Haunted by Heroes

Good Morning, Loved Ones,

Today our lectionary passage comes from the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 (The Message)

^5-6God's Message:

"Cursed is the strong one
who depends on mere humans,
Who thinks he can make it on muscle alone
and sets God aside as dead weight.
He's like a tumbleweed on the prairie,
out of touch with the good earth.
He lives rootless and aimless
in a land where nothing grows.

^7-8"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,
the woman who sticks with God.
They're like trees replanted in Eden,
putting down roots near the rivers—
Never a worry through the hottest of summers,
never dropping a leaf,
Serene and calm through droughts,
bearing fresh fruit every season.

In Jesus' life and journey to the cross he redefines for us weak and strong, first and last, rich and poor. His redefinition really is not new. All the prophets and the faithful kings and priests of Israel knew that God's values and our human values are often in opposition. I was raised on the great American doctrine of the rugged individual who takes control of his own destiny and vanquishes all foes by virtue of his strong will and moral superiority. John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Superman, Batman, Kwai Chang Caine of Kung Fu fame. These were the fictional heroes of my youth. Though they sometimes battled for the underdog and on occasion were the underdog, they always managed to win in the end because of their will and moral superiority. Although I have long-since left behind these childhood heroes, I'm afraid they still haunt me. They still live inside me and are at war with my faithful understanding of Jesus and his mission and ministry. Strength is not the ability to vanquish your foes by any means. Being first does not necessarily mean winning. Wealth has little to do with financial resources. Jeremiah the prophet contrasts the "Strong one" and the "trusting one." The trusting one is like a tree. The strong one is like a tumbleweed. The tumbleweed sets God aside. The tree sticks with God. I thank God today that Jesus stuck with God. I thank God that his life gives us an alternative to the death-dealing values of our superheroes. I thank God that in Jesus' life and death we see the end of violence as a means of redemption. Thank you, Jesus, for your faithfulness which allows us be serene and calm through the droughts and to bear fruit even after a late freeze.

I close today with a portion of the lectionary passage from Philippians.

Philippians 4:4-9 (The Message)

^4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

^6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

^8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

The Peace of Christ be with you all this Holy Week,

Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com

Don't forget this week's schedule:
Potluck/Seder/Communion - Thursday - 6:30 pm (please bring a side dish to share)
Stations of the Cross - Good Friday - Noon - Washington Park on the north side of Crown Center (Sponsored by Holy Family Catholic Worker House)
Deacons and Elders meeting - Saturday - 3:30 pm (Please be in prayer and fasting for this meeting)
Sunrise Service - Sunday - Begins at 6:30 at Huron Park behind the downtown KCK library (Bring a chair)
Easter Breakfast - 8 am after the sunrise service (Cooked by the men of the church)
Sunday School - 9:45 am
Easter Sunday service - 11 am (No lunch after worship)