May 2, 2021 – Easter 5B

Have you ever worked for someone, a boss or a manager who fired a lot of people? Did you ever work with someone who just couldn’t keep a secretary, or lost staff a lot because of the way they treated people? When I read this text with the sense that Jesus “fires anyone who does not bear fruit” — I just get the image of a boss who doesn’t like people —- or cannot get along with people. Is this your image of G-d? Is this what you think of Jesus? Is this the G-d you turn too when you need lifted up? I mean, really, the G-d they are talking about in 1 John, whom the writer says: “love is from G-d, everyone who loves is born of G-d and know G-d. G-d is love. If we love one another, G-d lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. Those who say they love G-d and hates their brothers and sisters are liars.”

No where do I hear anything like “G-d will love you if you bear fruit” or “When you show G-d all of the things you have done to prove your love, G-d will love you.” Instead we hear verses like “For G-d so loved the world (first) that G-d gave the world the Son….”

So, let me ask you again, what lifts you up? Is church uplifting for you? Is humor, a long run, a bike ride, or a long walk on the beach with your sweetheart uplifting? Is playing a round of golf, watching the Hershey Bears, rooting for the Capitols or the Flyers or the Penguins uplifting to you? What about spending time with G-d in prayer? Is that uplifting? What about writing down your thoughts about your faith — serving on a committee — donating your time or resources? Are you having trouble finding something uplifting about your faith? Are you afraid that G-d will forget about you, cut you off, or already has abandoned you? I am here to tell you that G-d does not cut us off. Instead of cutting us off when we are fruitless, G-d lifts us up to enable us to become fruit-bearing Christians again. G-d first intervened in our lives through our baptisms – and G-d continues to intervene in our lives to remind us that G-d loves us beyond all measure. Remember the story of Joseph – Joseph who when he was at his lowest, he did not think G-d abandoned him — instead G-d lifted him up in each of his situations so G-d could turn to good what man had meant for evil.

As Lutherans, we believe that we are rich in blessings — blessings that have nothing to do with money, or wealth, or property, or possessions. We are rich in love, mercy and Grace through Jesus Christ. And those who have an abundance are called to share out of their abundance — and even those who have less, are also called to share out of their abundance — because abundance is not just about how much money we have….amen? Abundance comes in the fruits of the spirit with which we have been blessed — as Galatians 5  says “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control….those who belong to Christ Jesus…live by the Spirit, so let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26) When Luther was at his lowest, he would tell himself “I am baptized. I am baptized.” It reminded him that he was a beloved, chosen child of G-d.

And this is what lifts me up.

Pastor Dave

May 1, 2021 — The Second Treatise of the Great Seth

“I visited a bodily dwelling. I cast out the one who was in it first, and I went in. And the whole multitude of the archons became troubled. And all the matter of the archons, as well as all the begotten powers of the earth, were shaken when it saw the likeness of the Image, since it was mixed. And I am the one who was in it, not resembling him who was in it first. For he was an earthly man, but I, I am from above the heavens. I did not refuse them even to become a Christ, but I did not reveal myself to them in the love which was coming forth from me. I revealed that I am a stranger to the regions below.

There was a great disturbance in the whole earthly area, with confusion and flight, as well as (in) the plan of the archons. And some were persuaded, when they saw the wonders which were being accomplished by me. And all these, with the race, that came down, flee from him who had fled from the throne to the Sophia of hope, since she had earlier given the sign concerning us and all the ones with me – those of the race of Adonaios. Others also fled, as if from the Cosmocrator and those with them, since they have brought every (kind of) punishment upon me. And there was a flight of their mind about what they would counsel concerning me, thinking that she (Sophia) is the whole greatness, and speaking false witness, moreover, against the Man and the whole greatness of the assembly. It was not possible for them to know who the Father of Truth, the Man of the Greatness, is. But they who received the name because of contact with ignorance – which (is) a burning and a vessel – having created it to destroy Adam, whom they had made, in order to cover up those who are theirs in the same way. But they, the archons, those of the place of Yaldabaoth, reveal the realm of the angels, which humanity was seeking in order that they may not know the Man of Truth. For Adam, whom they had formed, appeared to them. And a fearful motion came about throughout their entire dwelling, lest the angels surrounding them rebel. For without those who were offering praise – I did not really die lest their archangel become empty.

This text is also a “Gnostic” text. Here Christ himself provides a first-hand account of how he descended into the man Jesus’ body, occupied it for the length of his ministry, and then died only in appearance. The author of this text believes that Simon of Cyrene, who bore the cross of Jesus, was mistakenly crucified in the place of Jesus, while Jesus looked on and laughed. Apart from the title of the document, the name “Seth” does not occur in the text. Perhaps Jesus Christ is meant to be identified with Seth.

Scholars believe this text is both Christian and Gnostic. Christian elements are woven into the body of the text – including an acceptance of the New Testament and the crucifixion of Jesus. But it also contains purely Gnostic elements including the conclusion that knowledge is the means of salvation. But this manuscript is purely a treatise against the “orthodox” church’s understanding of Jesus and his passion. The Gnostic believers expect to be the “true” believers who will join Jesus in the realm of “eternal life”.

The origins of Gnosticism remain a mystery. Some of its ideas can be found in Plato. Various scholars have attempted to trace Gnostic dualism to Zoroastrianism and other features of Gnosticism to Buddhism or Judaism. A treasure trove of Gnostic documents were found at Nag Hammadi in 1947. Some elements of Gnosticism existed before Christianity. Peter, Paul, John and the writer of Hebrews were probably addressing budding Gnostic ideas when they insisted that Jesus came in the flesh and was a man like us. However, the majority of Gnostic manuscripts found at Nag Hammadi as well as the Gospel of Judas and other such writings are clearly a reaction to and against orthodox Christianity.

Pastor Dave