August 15, 2016–Devotions from Rio Olympics
Opening Ceremonies

“They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:7-9

The opening ceremonies for each Olympic Venue is a mix of the celebration of local and cultural influences, and over-the-top flash. This year’s summer Olympics in Rio did not disappoint. In fact there were many parts of the ceremonies that seemed almost surreal to me. But, overall, it was beautiful and captivating. The opening ceremonies set the tone for what is to come. From the height of the opening ceremonies, including the lighting of the Olympic caldron and flame, the games progress with anticipation, Olympic records, world records, and of course, the agony of defeat.

Jesus entered into Jerusalem to a mix of shouts of support and shouts of disapproval, and it indeed set the tone for his week to come. The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts, and we need to remember those contrasts. It is the story of the King who came in the manner of a servant on a donkey, surrounded by the people, not as Caesar who would have come on a prancing steed, in royal robes, and surrounded by legions of the army. Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as earthly kings but to share his love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice on the cross. His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servant hood. He conquers not nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with
G-d, not our own peace.

Jesus has set the stage for each one of us through his death, resurrection and ascension. We have a decision: is Jesus all flash? Or is he our all in all?

Pastor Dave

August 14, 2016
13th Sunday After Pentecost Year C

“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Luke 12:49-56

“Here’s what I’m getting at. Reading and preaching biblical texts always involves bridging the distinct contexts of the biblical story and today’s world, and some weeks the chasm between those two is both deep and wide. This week is a good example. By and large, we avoid conflict and division in our congregations at all costs, yet here Jesus is talking about bringing just that. We want peace and moreover call Jesus the prince of peace, yet just now Jesus says that’s not what he came to bring. We are, by and large, focused on the present or at least certainly not looking for the end of the world, and yet in this passage Jesus seems to look to the future and it is, to say the least, foreboding.

Do you see what I mean? We are firmly rooted in a world that seems so different than the one Jesus lives in that it makes it hard for us to relate and even, perhaps, to hear. And that’s what’s challenging about today’s passage: when we read it primarily in light of our context it seems remarkably out of place. But looking more closely as the context of the passage itself and suspending our judgments may help us find a way to read and preach it.” (David Lose, A Stressful Sermon, Working Preach Website)

When Jesus says that he has come to “bring fire to the earth”, a strict literal translation of the Greek could read “I came to set the world on fire.” Our understanding of this phrase today is that being on fire is to be passionate about something. If this is the case, then this text has a specific purpose, as most texts do. This text is telling us that we are called to be passionate about our faith (to have a fire in our bellies) and we are to be totally committed to our faith – to put our faith above everything else….even if it causes stress and division. We know that Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem where persecution and death on a cross awaited him. We can only imagine the stress – the anxiousness that he was enduring. He only had so much time to teach his disciples about God’s mission in the world – about true discipleship. And we can tell that Jesus did not want complacent followers.

You know, we have that fire in us – the fire that comes from the Holy Spirit that has been infused into us at our baptisms. This is all the fire we need – we just have to rekindle it – remember what our God given gifts are and do not be afraid or too complacent to use them. Through the cross, Jesus has done all that needs to be done. We just need to remember what it all means – and let that inspire us to lives of faith in action.

Pastor Dave