Messiness and Mission

For a number of years a puzzle has traveled with me to varying pastoral appointments. I'm not sure who blessed me with it, though it probably was my wife. Once put together the puzzle's message reads: "Messiness Is A Sure Sign of Creativity". Nonetheless, this puzzle has entertained toddlers whose parents have come to see me, and occasionally - every once in a while - I even take a stab at putting it together myself - sometimes successfully! It occurs to me that a puzzle which carries this theme is self-contradicting. Even puzzles have nice well-defined boundaries, and only really work one way. Such is not the essence of much of what I find myself engaged in on a day-to-day basis.

Life itself, and ministry in the name of Christ can be downright messy. There. I said it. For an ENFP such as myself this rolls off the tongue like the water cascading over Niagra Falls. But in communities like the church there is diversity. Not everyone sees the world correctly like me. (tongue firmly planted in cheek) Some people like having well-defined, neatly packaged, consistently predictable - life. This does not make them bad people - just frustrated. Their frustration stems mostly from LIFE'S seeming inability or natural inclination against producing such a neatly packaged world. How often have we heard, or do we say that, God is not the author of chaos? Yet, the Genesis accounts of creation describe chaos as God's mid-wife; the birthing room for the ordered universe we all treasure. If God is the author and creator of all things, then even chaos exists by some intention, and plays an important role. Act II of a play can be very confusing if someone forgets to stage Act I first.

Where all this meandering takes me is an observation. Years ago I read a quote, the source of which I cannot identify. It goes something like this: "The church is not a hotel for saints but a hospital for sinners." You may choose to argue the merits of such a statement. You may respond as one French philosopher long ago, "All generalities are false....and so is this one! "The glaring reality for the 21st century followers of Christ is that we are people on a shared journey. As much as we may try to believe otherwise, we are people of the tabernacled -community (portable/movable) more than people of the temple (immovable/unchanging). If we are in any measure a hospital for sinners then the model is more a M.A.S.H triage unit than a gothic cathedral. Thus, there is a symbiotic relationship between messiness and mission.

I see evidence of this on a regular basis in: children who ask the "wrong" questions during worship.....birds that fly into sanctuaries on Christmas Eve.....policemen who interrupt outdoor worship services in the name of sound ordinances..... work teams encountering unexpected changes.....homeless families uprooting Sunday School classes throughout the year....in bags of non-perishable groceries in the narthex (and the bags tear)....in worship services that force us to leave the comfort of a pew and walk with fellow pilgrims outdoors not knowing what comes next. As much as we may try to program these sorts of things out of our normal day-to-day existence....they occur anyway. At least they occur where the creative power of God is visible, or where the people of God choose to be attentive.

Maybe all of us would do well to be slow in naming chaos as "evil" or "bad". Maybe we should look for God's fingerprints in the midst of the messiness that exists in all of our lives (individual and communal), and respond with thanksgiving. Maybe messiness is (at least sometimes)....a sure sign of creativity.......or better yet - an opportunity to embrace, and be embraced by THE LOVING CREATOR.

In Christ,

Jon(the methodist)

Anyone Currently Under Your Wing?

One who "blogs" encourages others to read and comment on what they write in hopes that they might facilitate in some small way the creation of a community; albeit an on-line community. Those who by intention monitor and occasionally comment on a blog have a name in the cyber-world: followers. Does anyone else find that ironic? The post-modern -world-wide-web-world plunders a word (followers) which is as old as 1st century Christianity, and in reality even pre-dates Jesus' followers.

As the new year looms on the near horizon I am reminded that the followers of Jesus do not become followers by accident. Someone extends Christ’s love to us. Someone takes us under the wing and nurtures us as disciples - that is, by intention, seeking to assist us in becoming life-long, obedient, followers, learners, and servants of Jesus. Life-long suggests that discipleship is a process more than a destination. The primary role of a disciple is to....follow. In many circles today this intentional sharing of the journey is referred to as “mentoring”. The church is called to intentionally practice this nurturing – or mentoring in discipleship. The word used in the New Testament is “equipping”.

Author Leonard Sweet gives us some insights as to why this should be important for us today.

"We tend to forget…that the twelve disciples Jesus called

to found his movement were all lay people. Jesus had three

years to save the world. How did he choose to spend those

three years? Founding a mega-church? Launching a mass

movement?? Building a temple??? Starting a new religion????

He chose to spend what time he had training a small cell of

disciples……."

This training and equipping has a purpose. The purpose, as noted by the Apostle Paul is simple:

"...(so that) we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15b-16

Obviously I welcome "followers" of my blog, but the more significant issue is this: Who am I intentionally helping to become a follower of Jesus? To whom will I extend Christ's love? Who am I willing to take under my wing and nurture in the way that is Jesus' way? New Year's resolutions will fail to make this happen. But I believe the same Spirit Who is active and visible in Jesus, is at work in me, making this calling a real possibility.

In Christ,

Jon(the methodist)

I am indebted to my friend and artist, Cheryl Harrison, whose painting above has captured on canvass an image of the baby Jesus in a manger. At first glance this Jesus seems to be much like all children ever born. He sleeps.......quietly.......There are no furrowed facial expressions.... no evidence of discomfort or even of worry. But if we allow our gaze to move from the center of the painting toward the edges of the blanket there is the faintest hint of something else taking shape. Joining Jesus in his sleep of, "heavenly peace" is a silent, but ominous partner..........a shadow. If you look closely you'll notice it is the shadow of a cross. To some this sort of interpretation may be offensive. - at best it seems non-PC. After all, why would anyone insert the shadow of a cross into the innocent Jesus' rest? Can't this wait until Easter? The poet, Luci Shaw, inserts her opinion for our consideration.

It Is As If Infancy.......
This time of the year the new-born child is everywhere

planted in madonnas’ arms, hay mows, stables, in palaces or farms,

or quaintly, under snowed gables, gothic angular or baroque plump,

naked or elaborately swathed, encircled by Della Robbia wreaths,

garnished with whimsical partridges and pears, drummers and drums,

lit by oversize stars, partnered with lambs, peace doves, sugar plums,bells,

plastic camels in sets of three as if these were what we needed for eternity.
But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.

There are some who are wary, these days, of beards and sandalled feet.
Yet if we celebrate, let it be that He has invaded our lives with purpose,

striding over our picturesque traditions, our shallow sentiment,

overturning our cash registers, wielding His peace like a sword,

rescuing us into reality, demanding much more than the milk and the softness

and the mother warmth of the baby in the storefront creche,

(only the Man would ask all, of each of us) reaching out always, urgently,

with strong effective love(only the man would give His life and live again for love of us).
Oh come, let us adore Him–Christ–the Lord.

-Luci Shaw

I an gratedful for artists as gifted as Cheryl, and poets as eloquent as Luci Shaw. Both have captured in differing ways what I believe to be true. John Wade echoes the GOOD NEWS in his famous Christmas hymn of 1743.

Child, for us sinners

poor and in the manger,

we would embrace thee

with love and awe.

Who would not love thee,

loving us so dearly?

O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore him,

Christ the Lord.

Still In ONE Peace,

Jon(the methodist)

**Note: To view more of Cheryl's wonderful visual art go to:

http://www.charrisonart.com/

The image above is used with the permission of the artist

Which Jesus Will Be In Your Manger?

This morning at the conclusion of our early worship service, God played a heavenly trick on us. Not everyone caught it, but from my perch behind the altar I was an eyewitness. As the congregation sang "O Come All Ye Faithful" an assortment of members dressed in costumes started streaming into the sanctuary, acting out a silent drama of nativity before our eyes. But our 8:45am Mary must have been a bit perplexed. Because when she brought baby Jesus with her, all wrapped in swaddling clothes, to lay in the manger - she discovered another Jesus already making his home there. Imagine Mary's shock and puzzlement. What does one do in such a situation? Well, needless to say - the manger was a little crowded @ 8:45am. One more baby and our church would have been introducing Trintarian theology into the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The whole situation begs the question, "Which Jesus will be in your manger this year?" Author Max Lucado ponders the Jesus we sometimes wish for in his book, Six Hours One Friday.

"For some, Jesus is a good luck charm. The "Rabbit's Foot Redeemer." Pocket-sized. Handy. Easily packaged. Easily understood. Easily diagrammed. You can put his picture on your wall or you can stick it in your wallet as insurance. You can frame him. Dangle him from your rear view mirror or glue him to your dashboard. His specialty? Getting you out of a jam. Need a parking place? Rub the redeemer. Need help on a quiz? Pull out the rabbit's foot. No need to have a relationship with him. No need to love him. Just keep him in your pocket next to your four-leaf clover. For many he's an "Aladdin's Lamp Redeemer." New jobs. Pink Cadillacs. New and improved spouses. Your wish is his command. And what's more, he conveniently reenters the lamp when you don't want him around. For others, Jesus is a "Monty Hall Redeemer." "All right, Jesus, let's make a deal. For 52 Sundays a year, I'll put on a costume—coat and tie, hat and hose—and I'll endure any sermon you throw at me. In exchange, you give me the grace behind pearly gate number three."

As the hours before Christmas march on, maybe I can pause for some honest assessment of just who Jesus is - NOT who I wish he would be. I am hoping that this morning's snafu was more than an innocent mistake. Maybe....just maybe......this is a sign.......from THE COMING ONE. Maybe.....just maybe......THE SILENT WORD IS PLEADING for me.......to empty the manger of my misconceptions and my desires to create the Savior in my image.......Maybe....just maybe....the ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR will come and dwell in me.......

In Christ,

Jon (the methodist)

Incarnation Is.....

Some years ago a friend introduced me to the writings of the poet, Denise Levertov. I find that her poetry stretches me; most often in ways I need to be. In, God Then Encompassing, Levertov wrestles with the mystery of God coming among humanity. Theologians usually refer to this mystery with terms such as incarnation. Regardless of the terms employed this singular invasive act on God's part is nothing less than mystery. If this season of Advent reminds us of anything it seems to cry out that the mystery of God's coming to us in Jesus is one which is meant to be discovered. While Gnostics, ancient and modern, would want us to believe that incarnation's significance depends on us and our abilities to "crack the code", the mystery of God-with-us is altogether dependent upon God.

So, with incarnation's "official" celebration just one week away,(some still call this CHRISTMAS), I pause to ponder with the poet the God who comes to us in Jesus; the same God once referred to by C.S. Lewis as "The Transcendental Interferer". My prayer for us all is that by God's grace we might catch more glimpses of this purposeful invasion in the days to come....

In Christ,

Jon(the methodist)


God Then Encompassing

God then,
encompassing all things, is
defenseless? Omnipotence
has been tossed away, reduced
to a wisp of damp wool?

And we,
Frightened, bored, wanting
only to sleep till catastrophe
has raged, clashed, seethed and gone by without us,
wanting then
to awaken in quietude without remembrance of agony,

we who in shamefaced private hope
had looked to be plucked from fire and given
a bliss we deserved for having imagined it,

is it implied that we
must protect this perversely weak
animal, whose muzzles nudgings
suppose there is milk to be found in us?
Must hold to our icy hearts
a shivering God?

So be it.
Come , rag of pungent
quiverings,
dim start.
Let’s try
If something human still
can shield you,
spark
of remote light.

Denise Levertov