Several people have asked me my opinion of the new Jesus movie, Son of God. I haven't seen it.
I heard several people speak glowingly of it. I haven't seen it.
Many reviewers have given it poor marks for its quality of story telling. I haven't seen it.
I've seen plenty of Jesus movies over the years, and to be honest, most have failed to excite me. Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of Christ, was one I forced myself to watch simply because of all the buzz it fostered, but I could not recommend it to a soul. Some of them were better than others, and others were worse, but for the most part I don't blame Hollywood. They have had to operate within such tight parameters, knowing that the faithful are their primary audience. While we imagine unbelievers will see and be convinced, Hollywood knows it cannot offend those who already believe. In the first century AD the gospel was considered to be a scandal, but in the last century, Jesus is as radical as white enriched bread. As a result Hollywood frequently portrays him as as something like an alien in our midst, missing the complexity of our humanity. It seems to be almost purposely ironic as they present a film version of the gospel message in which God become less complex than our humanity.
So I have not been motivated to see Son of God. I believe the better way to tell the story of the God who is with us is through the complexity of our lives. Your story and my story are far more real and interesting to our friends. When we can acknowledge with all humility, the hand of God at work in our lives, this becomes a far more effective means for communicating the gospel than any movie might offer. In fact I wonder if movies like this one undermine our witness. It seems to provide us an excuse not to tell our story of the God who is at work in our lives. Our story seems so 'low budget' compared to what is up on the screen. Yet, if the truth were to be known, when we share our story, it makes more sense than anything Hollywood can create.
So when people ask me if I've seen The Son of God, I could respond by saying I've already read the book, or I'm waiting for it to come out in DVD. Or maybe, however, I might respond by asking them if they have ever been a part of the faith community. Paul calls the church the Body of Christ, and when we take communion, Jesus invites us to eat of his flesh and drink from his cup. In the midst of this diverse humanity gathered together Jesus promises us that he is revealed. I believe this to be the more accurate portrayal of God at work in our world. Or as the ELCA says, God's Work our Hands.
Peace,
PAL
Monday, March 17, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Ukraine! Really?
What is happening in the Ukraine?
First it seems as if a corrupt government is trying to hang onto power with a sweetheart deal with Russia; but now that there has been a change of government, the Russians are back to playing Soviet-style politics. Is this a repeat of Czechoslovakia 1968?
Have we truly returned to this sort of political gamesmanship? This seems more like something that would happen in the Middle East or Sub-Saharian Africa but not in Europe. Just how fragile are the international relations that we depend upon for the sake of this world?
It would seem that there are few options available to those who would want to come to the aid of the Ukrainians. It doesn't seem like anyone wants to commit troops (but we would gladly send our soldiers to Afghanistan). Nor do economic sanctions seem to have much importance because the Russian economy is humming along due to its oil and natural gas exports. So a tit for tat response seems to be of no avail.
What would happen, however, if people all around the world began to protest what the Russians are doing in invading a sovereign nation? What if we all sent emails to the Kremlin telling Putin to stop? What would happen if this became the biggest buzz on Social Media? What would it look like if we were to express our disgust for this action by simultaneously gathering in churches around the world and joining in 10 minutes of prayer for the people of the Ukraine? If we can light a candle, doesn't that make more sense than to curse the darkness?
It seems that the people of this world could make it know one way or another that we do not approve of what Mr Putin is doing. Rather than waiting for the governments of the world to figure out how to respond, can we not use this world-wide web to make our voice known?
First it seems as if a corrupt government is trying to hang onto power with a sweetheart deal with Russia; but now that there has been a change of government, the Russians are back to playing Soviet-style politics. Is this a repeat of Czechoslovakia 1968?
Have we truly returned to this sort of political gamesmanship? This seems more like something that would happen in the Middle East or Sub-Saharian Africa but not in Europe. Just how fragile are the international relations that we depend upon for the sake of this world?
It would seem that there are few options available to those who would want to come to the aid of the Ukrainians. It doesn't seem like anyone wants to commit troops (but we would gladly send our soldiers to Afghanistan). Nor do economic sanctions seem to have much importance because the Russian economy is humming along due to its oil and natural gas exports. So a tit for tat response seems to be of no avail.
What would happen, however, if people all around the world began to protest what the Russians are doing in invading a sovereign nation? What if we all sent emails to the Kremlin telling Putin to stop? What would happen if this became the biggest buzz on Social Media? What would it look like if we were to express our disgust for this action by simultaneously gathering in churches around the world and joining in 10 minutes of prayer for the people of the Ukraine? If we can light a candle, doesn't that make more sense than to curse the darkness?
It seems that the people of this world could make it know one way or another that we do not approve of what Mr Putin is doing. Rather than waiting for the governments of the world to figure out how to respond, can we not use this world-wide web to make our voice known?
Monday, February 24, 2014
Faster...
When I was a pastor in Redding, CA. we had a family who operated one of the local marinas on Lake Shasta. Once a year they would make available to us a huge patio boat as a home base for a congregational lake party. People would bring their speed boats and all would join in for a great outing on the lake, especially all of us who didn't have boats.
One year as we were heading out of the marina, I was behind the wheel steering this huge barge of a boat like I knew what I was doing. The woman who operated the marina was concerned that we were exiting the marina a bit too fast, and so she starts saying, 'Pastor... Pastor!' I, on the other hand, with the breeze in my face and the wheel in my hands, heard her say 'Faster... Faster!' Fortunately for us all, it didn't take her long to start yelling, 'Slow Down!'
We are fast approaching the season of Lent, a time when God starts yelling at us, 'Slow Down!' Left to our own devices, we will just run ourselves into the ground. I cannot tell you how many conversations I have with teens that begin with the phrase, 'I don't have time for that!' They are good kids, doing great things, but it seems that from 6 am to midnight they have no free time. Is that really the world we want to live in?
Fasting is one of those ways we slow down. When we fast, it effects our metabolism and forces us to slow down. Just as important, our gurgling stomach reminds us that we are indeed a blessed people, and that life is a gift generously shared with us by a loving God. Through fasting we are reminded of what we have lost and all that has been given us. Fasting provides a perspective that enables us to see what we typically take for granted.
Finally, fasting is a means to identify with those for whom fasting is not a voluntary act but a way of life. Fasting is more than a spiritual practice, but it is an act of suffering that enables us to better appreciate the needs of those around us who suffer on a daily basis. When we rush from one appointment to the other, we really don't have time for those who are not on our approved list, the ones who will benefit us. Yet when we fast it has a way of opening our eyes as well as our heart to all those whom the world typically chooses to ignore. It opens our hands perhaps to grasp the hands of Jesus in our midst. (Matt. 25)
We want to go faster in our attempt to get a head start on everyone else. God invites us during this season of Lent to fast, so we might slow down to discover the beauty around us. Consider the lilies of the field...
Peace,
Pal
One year as we were heading out of the marina, I was behind the wheel steering this huge barge of a boat like I knew what I was doing. The woman who operated the marina was concerned that we were exiting the marina a bit too fast, and so she starts saying, 'Pastor... Pastor!' I, on the other hand, with the breeze in my face and the wheel in my hands, heard her say 'Faster... Faster!' Fortunately for us all, it didn't take her long to start yelling, 'Slow Down!'
We are fast approaching the season of Lent, a time when God starts yelling at us, 'Slow Down!' Left to our own devices, we will just run ourselves into the ground. I cannot tell you how many conversations I have with teens that begin with the phrase, 'I don't have time for that!' They are good kids, doing great things, but it seems that from 6 am to midnight they have no free time. Is that really the world we want to live in?
Fasting is one of those ways we slow down. When we fast, it effects our metabolism and forces us to slow down. Just as important, our gurgling stomach reminds us that we are indeed a blessed people, and that life is a gift generously shared with us by a loving God. Through fasting we are reminded of what we have lost and all that has been given us. Fasting provides a perspective that enables us to see what we typically take for granted.
Finally, fasting is a means to identify with those for whom fasting is not a voluntary act but a way of life. Fasting is more than a spiritual practice, but it is an act of suffering that enables us to better appreciate the needs of those around us who suffer on a daily basis. When we rush from one appointment to the other, we really don't have time for those who are not on our approved list, the ones who will benefit us. Yet when we fast it has a way of opening our eyes as well as our heart to all those whom the world typically chooses to ignore. It opens our hands perhaps to grasp the hands of Jesus in our midst. (Matt. 25)
We want to go faster in our attempt to get a head start on everyone else. God invites us during this season of Lent to fast, so we might slow down to discover the beauty around us. Consider the lilies of the field...
Peace,
Pal
Monday, February 3, 2014
Winners and Losers...
Wow, it wasn't even close!
In Seattle they are celebrating right now, but in Denver it's back to work.
Of course those who are celebrating will learn sometime soon; that as hard as it was to get to the top, the slide down is even harder to prevent.
Now the Seahawks deserve their victory, but the bigger life question deals with our response when we lose. I have a friend who has just witnessed a family member pass away. Death has not come easily, and there are no good words to be offered at a time like this. We cannot sugar-coat the pain of life and death, for if we cannot accept the concept of loss, we ultimately are destined to sink deeper into despair. Whether it is the small deaths we face each and every week, or whether we are humiliated on national TV, we are all losers. Our struggle for success will ultimately fail us as we struggle under the gravitational pull that drags us down into our humanity.
We live in a world that loves 'rags to riches' stories, or the image of the 'self-made man.' The truth is, however, that no matter what we do, we cannot escape the dust. The earth has a claim on us. As the minister is likely to say as the saint is lowered into the ground, 'ashes to ashes and dust to dust.' No matter how strong we might be, eventually we must succumbed and be pulled back to earth.
Now I don't mean this to be maudlin. I find the struggle to appear successful to be deadly to the soul. It steals from the heart. In the attempt to prove ourselves successful we miss out on significance. I find it comforting that we are not to be evaluated by God as to whether we made it to the top or not. Our value is not to be measured by success, but instead, life is found in the depth of our humanity. The closer to the ground we are, the closer we are to our origins. The closer we are to our origins, the closer we are to God. It is not our goal in life to show ourselves better than others but to make the world in which we live a bette place for all. The goal is not to divide ourselves between winners and losers, but to dig deep into our fallen nature and thereby discover our common humanity.
So I have learned a lesson in humility this weekend as my Broncos lost. Perhaps, however, this makes me the ultimate winner because I am more human than I was before. It's lonely at the top, but there are plenty of losers all around who will share in our grief.
Peace,
Pal
In Seattle they are celebrating right now, but in Denver it's back to work.
Of course those who are celebrating will learn sometime soon; that as hard as it was to get to the top, the slide down is even harder to prevent.
Now the Seahawks deserve their victory, but the bigger life question deals with our response when we lose. I have a friend who has just witnessed a family member pass away. Death has not come easily, and there are no good words to be offered at a time like this. We cannot sugar-coat the pain of life and death, for if we cannot accept the concept of loss, we ultimately are destined to sink deeper into despair. Whether it is the small deaths we face each and every week, or whether we are humiliated on national TV, we are all losers. Our struggle for success will ultimately fail us as we struggle under the gravitational pull that drags us down into our humanity.
We live in a world that loves 'rags to riches' stories, or the image of the 'self-made man.' The truth is, however, that no matter what we do, we cannot escape the dust. The earth has a claim on us. As the minister is likely to say as the saint is lowered into the ground, 'ashes to ashes and dust to dust.' No matter how strong we might be, eventually we must succumbed and be pulled back to earth.
Now I don't mean this to be maudlin. I find the struggle to appear successful to be deadly to the soul. It steals from the heart. In the attempt to prove ourselves successful we miss out on significance. I find it comforting that we are not to be evaluated by God as to whether we made it to the top or not. Our value is not to be measured by success, but instead, life is found in the depth of our humanity. The closer to the ground we are, the closer we are to our origins. The closer we are to our origins, the closer we are to God. It is not our goal in life to show ourselves better than others but to make the world in which we live a bette place for all. The goal is not to divide ourselves between winners and losers, but to dig deep into our fallen nature and thereby discover our common humanity.
So I have learned a lesson in humility this weekend as my Broncos lost. Perhaps, however, this makes me the ultimate winner because I am more human than I was before. It's lonely at the top, but there are plenty of losers all around who will share in our grief.
Peace,
Pal
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
A Big Fan?
We had some fun in church on Sunday.
As I shared how fanatical we are about our favorite team, I happened to mention that growing up in Denver, I am a Bronco fan. Someone in the back let out a bit of a 'boo' because they were rooting for the New England Patriots on Sunday. Everybody laughed. It was good natured ribbing. (Of course now that the game is over, I get the last laugh!)
In a good way it fit into my message which was to suggest that we might want to be just a bit more of a fan or fanatic about the gospel as we are about the rule of the NFL.
Now I'm not suggesting that we die our hair or wear outrageous costumes, but what keeps us from showing others that we are a fan of Jesus. Even as I was going to a gathering with a group of guys from the church last night, I had no concerns about wearing a Bronco ball cap, but I'm not sure I would have felt at ease wearing some BIG cross around my neck. I knew that a Bronco hat might offend others, and that did not dissuade me, but the idea that I might convey the wrong message publicly affirming my faith… well that was a different matter.
Are we afraid to be too boisterous about our faith because of the abuse in the past. I mean we have all encountered that obnoxious fan who just won't shut up in the stands or around the water cooler. Nonetheless, we don't allow that to silence our own support of the team. And of course, we all have suffered through seasons where our team didn't do so well, but we nevertheless wear our jersey with pride to show we are not a fair-weathered fan.
So why am I more reluctant to publicly acknowledge my allegiance to Jesus? Could it be that we are more knowledgeable about the in's and out's of football, and we don't want our ignorance of spiritual matters to be exposed? Perhaps. Maybe it is because a person's faith is very personal, and we just don't want to step on somebodies toes about something so close to their heart. That too could play a role.
I'm thinking, however, that we don't express our fanaticism more, because we are afraid people might expect more from us. As a Denver fan, the expectation is that I will wear the right attire, let out a few cheers, express my concern about the play of the Middle Linebacker, and I'm done. As a member of the Jesus team, people hope that there is something more to us. They expect us to be a bit, shall I say it, better. Sometimes, this is just me, but I'd prefer to remain anonymous just so I don't fail in the eyes of others.
Maybe it is in times like those, that I simply need to remind myself that God's work in this world will continue no matter what I do. I, however, will miss out on the opportunity to share in the experience by choosing to sit on the sidelines. I believe that somehow, I want to get into the game, because that is where the real action happens to be found.
I will continue to be a Denver Bronco fan, but I believe I will not be quite so timid a fan of Jesus and his work in the world, simply because I took time to reimagine this reality once more.
As I shared how fanatical we are about our favorite team, I happened to mention that growing up in Denver, I am a Bronco fan. Someone in the back let out a bit of a 'boo' because they were rooting for the New England Patriots on Sunday. Everybody laughed. It was good natured ribbing. (Of course now that the game is over, I get the last laugh!)
In a good way it fit into my message which was to suggest that we might want to be just a bit more of a fan or fanatic about the gospel as we are about the rule of the NFL.
Now I'm not suggesting that we die our hair or wear outrageous costumes, but what keeps us from showing others that we are a fan of Jesus. Even as I was going to a gathering with a group of guys from the church last night, I had no concerns about wearing a Bronco ball cap, but I'm not sure I would have felt at ease wearing some BIG cross around my neck. I knew that a Bronco hat might offend others, and that did not dissuade me, but the idea that I might convey the wrong message publicly affirming my faith… well that was a different matter.
Are we afraid to be too boisterous about our faith because of the abuse in the past. I mean we have all encountered that obnoxious fan who just won't shut up in the stands or around the water cooler. Nonetheless, we don't allow that to silence our own support of the team. And of course, we all have suffered through seasons where our team didn't do so well, but we nevertheless wear our jersey with pride to show we are not a fair-weathered fan.
So why am I more reluctant to publicly acknowledge my allegiance to Jesus? Could it be that we are more knowledgeable about the in's and out's of football, and we don't want our ignorance of spiritual matters to be exposed? Perhaps. Maybe it is because a person's faith is very personal, and we just don't want to step on somebodies toes about something so close to their heart. That too could play a role.
I'm thinking, however, that we don't express our fanaticism more, because we are afraid people might expect more from us. As a Denver fan, the expectation is that I will wear the right attire, let out a few cheers, express my concern about the play of the Middle Linebacker, and I'm done. As a member of the Jesus team, people hope that there is something more to us. They expect us to be a bit, shall I say it, better. Sometimes, this is just me, but I'd prefer to remain anonymous just so I don't fail in the eyes of others.
Maybe it is in times like those, that I simply need to remind myself that God's work in this world will continue no matter what I do. I, however, will miss out on the opportunity to share in the experience by choosing to sit on the sidelines. I believe that somehow, I want to get into the game, because that is where the real action happens to be found.
I will continue to be a Denver Bronco fan, but I believe I will not be quite so timid a fan of Jesus and his work in the world, simply because I took time to reimagine this reality once more.
Monday, January 13, 2014
My Hometown
The Denver Broncos won a BIG game yesterday. Why is that important to me, you might ask? The one and only reason is because Denver is my hometown!
As much as we travel in this world, and as exciting as it is to see something new, there is a definite need to have a place we call home. The place where we feel like we have some roots. The place, mythical as it may be, where we feel as if we are known and where we know. Home is more than just where the heart can be found, home is where our imagination will always return.
Rooting for the Broncos is a way for me to reconnect with my story. I remember sitting around the Living Room TV with my mom and dad cheering on the boys in blue and orange. I can remember my dad getting so upset with a play or a referee's call that he spilt his snack all over him, the chair, and the floor beneath him. I can remember the exhilarating excitement when the Broncos first went to the Super Bowl and the whole town was a Mile High. It was a moment when Denver was on the map, and we were so sure that the Broncos would whip those darn Cowboys from Texas. I remember driving from Redding, CA to Orange County in the worst fog imaginable, listening to the radio chatter until 3 AM, so filled was I with adrenaline from Elway's first Super Bowl victory that there was no fear that I would fall asleep at the wheel. Yes, the Broncos and I go way back, because they remind me of home.
Just a little change up, but that is why I'm in church on Sunday morning (before the games). It is like home. When I step into church I am reminded of those awkward days when I wasn't sure I belonged, but others made me feel welcomed nonetheless. When I see the people I've come to know and love, I am reminded of our small group meal and bible study at the Campus Ministry Center at the University of Utah when I was preparing to become a lawyer. When I'm a part of a theological discussion it brings me back to those heady days in seminary when we would gather over a beer and pizza at LaVal's in Berkeley. The church is more than a place or even a people; the church is the repository of my memories. The church is like home for me.
Now nothing becomes home right away. It took 25 years for Denver to become home. It's taken another 35 years for the church to become home. But there is something about having a home, and it is my hope no matter who you are or where you have been, that this place called Peace might be a home for you.
Go Broncos! Beat the Pats!
Peace,
Pal
As much as we travel in this world, and as exciting as it is to see something new, there is a definite need to have a place we call home. The place where we feel like we have some roots. The place, mythical as it may be, where we feel as if we are known and where we know. Home is more than just where the heart can be found, home is where our imagination will always return.
Rooting for the Broncos is a way for me to reconnect with my story. I remember sitting around the Living Room TV with my mom and dad cheering on the boys in blue and orange. I can remember my dad getting so upset with a play or a referee's call that he spilt his snack all over him, the chair, and the floor beneath him. I can remember the exhilarating excitement when the Broncos first went to the Super Bowl and the whole town was a Mile High. It was a moment when Denver was on the map, and we were so sure that the Broncos would whip those darn Cowboys from Texas. I remember driving from Redding, CA to Orange County in the worst fog imaginable, listening to the radio chatter until 3 AM, so filled was I with adrenaline from Elway's first Super Bowl victory that there was no fear that I would fall asleep at the wheel. Yes, the Broncos and I go way back, because they remind me of home.
Just a little change up, but that is why I'm in church on Sunday morning (before the games). It is like home. When I step into church I am reminded of those awkward days when I wasn't sure I belonged, but others made me feel welcomed nonetheless. When I see the people I've come to know and love, I am reminded of our small group meal and bible study at the Campus Ministry Center at the University of Utah when I was preparing to become a lawyer. When I'm a part of a theological discussion it brings me back to those heady days in seminary when we would gather over a beer and pizza at LaVal's in Berkeley. The church is more than a place or even a people; the church is the repository of my memories. The church is like home for me.
Now nothing becomes home right away. It took 25 years for Denver to become home. It's taken another 35 years for the church to become home. But there is something about having a home, and it is my hope no matter who you are or where you have been, that this place called Peace might be a home for you.
Go Broncos! Beat the Pats!
Peace,
Pal
Monday, January 6, 2014
A beginning
Happy New Year!
I know I'm a little late, but today is Epiphany, the day we celebrate the bringing of gifts by the Magi in celebration of the birth of Jesus. So in a way this is the beginning of something big.
When you think about all the gifts you have received or given at Christmas, how many of them stand out to you in your mind? This past year, my son and his girlfriend gave me a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. They did so because (a) they know that I love the Charlie Brown story, and (b) as a child my Christmas tree was 25 twinkle lights wrapped around a fake bonsai tree in our living room. Their gift was meaningful because they took the time to validate my memory and connected this gift with a piece of my story.
As we unwrap the gospels, the stories of Jesus, they become meaningful for more reasons than their profound wisdom. They become meaningful because we find ourselves in the story. We discover a God who has chosen to truly be one with us. This is not God's self improvement plan or his restoration project. This is simply the story of a God who has taken the time to know our story and enter into the mess that it is. I cannot think of a more memorable gift.
As we begin a New Year, may we resolve to connect our stories one with another… to connect them through unbridled love for one another and in doing so may we experience the love of God.
Peace,
Pal
I know I'm a little late, but today is Epiphany, the day we celebrate the bringing of gifts by the Magi in celebration of the birth of Jesus. So in a way this is the beginning of something big.
When you think about all the gifts you have received or given at Christmas, how many of them stand out to you in your mind? This past year, my son and his girlfriend gave me a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. They did so because (a) they know that I love the Charlie Brown story, and (b) as a child my Christmas tree was 25 twinkle lights wrapped around a fake bonsai tree in our living room. Their gift was meaningful because they took the time to validate my memory and connected this gift with a piece of my story.
As we unwrap the gospels, the stories of Jesus, they become meaningful for more reasons than their profound wisdom. They become meaningful because we find ourselves in the story. We discover a God who has chosen to truly be one with us. This is not God's self improvement plan or his restoration project. This is simply the story of a God who has taken the time to know our story and enter into the mess that it is. I cannot think of a more memorable gift.
As we begin a New Year, may we resolve to connect our stories one with another… to connect them through unbridled love for one another and in doing so may we experience the love of God.
Peace,
Pal
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