Genesis 37:12-24
1 Corinthians 1:20-31
Mark 1:14-28
Evening: Psalm 91:1-16
Everything you want to know about the evil side of human nature you can see play out on the playground of any school in the world: watching bullies pick on the little guys, who were minding their own business. My kids all had some sort of encounter with bullies. Sometimes, they were the victim. Other times their friends were. In every case, everyone was afraid of them. So most kids watched the tactics play out from behind the fence until a teacher broke it up - maybe.
But once in awhile, a kid like Rueben in the Joseph story, would risk the wrath of the bully, and talk him into backing down, and some terrified kid was spared from a bloody nose or worse. Until the next time...
Bullies come in all sizes, shapes and entities. People, systems, institutions, governments, groups. Whenever the stronger wields power over the weak for the good of the strong, you have a bully in your midst. The so-calIed strong by position, or knowledge, in number, wealth, popularity. The strong who have claimed position and dug in, gathering others to stay behind them, lest he turn on them. Strong who draw lines in the sand for self-protection. Joseph in the Genesis account was the brother who tried to cross the line and initiate reconciliation in hope and love, but the brothers were plotting his death. And ALL his brothers were responsible for his plight - even the ones who remained silent. Sounds familiar.
I can't help but think of all that's happening on the PC(USA) play ground right now: churches and sessions and ministers are getting thrown in the pit to be left for dead by their own brothers and sisters, for minding their business, and following their conscience, for trying to uphold what is good and pure and holy against the waywardness within the family. Bullied into complying with a broken system that alienates them, with administrative commissions made up their brothers and sisters who have spent more energy and time plotting evil than reaching out. Losing their property, their sessions and their voice as they shout from the bottom of the pit for help and no one is listening.
That's how I see it - watching from behind the fence with others who have yet to speak up and really take on the bullying. I call it bullying because I am uneasy - yes I guess I can say afraid of some of my brothers and sisters. I guess you could call this blog, my fence. How sad is that?
And then I am encouraged by Paul's reminder in I Corinthians today: 26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
And in the gospel I meet the apostles Peter and Andrew, James and John behind my fence and we show each other our empty nets. Every last one of the disciples LEFT EVERYTHING behind as they followed Jesus:their livelihood, family, any position they had in the community. Property. Gone. And with that, Jesus told them HE would remove any unclean spirits from their midst. Jesus will reduce whatever is to what is not - and lift up the lowly. I am praying that those of you in the pit or behind the fence will find comfort and strength, for the Lord is with you. And me.
God will pull us from the pit. God promised to take care of us, with or without property or sessions or ordination. God's Kingdom is bigger than the denomination and God will deliver us from all that, if it is his will. God promised peace, unity and purity under the shadow of HIS wings, when the shadow of the church's polity becomes ominous. And God will remove the evil spirits from our midst.
Psalm 91:4Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. 15When they call to me, I will answer them;I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.16With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.
One last thing. Pray for the bullies. God also seeks them to come under the shadow of His wings. It is only there that God can reconcile us all.
3 comments:
There is another bully in our midst with whom we wrestle: satan. Paul said we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but with powers of darkness. His attacks come in countless ways as he knows our every weakness.
One of his greatest assaults on the church is division. There is division in the ranks today, and how that must grieve God. There is reason to fear the possible outcomes of wrestling with one another. There are those with much power and they need to remember God calls them to a higher standard of behavior. They will also answer to him for misuse of that power.
Jesus said we were not to lord power over others as the gentiles did. It's the meek who inherit. I think the answer is found in just doing the right things, the things that God places in our path and behave above board in our doings, not worrying about what the rest of the denomination is doing. God can and will use the individual churches who follow the true path of peace, unity and purity. Those who hold the truth as found in the scriptures without watering it down will reap great reward.
Jesus said that those who teach that the commandments are not important will be least in the kingdom. There are ceremonial laws that are no longer enforced under the new covenant. But the laws of morality are still there. Homosexuality is still sin. So is fornication and adultery. So is the sin of causing division among Christians. So is lying, hatred and gossip. Hard words, but God does not take sin lightly. It cost him the life of his Son.
True grace is not cheap. God does not turn a blind eye to sin. And he will purify the church by whatever means he deems necessary. I pray that all will seek with true hearts the righteousness of God, that he take the blinders off and allow us to see, speak and live the uncompromising truth in love.
This morning's group didactic was on Matthew 5:9...Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
We are to be makers of God's peace, not our own. Some of God's peacemakers were troublemakers. Martin Luther King, Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin, and Dietrich Bonhoffer were examples of troublemakers who were peacemakers.
If we use the Shalom concept of peace - not just the absence of conflict, but brotherhood and harmony - then we can all be singing different notes in the same key and be in harmony. The key in which we are singing must be God's key.
Unfortunately, the whole church does not seem to be singing in God's key, but in whatever key they deem appropriate by their own "taste" or what the world accepts as "pleasing."
I agree with the first comment that we must hold to Biblical standards individually and corporately at the local church level, despite what the denomination does.
The Beatles lyric comes to mind right now, "What would you do if I sang out of key? Would you stand up and walk out on me?"
I don't think walking out is the answer, but I do think singing lessons are in order.
Denominations have splintered the Body of Christ. Even within denominations, there is a splintering effect as Pastor Lyn eluded to. Too much time, too much money and/or loss of focus have confused North American churches into performing autopsies on the Body of Christ, rather than unifying all Christian churches to carry out the Great Commission. I believe our instructions were to spread the gospel to all people, which would be the best use of our time, talent and money.
Lyndon Sparling-Herring
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