Faith is a verb, not just a noun!

In the parish throughout Lent, we are going to consider the Creeds. especially the Apostles' Creed - I post a copy of it here for reference sake. Aside from Scripture itself, this is one of the oldest and most enduring confessions of the Christian faith. Tradition says that each of the Apostles, the 12 disciple contributed a line to it. 

Let us confess our faith as we say: 

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again

to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Where does the Christian faith begin? Faith begins when we attend to the reality that God is revealing who he is through the person of Jesus Christ and that we are accepting the invitation to come into relationship with God through Christ for Scripture, “Commands all men everywhere to repent and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus... as he commanded us (Acts 17.30, 1 John 3.23 and John 6.28) Believing in God is more that an assent, an acknowledgement that he is real and out there somewhere in the cosmos. Faith and belief is about a commitment to a vital relationship with the God who created all that is, seen and unseen; of heaven and of earth. This belief is also a commitment to actively express the personal conviction that God has drawn me into this relationship and that I have accepted and am living out the reality of that invitation and relationship in this world and this life.

Some will ask, “What if I have doubts? What if I get it wrong? What if I make mistakes?” First, I would point out that without doubts we cannot be certain of what it is that we actually believe. Moreover, we need to be aware that we need to examine both what we believe and where we have doubts. We need to know that there are, according to JI Packer, two types of doubt. There are those inside doubts: that is there is faith that has become infected, sick from a lack of faith and confidence in God and in the Scriptures leaving our faith “out of sorts”. There is also the external pressures that cause doubts. They often com about because we have laid to one side the faith we place in God and the Scriptures because we have chosen to believe in human expert opinion or a deep involvements that have take us way from both God and Church, or even the fear of ridicule from others for believing they way you do about a particular thing as you do. Often doubts will come because of personal experience and allowing that to override where faith is concerned.

So how do we overcome doubt? This is the moment where we need to be aware that we need the community of faith to get through these things. We need people in the churches whom people can talk to, to explain the difficulty that one is having. We need to explore and examine the Scriptures and prayerfully speak with God, considering what both the Word and the Spirit have to say on the subject and reason things out (Faith is not against reason and logical, faith is above reason). Then it is important to explore what there might be in one’s life that would give rise to the doubts. It is important to remember that time and perspective will make things clearer and easier to understand.

So when we come to say the creed, it is crucial to remember that when we proclaim, “I believe in God” that the God we proclaim is the God of the Scriptures, the God that is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. It means also that we do not believe in any other gods; that we don’t put our lives into the hands of something or someone else, be they metal or mental. We proclaim that we believe in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The God who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity ... but who will by no means clear the guilty.” (Exodus 34.5-7) John’s Gospel reminds us that God is both light and love. God is both lover and judge. God loves and at the same time requires righteousness and purity. God demands morality and compassion at the same time because that is his nature and his role. We see and learn this in Jesus, the Son.

When we proclaim that we believe, we claim to be participating in the worship of the Father, who is above us, with the Son Jesus, who is one among us and beside us through the Spirit who is within us. The worship and mission of God come from God himself and we are the divine community which God has created to be his Church and in God the Church lives and moves and has its being. And maybe that is the most important thing about faith... it is not just about the head knowledge that we can collect nor is about all the things the heart can feel, it is the realization that faith (pisteuo) is a verb. Faith informs the  mind and emboldens the heart which in turn, empowers the hands and the feet of those who proclaim their relationship with God.

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. – Hebrews 10.31

Jason+

The Truth finds us and lives through us

For truth to be real, it first needs to be spoken. Then it needs to be demonstrated through action, or in this case, revelation. We are at a serious juncture of the Gospel of Mark and we are to the end of the Season of Epiphany with one more revelation of monumental proportions.

The Gospel lesson for this Sunday is about the Transfiguration of Jesus (Mark 9.2-9). Personally I would go so far as to include the walk back down the mountain and right smack dab into the middle of controversy over the boy with the demon the disciples could not overcome. 

This part of Mark needs to be expanded if we are going to read it for all that is worth. So we need to go back to the city of Capernaum and to Peter confessing that the disciples believe that Jesus is the Christ – the Anointed One. The disciples believed that Jesus was send from God and that he was the Messiah. But they also had ideas of how Jesus was going to be Messiah and King. Ideas that did not coincide with what Jesus was teaching. So when Jesus told them that he was about to die in Jerusalem, Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him fiercely. Jesus in turn, told him to get back in line behind him or get out of the way. Six days after all this Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain and there, Jesus was transfigured before them, and the disciples saw Jesus as he really is.

Jesus literally changed. The change was not a soft glow or a low light. It was as bright as anything those men had ever seen. Jesus actually changed his form and he radiated pure light. Then he spoke to Elijah the Prophet and Moses, the law giver. And what do they talk about: Jesus’ Exodus; his departure for home. They talked about the realities of what was ahead in the crucifixion, death and burial, and about his resurrection and ascension.

What I find amazing is that the disciples still didn't get it. They wanted to hold on to and hoard the moment for themselves through tenting up and staying on that blessed mountain top. They wanted to remain there and never let things go forward. They wanted to do this in favour of life back down in the valley where they had to  That’s why I believe they still did not get it. Here they are in a small outcrop on a large mountain and very near the top. They are high enough that they encounter a cloud and they are spoken to from out of the cloud by the Father – the same Father who spoke at Jesus’ baptism. The Father reaffirmed his relationship and devotion to his son and commanded the disciples to “Listen to him.”

Faith comes to us through God’s revelation of himself to us. We need to see and know that God desires to give Himself to us through Christ – and he is smiling and laughing about it!

The truth found me in a little Anglican Church about four and a half hours from where I currently live and the Truth found me about 33 years ago. I discovered that God loved me and that has made all the difference. There is a plain truth about God that abides in the person and life of Jesus. But I have come to realize that Jesus is who he said he is and what we need to do about is not always plain and evident to everybody- responses to that are going to vary from person to person. Even those of us who are experienced in the faith find that they are lost and wayward from time to time. And please note, that I did not call it simple either. After all, the plural of disciple is not disciples, but Church. Faith is worked out and lived into within community. Truth belongs not to the individual disciple but rather to the community to which that believer belongs and in which the believer lives. So let us together proclaim him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life that others might see him and come to follow alongside him.

Jason+

The kind of Church that God wants

Have you ever taken the time to consider what kind of Church God wants to build? The matter of the church building has been one that has been on my heart and in my head this past week. Especially after learning we have raised nearly $25,000 for the next stage in the roof project and are $899.01 away from our goal. Well known parishioners, people and groups from the rest of the Diocese and folks from other places and spaces well beyond our Diocese, having encountered a video or seen the Diocesan newspaper, have been so generous and have given of themselves to help us to fix our roof. It is on times, overwhelming the kindness and the generosity of people.

But then I am confronted with the fact that Jesus did not possess an edifice complex. In his ministry, he did not build buildings. Jesus made disciples. Jesus’ ministry, as was witnessed last week, set a man who had been invaded by evil, free. A single act of power set a man free. And what did he do after that experience? He told others. He told others what Jesus had done for him and at sunset, others came to Jesus and they were set free too. Every person who heard what Jesus had done, those who wanted relief left to seek Jesus out - to find health and freedom from evil. All because of what happened with one man, in a congregation on the Sabbath.

Our Gospel this week (Mark 1:29-39) has Jesus and the disciples (Simon, Andrew, James and John) leaving right after worship and going to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was ill and they told Jesus about it. Jesus goes to the woman and takes her by the hand and assists her up out of bed. Jesus, according to Mark, gives this woman her health back. This is another act of power, so that the woman can serve and follow Jesus – a foreshadowing of the cross and burial of Jesus when the women will take charge and then a woman will declare the good news of the resurrection to the Apostles. The woman looking after her guests is also a witness to the disciples that she is really and truly healed – that she has been given back herself and she serves because of it. Wholeness is marked by the presence of peace (shalom) which allows for the person who has been healed to go forth and participate in the life that God has given.

And it got busier as the people came to the house and Jesus continued to heal and to break down the hold that evil had on people. And his fame grew exponentially as he continued to minister to people. The power of God to give health and life was not abated – all who had need where made whole.

They moved on from Capernaum, and Jesus continued to heal, to teach and to drive out demons, offering health, wholeness and freedom. The disciples were witnesses of this and participated in this. Together they traveled much, and did much.

So what kind of Church does God want? He wants a community that is going to teach and preach the need for repentance and faith. He wants a community of apostles who are going to seek out people who need God and share with them that they are not alone – that the kingdom has come near and God is with them. Let that be our call and our duty too.

Jason+

What deserves our attention and amazement?

This week’s Gospel lesson (Mark 1.21-28) is where the message of the kingdom, get is momentum. It is the Sabbath and Jesus is in the local Synagogue teaching. It is not what Jesus is teaching that is surprising people, it is how he is teaching it. He does not refer to other people. He does not have specific prayers, tricks or incantations. What Jesus has, is a simple and direct command to a demon. No bargaining, no pleading. Just the simple command “Stop talking and come out of him.”

Jesus’ teaching is declarative not just deliberative. His teaching declares the nearness of the presence of God and the kingdom and how things are in the presence of God rather than asking the people simply to believe that God cares. Jesus’ teaching doesn’t just talk about peace and healing – it becomes a reality the sight of the nation. Jesus preaching is the kind of teaching that breaks the boundaries of the old system which has benefited another kind of rule and allowed evil to thrive. The presence of God and the preaching of Jesus come to make God’s blessings flow “far as the curse (of sin and death) is found”.  God has come in the person of Jesus, to break down all that entangles and ensures us and the rest of creation so that we can grow and flourish as we are created to.

This season of Epiphany is a time for us to look at this very thing so that we are ready to enter into Lent and participate in Christ as he walks, suffers and dies and then rise again with him at Easter time. And because of this, we need to decide whether we can accept the way that life is around us, and live the status quo or if we are going to take the risk and believe in and follow Jesus to the cross; the same Jesus who is commissioned by God to bring the life of the kingdom to the people of God who are in need of it. We are challenged by the message to discover if there is something more beyond what we have become familiar and satisfied with: to figure out what deserves our attention and amazement.  

One way to help us do that is to be in worship on a regular basis. We need worship, eucharistic worship to help us to deal with what is going on inside. Worship and prayer are the foundation of how God reorders our lives so that we can be free. The four fold action of the Eucharist (Take, bless, break and give) teaches us the order in which we are to live our lives. We receive and take for ourselves, what God has given – because the Father gives good gifts to his children. We bless what we have received because what is given, life and all it holds is sacred. We break it to savour all that the gift holds for us. Then we share it, because it is a matter of life and death for each and for all of us.  

We must learn to live in this fourfold way precisely because when people come to the Church looking hoping for a miracle, leaving frustrated because they think God isn’t listen or does not care. We are his hands, his feet, his eyes and his voice. It is okay to be afraid. It is okay to not have it all down. It is okay to not have all the answers. We are not called to be God. You and I are being drawn in to be witnesses of the power of God’s Message in us and through us, that others might be set free physically and spiritually.

Will you come and follow him?

Jason+

Can anything come from up North? Come and See!

The question that is asked in this week’s Gospel is a ponderous one, after just having had a week off: “Can anything good come from up north?” It is the question that gets asked by Nathaniel of Phillip (John 1.43-51) when Jesus calls Phillip to journey north towards home and Nazareth with him. Phillip goes and extends the invitation to Nathaniel. This means to me that the import of this portion of Gospel is the call to come and see so that we might go and participate in the life and ministry of Jesus. And what the Gospel is telling us is that faith is caught not taught.

When Philip gave the reply “come and see” he could have chosen to lecture Nathaniel about being pessimistic about what God can do. Phillip didn't plead with his friend to be serious and to take him seriously. Philip extended an invitation and left the choice with Nathaniel. And I think it was the exuberance of the reply that got Nathaniel’s curiosity up and he wanted to check out this Jesus guy from up north to see what the hullabaloo was all about.

If there is one thing that I have learned in the years that I have been as pastor, teacher of the faith, and as an evangelist, it is that faith is caught, not taught. I have the opportunity from time to time to speak with people I knew when I was younger and we often talk about the “good old days” and why they were so good. One of the things that I remember is how we used to talk about Jesus and our faith far more openly. We would invite people to come with us and we tried as much as we could to take as many people with us as we could to wherever it was we were going and to whatever it was that we were going to do.

If there is something that is missing from the life of the churches these days it is the Spirit of God. A bold statement to be sure but it is something that I don’t talk about much lately and need to do more of it. I will talk about following Jesus and other important things from Scripture but I have had an epiphany this week while I have been off resting up, and that is we as a church, I as a priest, don’t talk a whole lot about the life and things of God the Holy Spirit. It is not an intention omission to be sure, but I have come to realize that I need to be more intentional about talking about it and preaching on it because it matters.

God uses people to draw other people to himself and to work on them to bring them to be the people that they are meant to be in him. Being and moving with God in the Spirit, is a lot like ballroom dancing. God takes the lead and we are to follow the motions he sets out and indicates for us – showing us where to step and controlling the speed and which we, the Church, move.

But the Christian life is more than that. it is also about capturing the vision and learning to improvise within the steps and motions. It is about learning to see what it is that God sees in us and in the life of others. The Church needs to learn to be creative in what we do (in displaying and communicating the Gospel) so that we can capture not just the motions but also the imaginations of people. If you want to know what good can come from up north, come and see. If you want to see how God is working to rescue and redeem people, come and see, if you want to know what God is really like, come and see. It is God’s idea, God’s epiphany to show you all this and more – he is showing us the way! He is leading us and sustain us by his Spirit.

Jason+ 

Jesus is in the building

This past week, there are many in the music world who observed the 80^th birthday of Elvis Aaron Presley, the late king of Rock and Roll. I can remember when he used to do concerts. To control the crowds, they would announce, “Elvis is in the building”. No doubt, the announcement used to whip the multitude into a frenzy for the concert. And conversely, they would announce that, “Elvis has left the building.” This was done in an effort to dismiss the throngs and to keep control of the situation. Over the years there have been many famous announcers who have had catch phrases. You might not know the name of Michael Buffer, but you will certainly know the catchphrase he coined: “Let’s get ready to rumble!” if you are not familiar with this please click on this hyperlink, to learn about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44XNBpl7u2k.

The Gospel this week (Mark 1:4-11) has some similar connotations. There is an announcement that “The Son is in the building. Thank you. Thank you very much. And with him I am well pleased!” But have you considered the importance of who made the announcement?

I hope that you understand that the voice that declares Jesus’ presence notes for us that there is a God. A Father. The voice tells us that there is a mission that needs to be accomplished – to reach human souls and draw them home - and that is why the Son has been sent. And because there is a God and God has a mission, God has a church.

The experience of hearing the voice brought about different reactions from different people. But just in case it was missed, this was not a small, quiet voice. It was not an indoor voice in a frilly, lacy moment. It was a booming, shake you out of your socks roar that announced that Jesus was here among us and that God’s favour and grace rested upon him. But why all the fanfare and gusto about this one baptism when so many are being baptized?

Something important that sustained Jesus in his ministry happen in that moment – he saw the heavens open and the Spirit descending to him as he comes up out of the water.  He gained insight into his relationship with his Father. His Father is watching him and is please and celebrating everything that Jesus was doing and blessing with everything that he had to offer him. What was it that Jesus doing? He was following His Father’s will. The Father was rejoicing over the fact that the Son was doing what was asked of him.

And this brings us to the bath time - John baptised Jesus in the River Jordan. The purpose of Mark – and therefore of Peter and Jesus – in sharing this story is for those who follow in this way so that they can capture a vision of what is means to be in Christ, in his death and his resurrection. It is the start of the change from what the world is to what the world is becoming in God’s grace and timing. It is also good news to those who believe because they are told that nothing can overcome God and his kingdom: not by the powers and evil nor by worldly oppressors and systemic persecutions.  That is good news for a community that needs reassurance that things are going to work out, in spite of what might be the current circumstance.

This also means that we are free, not only to proclaim, but also to be handed over to suffering and death. Without being handled over to suffering, pain, disease and death there is no resurrection and new life. Therefore we must be prepared and ready for whatever it is that God calls us to and to follow wherever he is going and doing whatever it is that he is doing. After all, there is a God. And God has a mission. And because God has a mission God has the Church. What do you bring to the mission that you can offer? Jesus is in the building, what will you do next?

Jason+

A Huge thank you

A big thank you to all of the readers! We just past 10,000 reads on the blog! Thanks for your interest and I look forward to writing more!

Jason+