Tag Archives: Luke

Jesus is the Son of Man

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on June 17, 2015
Tags: , Luke   

To Help Or Not To Help? — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 17, 2015

“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. G*d knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of G*d.” Luke 16:10, 13, 15

“At seminaries….I have often been asked by identity-anxious students whether the work appropriate to the ministry will be congruent with their search with identity. My reply is that the contemporary split between identity and commitment is probably a false one. When Gerald Manley Hopkins said, “What I do is me his statement was earthy and true. For identity is a kind of possibility and promise; it will most often open to the substance and shape of a commitment. Ordination to the ministry fixes one’s identity where one’s commitments are. Helping people is important, but a minister is not ordained to help people in general. He or she is there with an understanding that the ultimate help for people is to put them into a relationship with G*d.” Joseph Sittler (1904 – 1987) “For All The Saints”, volume II (p. 97-98)

I have spoken on several occasions about my seminary experience. My initial thoughts about Sittler’s “identity-anxious” students are to agree with what he is saying — there were those students in Seminary who seemed to be trying to find themselves or to be running away from the things of their past. The anxiety came through most palpable in their inabilit  hn y to listen — and the incessant need to talk — to try to work out their lives through proving to others how much they knew. But, in my most humble opinion, the level of anxiety was most prevalent in the need to be right and the fear of failure.

“Ordination to the ministry fixes one’s identity where one’s commitments are. Helping people is important, but a minister is not ordained to help people in general. He or she is there with an understanding that the ultimate help for people is to put them into a relationship with G*d.” So says Joseph Sittler, and to that I say Amen. If the Seminarian or the pastor is too focused on fixing themselves, they will not be able to be the “non-anxious presence” for the people in their charge. We all need to be solid in our relationship with G*d — which will help us in all of our relationships — and help us not to be too fixed on our own anxieties or our own fears.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on June 12, 2015
Tags: Luke,   

Who’s Serve is it? — Rev. David J. Schreffler

June 12, 2015

Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

“Master,” she said, “don’t you care that my sister leaves me to do all of this alone? Tell her to help me. I know she won’t leave you unless you tell her to, so entrancing are your words. But the dinner must be made ready and one pair of hands is not enough.” Then the Lord, who was delighted with the devotion of both women, did not chide the attachment of Mary, nor did he blame the complaint of Martha, though he leaned to Mary. “Martha…Don’t be so worried about getting the dinner and all worked up about many things. Mary has chosen….to forget the things of the body and to be concerned for the things of the soul.” Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
Erasmus of Christendom translated by Roland Bainton “For All The Saints” volume IV (p. 69)

When we look at this encounter between Mary, Martha and Jesus, we should be conflicted about who we praise — Mary or Martha. In this particular instance, I think half of us would think we should be showing impeccable hospitality — while the other half believe that, when we are in the presence of our Lord, we should sit and listen to everything he has to say. Good hospitality was critical in the time of Jesus – especially good hospitality shown by the women — not that good hospitality is not important today. But when we view this text from 2000 years out, it seems “obvious” to us that Mary should have been helping her sister. How dare she sit and do nothing. And yet she dared. And Jesus praises her for sitting, while Jesus does not condemn Martha for serving. Thus both are praised and lifted up for us as models of faithful living. Sometimes we are called to sit and listen — other times we are called to show good hospitality and be good servants. We need to find that good balance in our lives where we are doing enough of both.

How can we show better hospitality in the church? How can you be a better servant for Christ’s sake?

Pastor Dave