“Are Christians being persecuted?”

“For too long we’ve read scripture with 19th century eyes and 16th century questions. It’s time we get back to reading with 1st century eyes and 21st- century questions.” N. T. Wright

“…he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”        John 9:6-17

Questions. Do you ask enough questions about the bible, about your faith understanding, and about your church’s denominational teachings? A few days ago I wrote a devotion about the silence of Christians – and how, as people of faith, we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice, and in the face of persecution. You may ask, “Are Christians being persecuted?” I believe we are. Every chance the media and other icons in popular culture get to make fun of people who believe in G-d, they take that opportunity, especially poking fun at Christians who believe in a virgin birth, or that Jesus died on a cross and rose again in the resurrection. And, of course, with the controversies that the Christian church has had to endure, like Priests and accusations of child abuse, and televangelists who bilk senior citizens out of millions of dollars each year, it is no wonder people of faith are targets for criticism and persecution.

Still, we cannot be silent. We need to be able to defend our faith – which is why we need to ask questions – many, many questions. We need to seek opportunities for bible study – we need to understand what it means to call ourselves Lutherans, or Presbyterians, or Methodists. And finally, we need to understand that the Bible is the Living, Active, Holy Spirit Breathing Word of G-d that remains the formative source for worship and service. Then, when others persecute us for our beliefs, we have the Word to refute their jabs and defend our faith.

Pastor Dave

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” [ISAIAH 25:6-9]

“And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:66-72

Few things are more negative or more final than “death.” Everyone knows that death is the end. We hope to put death of as long as possible, but we also know death cannot be avoided. Of course the Bible gives another perspective about death: “You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies” (1 Cor. 15:36). “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

We see this every year, especially as Spring comes along. The long sleep of death during the winter brings the season of spring, and up come the new shoots – the flowers, the plants, and the vegetables. While fall is the season of dying and decay – spring means new life. In many ways, this is the very journey of Lent: death to life. Just as the food we eat must first die in order to sustain our life, so the old self (apart from Christ) must die daily to give birth to the new self. We put to death our self-centeredness and we are raised to life in Jesus. We deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him. Death brings life.

So, the love of G-d toward us and for us, through Christ, compels us to look death straight in the face and say “We do not fear you, death.” G-d held nothing back for us, but rather, gave up his own Son for us, so that when we die we will in fact live on into new life. Lent then reminds us that true life is found in Jesus. The process of dying to ourselves and dying to our own agenda helps us to locate our treasure (life, joy, purpose) in Jesus. As we die to ourselves we begin to truly grasp the death of Jesus, and find it easier to joyfully give up all we have and follow him.

Pastor Dave