstrate God’s willingness to be for us. Jesus does not define those who execute him by their actions; instead, he sees them as those whom God loves, finding space for God’s forgiveness to move.

Here, we remember Jesus’s famous words: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk. 5:27-28). Just as startling a contrast as Jesus’s cry for the forgiveness of those who unjustly execute him, loving our enemies is the way we proclaim God’s kingdom. It is the way God accomplishes justice and moves through the sin we find rampant in humanity. Can we see our enemies as the very ones for whom Jesus cries out for forgiveness? In The End of Memory, Miroslav Volf writes, “The memory of the Passion urges — indeed, obligates — me to place the memory of suffered wrong in the service of reconciliation” (125). When we allow the image of Christ on the cross to define our actions, we find the grace of God in our own wounds. May we be strengthened by the words of Jesus to welcome the love of God into the lives of those he has forgiven.

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Conversation #2: Desires

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There was a saying popular among me and my closest high school friends whenever we did something outrageous. It was our universal explanation for the inexplicable. Accidentally suicide in Super Smash Bros.–”I do what I want!” Attempt a half-court shot in a 5-on-5 basketball game–“I do what I want!” Out of nowhere, punch a friend in the nuts–“I do what I want!”

This terribly self-indulgent, but terribly fun, practice came from a 2002 episode of South Park that I do not recommend watching. In it, Cartman goes on the talk show Maury, pretending to be an out-of-control teen in order to win a prize. In order of atrociousness: “I had sex without protection; it’s my hot body–I do what I want!” “I slaughtered five baby seals with my bare hands this morning–I do what I want!” “I digitally put Jabba the Hut back into the original Star Wars movie–I do what I want!”

The scenarios above seem outrageous, but if we take a step back and strip down our actions, “I do what I want” is at the base of almost everything we do. Even something as simple as choosing what to eat for breakfast can be boiled down to the question: “what do I want?” Is it convenience? McDonald’s. Is it health? Oatmeal. Is it time? Nothing. Is it pleasurable taste? Small children.

Lobster

(That was a joke.)

 

The question of desire is especially apparent when we find ourselves in the tension between immediate and future consequences. In most cases, the more immediate gratification wins the race. (How many of us have procrastinated and then severely regretted it at the end?) However, somewhere along the line of our lives, we’ve also been taught to play for delayed rewards. We do things that we don’t want to do because we want what comes later even more. The most familiar examples are studying and exercising. We don’t want to do these things, but we want the future benefits we think they will bring us. One way or another, we are still following the maxim, “I do what I want.”

Therefore, it is important for us to consider how desire motivates our actions. Living in a world that is constantly vying for our desires, we need to carefully examine our habitual actions. We shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking private actions like watching pornography or indulging in sweets aren’t a big deal. They have the devastating ability to enslave us to gratifying our immediate desires.

Desires is a subject especially relevant for those of us who are fasting through Lent. As often happens, “who’s going to know?” or “what’s the big deal?” pop into my head during this season. However, when they have, it’s helped to ask myself, “what is it that I really want?” This is why I think it’s a great practice to physically write down the desires that we wish were more central to our lives. Going back to the lookbook and seeing the words “to affirm one another” “to pray more,” “to be more present in the community” is more than just a reminder. It is one of our first lines of defense against a world that is constantly bombarding our attention with advertisements, both overt and subliminal. It is a billboard of the ways the Holy Spirit is working in us. It is a prayer that says, “God, make it so that when ‘I do what I want,’ it is what you want, too.”

Formation

Conversation #1: Formation Happens!

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This is a reflection on Study One of the Ekklesia Project's Getting Your Feet Wet Series. This post covers Conversation #1: Formation Happens!

by Tim Horng

In Richard Curtis’s 2013 film About Time, Tim Lake does what every ordinary, principled human being would do with the power to travel through time: take a mulligan on all the mistakes he’s made in life. We’ve all wished we could get a second chance at all of the humiliating gaffes we’ve made, and it’s a lot of envious fun to follow Tim’s journey. He learns something about everything and eventually becomes confidently able to do virtually anything he wants, from winning over his crush to dealing with life’s greatest tragedies. Among the things he learns are two universal lessons about living that I think closely apply to our discussion of Christian formation. Hopefully, without spoiling too much…

LESSON #1: It takes practice.

When we first meet Tim, he’s dreadfully unsure about every action he makes. However, every time he screws up, he analyzes his missteps, hits the rewind button, and revises his life story (often multiple times). In Tim’s first foray into romantic pursuit, the stunning and playful Charlotte presents our protagonist with a bottle of sunscreen and a boy’s summer dream: “Tim. Will you do my back?” Of course, he makes an absolute wreck of it the first time around. His overexcited hands are shaky and cold, and the lotion erupts out of the bottle, spilling all over the place. It’s in her bikini. It’s in her hair. Thankfully, a humiliating run back into the house, a quick clench of the fists, and a few seconds later, he’s back in the game. This time, however, he’s a pro.

Unfortunately, merely being Christian doesn’t grant us the luxury of traveling in time. However, just like Tim’s character, becoming “little Christs” takes repetition and disciplined practice. We all know that the number of Christ-like attributes I have can be counted on one hand (or maybe just one, small pinky finger), but I also know these microscopic specks of Christ can at least be partially traced to the disciplines we’ve exercised at church. Two of the most formative Sunday Worship practices for me have been silence and confession. These two repeated actions have made increasing room for the Spirit to instill a habit of patient reflection, something that has undoubtedly tempered my naturally rash and critical tendencies.

Obviously, this kind of formation requires playing the long game.

However, we live in a world that serves instant gratification like a drug, and we love hearing stories of fast, dramatic transformation. While the Spirit is certainly capable of such, I feel that we often underestimate the sustained power of disciplined practice.

LESSON #2: It takes noticing.

After a lifetime of time travel, Tim’s dad has been through it all, and armed with the secrets to happiness, he gives his son a two-part suggestion. First, get on with ordinary life. So Tim does as he normally does. At work, his best friend gets chewed out by their boss, and he just sheepishly looks down at the table. At the store, the cashier rings him up, they exchange pleasantries, and he hastily pays before rushing out the door. In court, the jury declares his defendant “not guilty,” and he simply breathes a sigh of relief.

notnoticing

Then, part two of his dad’s plan: relive the same day almost exactly the same, but this time noticing how sweet the world can be. On this second go-around, Tim pokes fun at his boss and keeps his best friend in good spirits.
He notices the cashier’s upbeat smile, and he has a genuine interaction with her before leaving the store. In court, he sees how happy his defendant is at the decision and hugs him, sharing in his joy.

noticing

At the end of the day, he has gone through the exact same events as the first time around, but noticing has given him an entirely different persona.

Like Tim on his first day, too frequently, we go through our routines and end the day without a firm grasp of the hours and minutes of our lives. But also, just like Tim on his second day, we can increase our awareness of formation by noticing. Notice what makes us, and the people around us, tick. Notice what makes us laugh, smile, cry, and fume.

Notice when we desire something, and notice when God is present or absent (seemingly) in our lives.

Then, consider formation:

Where did these feelings, thoughts, and actions come from?

For me, these two lessons go hand-in-hand. Spiritual disciplines such as silence and confession have greatly helped me notice and consider. This has given my day-to-day life greater purpose and scope, and I feel I have come to a better understanding of the constant battles over the formation of my life. Doing this and then reminding myself of those words in Isaiah 64, “we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand,” has unquestionably been the springboard to some of the most fruitful and noticeable growth in my spiritual character.

Formation

Into What are We Being Formed?

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by Alex Kim

The world’s really moved away from being direct and forward. How often are commercials telling us to actually go out and buy something? I think the advertising professionals are onto something here: people don’t like being told what to do overtly. So, they’ve figured out another way to get us to do what they want us to do. They tell me that this phone is cool and everyone has one, and so the expectation is that maybe I’ll get one too.

It worked.

Apple Brainwashing

I have an iPhone 6S Plus. I didn’t buy into the hype at first and this is the first time I got an iPhone since they came out with these things. But they beat me down. How long does it take to make pulled pork in a slow cooker? Too dang long if you ask me, but look at how tender it comes out in the end. If they can get to someone like me, do you think you are safe from all of this?

So all we know so far is that I’d be terrible at writing commercials and I take way too long to make a point. Seriously, though, we are not prepared right now.

But we can be.

Even people that aren’t necessarily going to buy the latest iPhone are going to have an opinion that new phones are cool. Sure, maybe you have no interest in buying that Porsche (or designer bag), but it’s still a cool thing to have, right? (Objection, leading question).

But I guess maybe you really don’t think these things are cool.

Maybe you live under a rock.

Maybe you’re lying.

We’ve been conquered by a culture that tells us these things or qualities are what we should model our lives after. We have been killed by a thousand cuts and tenderized by steady, low heat.

But wait, when do we ever take the time to stop and think about these things?

I think this is one of the most beautiful things about where we stand today with the church plant.

We have stopped.

We are taking the time.

We have the chance now to build this thing anew.

(My sentences got longer little by little as if I’m building something. Thumbs up for painfully unoriginal syntax.)

This is the conversation I’ve been having with people. If we decided to leave OCCEC and all we’re doing is exactly the same as what we were doing before, then what was the point of leaving?

I’m not trying to say that we somehow entirely abandon who we grew to be at OCCEC. Using the seed metaphor, or I guess any metaphor involving the passing of genes, so really even a metaphor about ourselves could work as well, we are inevitably going to retain some elements of where we came from (the tree, OCCEC). And that’s more than fine, because our faiths did grow in these past many (or few) years as the consequence of our time there.

But we still need to look at how a seed grows (or people, I guess–talk about an unnecessary metaphor). You’re going to have water, fertilizer maybe, and the right location and temperature.

To put it another way, as Irene did, is to think of culture as the “Nurture” in Nature vs. Nurture. Our natures, or inherent abilities, are just a starting point. The type of nurturing we receive orients the direction in which we develop.

So then it becomes clear why culture is so important.

Yeah, we come from a certain place and there are significant ways in which we have been shaped by the past. But it’s not like we’re final products, and we have unimaginable potential for growth. You can be the greatest seed that came from the awesomest tree, but you’re not going to survive without adequate water, sunlight, and etc.

I set off to write about all of the “bad” culture we had as OCCEC so we can talk about how we can be different. I’m thinking I don’t need to do that, though. If you’re reading this, I know we’re all in this together and that you’re serious about following God into something bigger than ourselves. Into what are we being formed?

You tell me.

But please tell me that we didn’t leave behind a bunch of people who love us and a very very comfortable place to keep being what we already are.

Let’s let God form us into something beautiful.