January 25, 2016

I was driving home the other day, and I glanced over to read one of those Church Signs out front of a local church. The sign read “Change of the Calendar – Un-Changing G-d”. The message is clear – even though the calendar changes, to a new year, and twelve times a year to a new month, our G-d never changes. G-d is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our lives are nothing if they are not immersed in change. So this church sign only begins to announce to us the number of changes that happen in our lives each day, month and year. And although everything around and in us is constantly changing, in our Christian faith there is a bedrock truth, in the reality of G-d, that enables believers to move into the future with this assurance: G-d does not change.

Now, I know there are detractors out there that will say that if in fact G-d does not change, then we are changing G-d, because nothing looks like it used to in the time of Jesus. There are people who will say that we have changed the tenants of our faith so much that we cannot even begin to recognize the G-d of the bible, and G-d’s Son, Jesus Christ. And to that I say “Thanks be to G-d”.  Let’s look at it this way. It took until the year of our Lord one thousand, nine hundred and seventy for Lutherans to ordain women, and that is only in a few Lutheran bodies, not all. There are many protestant churches that still do not ordain women. It was the early church who made the decision that women should not teach or preach – not Jesus. I don’t think Jesus ever said anything about women being less capable, less knowledgeable or less worthy to be leaders of a church body. And then there is the issue of a divorced man being a pastor. Here is what one pastor wrote in a sermon titled “Can a Divorced Man Pastor a Church?”

“Greek scholars (agree)…that it is impossible in the Greek for this expression “husband of one wife” to refer to a status. It must be a trait, It is not what one is, (i.e., married or divorced); it is what one is like, (i.e., faithful to his wife). The text (1 Tim 3) does not say the pastor never once failed to be watchful; it says he is vigilant. It doesn’t say he never once had a good laugh at a joke; it says he is serious. It does not say he never once misbehaved; it says he is of good behavior. It does not say he never once turned down a visitor to his home; it says he is given to hospitality. It does not say he never once messed up a sermon; it says he is apt to teach. It does not say he never once had a drink at the senior prom; it says he is not given to wine. It does not say he never once lost his patience; it says he is patient. It does not say he never once got into a fight at school; it says he is not a brawler. It does not say he never once wanted another’s possessions; it says he is not characterized by a covetous spirit.” I agree with his exegesis. God never intended the innocent to be punished, but old traditions die hard. Obviously, there are great differences of opinion and Bible interpretation on this subject. I greatly respect the men who hold to the old tradition in their interpretation of this one qualification. Some of them are my dear friends, and I hope they will forever be. However, I do not want to be one of those who shoot our wounded.” (by Pastor Philip Ayers)

If you look at the basic teachings of Jesus, he was most concerned with how we should love each other, love G-d, and love our enemies. And Jesus explicitly taught that we should not condemn, and if you doubt me read John 3:16-17. There are a lot of teachings that churches purport are supported by Jesus that he never mentioned, never taught, and most likely would not support today. As I said before, nothing looks like it did in the time of Jesus, including what some would say are the “ways” we should live. I am glad things have changed and that G-d has not changed – because their ways are not our ways, thanks be to G-d.
Here is a final thought on the whole matter:

The words of Jesus are pretty darn clear, but oftentimes in our zealousness for our faith, we often get pulled away from the basics and eventually end up living in a way that we believe is honoring to God, but is actually contradictory to everything he has taught us. (Brandan Robertson)

Pastor Dave