May 4th, 2009
Here is St. Basil of Caesarea in the fourth century, in response to the question, “Whom do I wrong by keeping my property?”
“What, tell me, is your property? Where did you find it? Just like someone in the theater who had a seat and then stopped those who entered, judging that what lies in common in front of everyone to use was his own: Rich men are of the same kind. They first took possession of the common property, and then they keep it as their own become they were the first to take it. If one had taken what is necessary to cover one’s needs and had left the rest to those who are in need, no one would be rich; no one would be poor, no one would be in need.
“Isn’t it true that you fell off the womb naked? Isn’t it true that naked you shall return to the earth? Where is your present property from? If you think it came to your by itself, you don’t believe in God, you don’t acknowledge the creator, and you are not thankful to him who gave it to you. But if you agree and confess that you have it from God, tell us the reason why he gave it to you….
“Who is the greedy person? It’s him who doesn’t content himself with what he has. And who strips? He who steals what belongs to the others. And you think that you are not greedy, and that you do not strip others? What was granted to you, in order for you to take care of the others, you took it and you made it your own. What do you think?
He who strips the clothed is to be called a thief. What should we name him, who is able to dress the naked and doesn’t do it; does he deserve some other name?
The bread that you possess belongs to the hungry. The clothes you store in boxes belong to the naked. The shoes rotting by you belong to the barefoot. The money that you need hide belongs to anyone in need. Your wrong as many people as you were able to help.
Reprinted in Sojourners (sojo.net), May 2008
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May 2nd, 2009
In the Journal for Preachers (Easter 2008), Barbara Brown Taylor notes that when the famed theologian Harvey Cox taught a class called “Jesus and Moral Life” at Harvard college, he left the Resurrection off the syllabus. He stopped at the crucifixion because not all of his students were of the Christian persuasion and the Resurrection stood on the borderline of the historical and the mystical. His students pressed him, however, and not just the Christians. They wanted to know why Cox was leaving out the climax of the story, the part that made Jesus different from Moses, Muhammand, or the Buddha.
Cox decided to add the Resurrection to his syllabus, but not before he had done his own research. Chief among his surprises was the discovery that stories of the raising of the dead in the Hebrew Bible had nothing to do with immortality. They are about God’s justice. “They did not spring up from a yearning for life after death,” Cox writes, “but from the conviction that ultimately a truly just God simply has to vindicate the victims of the callous and the powerful.”
To restore a dead person to life is to strike a blow at mortality, Cox points out, but to restore a crucified man to life is to strike a blow at the system that executed him.
Pastor Jaster
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February 15th, 2009
There is a saying in the bible, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
And here it is that it occurs. Before Paul leaves Ephesus (for what he suspects will be the last time), Paul shares the example of his life. Paul tells how he did not covet anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. Rather, Paul supported himself to show in his own life that the Gospel is free.
And then Paul ends it all by saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Reflect on your life. What has your experience been?
What has made you happier? Getting things or giving things?
Pastor Paul Jaster
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February 14th, 2009
The story of Paul in Ephesus always makes me smile.
Think of one man (Paul) having such an effect on an entire city that it disturbs the craftsmen who make trinkets for the local pagan temples.
I can just see the merchants stirring up the crowd, taking them to the local outdoor theater (which can hold 25,000) and lead them in the thunderous chant, “Great is Artemis!” And I can see the city clerk desperately trying to cool them off and disperse the crowd.
Oh, that our telling of the Gospel would stir up such a fuss that it affects an entire city!
Pastor Jaster
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February 13th, 2009
See if you can find Corinth on a map. You will notice that it is on a small strip of land that connects northern Greece with southern Greece. This small strip of land is an “isthmus” (just like Panama is the isthmus between North and South America).
What this means is that in Greece Corinth is at the crossroads of all traffic going north and south and all traffic going east and west.
Paul found this the perfect place to plant his “tent” and stay awhile. And because of Corinth’s great religious diversity and tolerance, he found many people receptive to the Gospel of Jesus there.
Where are the key places for us to plant mission stations today? Where are the “high traffic” areas?
Pastor Jaster
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February 12th, 2009
In Athens Paul provides a wonderful model of how Christians should engage in conversation with non-Christians. Paul does NOT presume that the crowd he meets on Athen’s streets are not religious.
In fact, Paul does the opposite. Paul says, “Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I came through your city, I saw among your objects of worship an altar to an “Unknown God.” And then, Paul uses this as the opportunity to tell them about this “Unknown God,” namely, the God and Father of Jesus Christ.
We get farther when we treat the belief’s of others with respect, then when we treat other people as ignorant fools. Many people have a natural religious curiosity that can be the beginning point for Christian witness.
Pastor Jaster
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February 11th, 2009
There is an old saying that, “When God closes one door, he opens up another.” That was certainly true for the Apostle Paul. Acts 16.6 marks a great turning point in his travel plans.
Paul had planned to do more mission work in northern Turkey. But he was prevented from doing that by the Holy Spirit.
Instead Paul has a vision of a man from Macedonia (northern Greece) saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
And so, Paul gets on a boat and sails from Turkey to Greece. And within a couple of weeks, Paul makes his first convert on European soil, a woman by the name of Lydia. And Paul goes on to establish thriving churches in Philippi, Thessalonica and Corinth.
The message is a simple one. When God closes one door, God only does it to push us further and open another one. This has certainly happened to me. Has this ever happened to you?
Pastor Jaster
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February 10th, 2009
It is good to see that the early church had their arguments and differences, too. Acts 15 describes a church council to settle a controversy of the conversion of the Gentiles. Did Gentile men need to be circumcised on top of being baptized or was baptism enough?
The elders reached consensus by looking at the working of God’s Spirit, turning to the Scriptures, listening carefully to all positions and being open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
I like they way they put it in the end, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials.” It is a good model on how to deal with tough issues in the church.
Pastor Jaster
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February 10th, 2009
Christ is talking about end times. What does
he mean by “this generation will certainly
not pass away until all these things have
happened”? Obviously, many generations
have passed since he spoke
these words.
Paulette G.
Posted in Reading Mark Together | No Comments »
February 10th, 2009
I think that the writer of Mark places alot of
importance on this segment of the gospel.
His chapters range from 20 to 56 verses,
except for this chapter at 72 verses. His
anointing, the last supper, his arrest and trial,
and Peter. It makes you anxious to see it all
resolved.
Paulette G.
Posted in Reading Mark Together, Uncategorized "Let's Talk" | No Comments »