Scripture: Mark 1:21-28
1. Jesus' First Healing
In recent times we have been reflecting upon the person, nature and role of Jesus as it is recorded in the Gospels. Mark commences his gospel with the baptism of Jesus, his fasting in the wilderness and being exposed to the temptations of satan. Then, he prepared for the launching of the Galilean Ministry by gathering together the first disciples. From there, "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach" (Mark 1:21).
Capernaum is a city located on the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee. In the synagogue of that city Jesus began to teach on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a weekly day of rest and worship, observed by Jewish people, which begins the sunset of Friday and ends the next sunset. In Judea, each city had at least one synagogue, a house of assembly and prayer, where Jewish worship services took place. During the service they read and listened to lectures from the Jewish Bible. Anyone could give lectures, providing they received permission from the ruler of the synagogue.
When Jesus spoke there, "The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law" (Mark 1:22).
"The teachers of the law" were people who gave lessons based on the Torah (the first five books of of the law as revealed by God to Moses), and the Mishner (The Jewish Oral law). The latter is a compilation of directions about how to practice teachings of the Torah in daily life. Thus lectures from the law teachers were practical and detailed in all activities of life. In contrast, Jesus taught them as one who had divine authority. His essential message was: "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15).
The audience was impressed and amazed because they found in Jesus' words completely different and new. In that synagogue there was a man possessed by an evil spirit and he began to cry out: "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" (Mark 1:24).
'Spirit' is "רוּחַ -rouah" in Hebrew and "πνεύμα-pneuma" in Greek, which originally meant breath or wind. In ancient times, humans thought supernatural power presented itself in the form of breath or wind. Where a spirit was perceived to be coming from God it was called 'spirit' whereas another which might come from a demoniac existence was called an 'evil spirit.' Ancient people considered psychological illness to be caused by such evil spirits, because the symptoms produced the inability of communication with other humans, extending to that with God.
Jesus made the evil spirit quiet as Mark recorded: "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek (Mark 1:25-26). Jesus' first healing in the Gospel is the exorcism of a demon. Naturally the crowd in the synagogue were amazed: "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him" (Mark 1:27).
According to the Gospels driving out evil spirits and healing people was a feature of Jesus' early work. But, for one's modern reasoning mind, those works which go beyond our human ability to comprehend, are sometimes difficult to accept. Therefore we often leave out or gloss over the issues and the preaching methods of Jesus as the Gospels faithfully record. But I think it would be meaningful to seek attentively the messages we can derive from these episodes of exorcism and healing that Jesus chose to perform in the early days of His ministry.
2. Wrong Spirit in Today's World
To us, who live in the 21st century, the portion of Mark chapter 1, might be descriptive of a cultic exorcism. But, despite that, Mark recorded similar cases repeatedly in his Gospel. For example,"Calling the twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits" (Mark 6:7). And: "They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them" (Mark 6:12-13).
In Jesus time, sickness was considered to be a punishment by God for sin. The people of that time thought God used evil spirits for that purpose. Therefore the sick, especially lepers, were excluded from communities and considered cursed by God. Mentally deranged people were also thought to be impure and therefore prohibited from entering into public spaces. But Jesus was moved with compassion (Mark 1:40–45), because he knew that sickness is not a curse from God. God loved the world so much he gave his only son to grant us salvation and forgiveness (John 3:16). Such a merciful God would never want the sick to be excluded from society. And Jesus, in accordance with God's love continually drove out evil spirits and healed the sick.
In today's world those who suffer from psychiatric illness are also suffering from social prejudice. In Japan, the number of suicidal cases increased to 30,000 last year. If statistics were to include the number of failed attempts, the total would be more than 300,000. The majority of those who suicide are people who are severely depressed and afflicted with a range of psychiatric conditions. If we count their family members there might be more than 1 million people who are suffering from a sickness in kind.
We are living in a society where people think and behave egocentrically, and neglect the needs of others. Neurotic, deranged and depressed people can sometimes no longer cope with the everyday stress of life and suddenly explode into violence. For example, recently an arrested murderous aggressor confessed to the police that he wanted to kill because he was frustrated. However even today's medical researchers cannot fully explain the real cause of some illness related behaviour.
Currently the world economy is undergoing a severe recession, which is hurting industry and causing job losses. During the good times of business expansion, many large Japanese companies employed temporary workers without the guarantee of welfare benefits. Now, they are cutting the jobs of those employees who are not covered with social security. As a result, they have no way of obtaining their essential day-to-day needs. Many of these workers will need help as they suffer through stress related illness and neurotic conditions. Some may perceive this to be unlucky, others might see it as an evil spirit in their midst.
The World Health Organisation describes health as a dynamic state of complete physical, psychological, spiritual and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. I would like to draw your attention to the expression, 'physical, psychological, spiritual and social well-being.' That is exactly what Jesus sought for the sick people of his day. In other words to save those who were excluded from societies due to their physical or mental state. In God's Kingdom there is no segregation.
3. Our Search for Healing
Today's invocation verses are Matthew 8:16-17, "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.'"
We find in the synoptic Gospels 115 episodes in total concerning the healing works of Jesus. The sheer number explains why writers have considered them to be an important part of Jesus' ministries. However, some contemporary churches do not place much emphasis on the healing ministries. Even Paul does not refer to those episodes in his letters. Many still wonder if there is such a thing as divine healing in the Christian community today. Its a question being asked by thousands of people who long for relief from suffering and illness.
But I think the modern church should take seriously the healing acts of Jesus and his disciples. In many instances, Jesus healed people who were considered to be sinners. For example, a man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him, "If you are willing, you can make me clean" (Mark 1:40). Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man, "I am willing, be clean!" (Mark 1:41). Even on Sabbath days healing ministries were conducted by Jesus who, for instance, said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone" (Mark 3:3).
Jesus carried the burdens of the sick, the lonely and depressed by accepting social accusations and personal intimidation. He shared their pain. The modern church can still learn from the Gospels by sharing the pain of socially excluded people, by reaching out to them in their hour of need. Jesus commenced His ministry with the words, "The time has come" (Mark 1:15). He healed the sick and dispossessed with a word and a touch. He nurtured the afflicted into a sane and sensible relationship with God.
The miracle of healing gave authority to Jesus' teaching and preaching, and many still believe that God has given today's Christian church the same miraculous ministry. So, the time has come for us to try and do whatever we can for the social victims of today. We can pray with sincerity for those who have lost their jobs and others in society who have a wrong spirit. With a word and a touch we can help the healing process of those afflicted with illness and special needs. By so doing, we will be following in the footsteps of Jesus.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Friday, 30 January 2009
The Gathering of the First
Scripture: John 1:35-51
1. Come and see
From the beginning of this year we have been tracing the life and times of Jesus by reading from the four Gospels. Today's lecturing portion is from the second half of John chapter 1, which describes the gathering of the first disciples. Today's theme focuses on how people are called to become disciples of Jesus, and how we should spread Jesus' teachings in today's modern world. We will also learn about the methods used for preaching and teaching by following the selected scripture readings.
When John the Baptist commenced preaching in the desert of Judea, many came from all around the country to be baptized. In Jesus time the Israelites lived under harsh conditions due to severe colonial policies of the Roman Empire. They were hoping for a Messiah who would come and save them from the dominating power of the foreign occupation forces. At that very time John the baptist appeared as a prophet, preaching: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew3:2).
Some even thought that John himself was the long expected Messiah. But, John testifies to Jesus' unique relationship with God (John 1:18). The sequence of days continues: "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!'" (John 1:35).
John's witness leads his disciples to become followers of Jesus (John 1:37). Jesus initiates conversation with the two disciples with a question that has symbolic as well as literal meaning. "Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' 'Come,' he replied, 'and you will see' They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day'" (John 1:38-39). To seek Jesus is to seek after God. The disciples addressed Jesus as a teacher or rabbi. The conversation ends with an invitation to 'come and see.'
The story of the first two disciples is incomplete until their witness brings others to Jesus. "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'" (John 1:40-42). A new title for Jesus is introduced - Messiah. The title speaks to Israel's hopes for a future leader, a new king like David or a prophet like Moses. As in all early Christian tradition, Peter has a prominent role.
The next day Jesus initiates the call of Philip: "Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, 'Follow me'" (John 1:43). Thus they became Jesus' followers. Then Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus by using the same expression, "Come and see" (John 1:46). Philip, Andrew, and Peter are named disciples in all of the Gospels. Philip bears witness, just as Andrew did earlier. Discipleship is active, not passive. Jesus is identified as the one who fulfils the promises of Scripture.
2. Calling and Response
I would like to draw your attention to some simple words in this story, "come and you will see" (John 1:39), and "follow me" (John 1:43, 46). They are simple words of invitation which started a chain reaction. John the Baptist said to two of his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of God!" Words which led Andrew and others to Jesus. Then Andrew gave his testimony to Peter, "We have found the Messiah." Peter did the same to Philip, who passed on the news to his friend Nathanaeal.
The second step of evangelising is to communicate to neighbors and friends what we have seen and found. Those in the Gospel of John who received the news were motivated to become believers.
The next and most and important step is to stay. 'Stay' is a key word throughout John's Gospel. Indeed, it is repeated some 40 times in total. 'Stay' was translated from 'μένω (men'-o)' in Greek, which has several meanings. We find one of them 'to sojourn' in verse 38, "Rabbi ,where are you staying?" But a more frequent meaning is to remain, or not to depart. That linguistic fact reveals that the apparently trivial question was concealed. Another question which comes to mind is, "Where are you situated inside the salvation plan of God?" Therefore they "followed" Jesus to see the answer, then they decided not leave Him. As a result, they could give their testimony : "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41).
3. Remain in Christ
Today's invocation verse is John 15:4 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
The word "remain" in this verse is the same word as 'μένω {men'-o}' used in John chapter 1. The root is crucial for the life of a tree. The trunk springs from it and from that trunk branches grow out. Branches can survive only by taking energy and water from the root and the trunk. Once separated form the trunk, branches wither and die. And, so it is with us. If we are to bear fruit, we need to remain in Jesus.
The early church was persecuted by the Jewish religious authorities. Furthermore, the Roman ruling power oppressed the early church and considered it to be a dangerous sect. Under such circumstances many new believers left the church and lost their faith. Not all believers remained in Jesus. However, those who remained faithful did not abandon their faith. Many of them suffered for their faith and were tortured or even killed. Their strong public faith drew others to Jesus. Throughout Christian history, the word 'witness (to the faith)' gave birth to the term 'martyr.' The preaching ministry was carried on by those who remained in Jesus, regardless of danger and the risk of losing one's life.
We are not the trunk of the vine, but we are the branches. We must remain in Jesus because if we depart from Him our faith withers and dies. But how can we do that? By staying in the church. Indeed several might say they are disappointed by the church and think they can remain in Jesus by reading the Bible and praying alone. It is possible. But in reality, so far as we know, the majority of those who have left the church also lost their faith.
Unfortunately, it is also true that there are sinners and evil within the church. And that reality pushes people away. Nevertheless, it is also true that once we separate from the church we separate from Jesus. Though the purpose of preaching is to increase believers, encourage baptism, and give witness to the faith, we have another important mission. We must work tirelessly in order that those believers within the church remain.
Last week we conducted a funeral ceremony for one of our church members. The grand-father in law of the deceased was one of the Christians who founded the protestant church in Japan after the Meiji revolution. During that time Christianity was still illegal and considered to be a dangerous sect. Despite such juridical and social conditions, they founded the body of Christ and spread Jesus' teachings. The deceased person became a Christian through her husband who met Christ through his own father. The same effect which occurred and repeated itself here was similar to the chain reaction which started with John the Baptist and his disciples.
If we wish to follow in the foot-steps of the first disciples, there are three main points in today's lecture which will help us to achieve that goal. We must first accept Jesus' invitations to 'come and see' (John 1:39), and 'follow me' (John 1:43,46). We must be prepared to personally testify to others about what we have seen and found in Jesus. And finally, we must pray to God through Jesus, that we will remain firmly in the faith (John 15:4).
1. Come and see
From the beginning of this year we have been tracing the life and times of Jesus by reading from the four Gospels. Today's lecturing portion is from the second half of John chapter 1, which describes the gathering of the first disciples. Today's theme focuses on how people are called to become disciples of Jesus, and how we should spread Jesus' teachings in today's modern world. We will also learn about the methods used for preaching and teaching by following the selected scripture readings.
When John the Baptist commenced preaching in the desert of Judea, many came from all around the country to be baptized. In Jesus time the Israelites lived under harsh conditions due to severe colonial policies of the Roman Empire. They were hoping for a Messiah who would come and save them from the dominating power of the foreign occupation forces. At that very time John the baptist appeared as a prophet, preaching: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew3:2).
Some even thought that John himself was the long expected Messiah. But, John testifies to Jesus' unique relationship with God (John 1:18). The sequence of days continues: "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!'" (John 1:35).
John's witness leads his disciples to become followers of Jesus (John 1:37). Jesus initiates conversation with the two disciples with a question that has symbolic as well as literal meaning. "Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' 'Come,' he replied, 'and you will see' They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day'" (John 1:38-39). To seek Jesus is to seek after God. The disciples addressed Jesus as a teacher or rabbi. The conversation ends with an invitation to 'come and see.'
The story of the first two disciples is incomplete until their witness brings others to Jesus. "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'" (John 1:40-42). A new title for Jesus is introduced - Messiah. The title speaks to Israel's hopes for a future leader, a new king like David or a prophet like Moses. As in all early Christian tradition, Peter has a prominent role.
The next day Jesus initiates the call of Philip: "Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, 'Follow me'" (John 1:43). Thus they became Jesus' followers. Then Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus by using the same expression, "Come and see" (John 1:46). Philip, Andrew, and Peter are named disciples in all of the Gospels. Philip bears witness, just as Andrew did earlier. Discipleship is active, not passive. Jesus is identified as the one who fulfils the promises of Scripture.
2. Calling and Response
I would like to draw your attention to some simple words in this story, "come and you will see" (John 1:39), and "follow me" (John 1:43, 46). They are simple words of invitation which started a chain reaction. John the Baptist said to two of his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of God!" Words which led Andrew and others to Jesus. Then Andrew gave his testimony to Peter, "We have found the Messiah." Peter did the same to Philip, who passed on the news to his friend Nathanaeal.
The second step of evangelising is to communicate to neighbors and friends what we have seen and found. Those in the Gospel of John who received the news were motivated to become believers.
The next and most and important step is to stay. 'Stay' is a key word throughout John's Gospel. Indeed, it is repeated some 40 times in total. 'Stay' was translated from 'μένω (men'-o)' in Greek, which has several meanings. We find one of them 'to sojourn' in verse 38, "Rabbi ,where are you staying?" But a more frequent meaning is to remain, or not to depart. That linguistic fact reveals that the apparently trivial question was concealed. Another question which comes to mind is, "Where are you situated inside the salvation plan of God?" Therefore they "followed" Jesus to see the answer, then they decided not leave Him. As a result, they could give their testimony : "We have found the Messiah" (John 1:41).
3. Remain in Christ
Today's invocation verse is John 15:4 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."
The word "remain" in this verse is the same word as 'μένω {men'-o}' used in John chapter 1. The root is crucial for the life of a tree. The trunk springs from it and from that trunk branches grow out. Branches can survive only by taking energy and water from the root and the trunk. Once separated form the trunk, branches wither and die. And, so it is with us. If we are to bear fruit, we need to remain in Jesus.
The early church was persecuted by the Jewish religious authorities. Furthermore, the Roman ruling power oppressed the early church and considered it to be a dangerous sect. Under such circumstances many new believers left the church and lost their faith. Not all believers remained in Jesus. However, those who remained faithful did not abandon their faith. Many of them suffered for their faith and were tortured or even killed. Their strong public faith drew others to Jesus. Throughout Christian history, the word 'witness (to the faith)' gave birth to the term 'martyr.' The preaching ministry was carried on by those who remained in Jesus, regardless of danger and the risk of losing one's life.
We are not the trunk of the vine, but we are the branches. We must remain in Jesus because if we depart from Him our faith withers and dies. But how can we do that? By staying in the church. Indeed several might say they are disappointed by the church and think they can remain in Jesus by reading the Bible and praying alone. It is possible. But in reality, so far as we know, the majority of those who have left the church also lost their faith.
Unfortunately, it is also true that there are sinners and evil within the church. And that reality pushes people away. Nevertheless, it is also true that once we separate from the church we separate from Jesus. Though the purpose of preaching is to increase believers, encourage baptism, and give witness to the faith, we have another important mission. We must work tirelessly in order that those believers within the church remain.
Last week we conducted a funeral ceremony for one of our church members. The grand-father in law of the deceased was one of the Christians who founded the protestant church in Japan after the Meiji revolution. During that time Christianity was still illegal and considered to be a dangerous sect. Despite such juridical and social conditions, they founded the body of Christ and spread Jesus' teachings. The deceased person became a Christian through her husband who met Christ through his own father. The same effect which occurred and repeated itself here was similar to the chain reaction which started with John the Baptist and his disciples.
If we wish to follow in the foot-steps of the first disciples, there are three main points in today's lecture which will help us to achieve that goal. We must first accept Jesus' invitations to 'come and see' (John 1:39), and 'follow me' (John 1:43,46). We must be prepared to personally testify to others about what we have seen and found in Jesus. And finally, we must pray to God through Jesus, that we will remain firmly in the faith (John 15:4).
Friday, 23 January 2009
The Baptism of Jesus
Scripture Mark :1:7-11
1. John the Baptist
In this new year of 2009, we continue to trace the life and times of Jesus. We have already turned our attention to Luke and reflected upon Mary's conception at Christmas. Mary accepted the annunciation hesitatingly, by saying to the angel: "May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). Last week, we looked at Matthew and followed the episode of Herod's plot to kill the new born Jesus, who was saved by the divine power of God.
Then Luke revealed how Jesus changed direction in his life: "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph" (Luke 3:23). But before commencing his ministry he was baptised by John the Baptist. So today we will contemplate that very event. A most important occurrence for us because we also commenced our Christian life by being baptised.
Mark describes the scene, "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan" (Mark 1:9). "At that time" signifies the period when John the Baptist began his ministry. He was a compelling preacher: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). After hearing rumours of John's ministry, Jesus set out from his hometown of Nazareth, where he was working as a carpenter, and came to the desert region of Judea to be baptized by John the Baptist. Commentators believe that John started his preaching in about 28 C.E., which corresponds to the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1).
In that era, Judea was under control of the Roman Empire, and many bloody rebellious movements involving the Jewish people occurred there. They zealously sought independence. It was embarrassing for the Jewish people to be dominated by Gentiles, like Romans, because they considered themselves to be God's people. They were aspiring to the arrival of the Messiah, who would emancipate them from their current shameful situation.
At that very time they heard about John. They thought perhaps that John might be the long expected messiah: "The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River" (Mark 1:5).
Jesus too was among those who sought to be baptised by John. And when it was accomplished we read, "As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:10-11).
2. Baptism with Water
Today we examine the meaning of Jesus' Baptism by focusing on two points. The first point is there are two types of baptism. For instance, John the Baptist says: " I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:8).
We too are baptized by entering into the water after confessing our sins and repenting. However, some of us lose the faith and drift away from our earlier decisions. There are also those who remain faithful, but are unmoved after the event. It is true, that those decisions and symbolic actions like a baptism with water cannot necessarily bring about regeneration or new life.
Jesus' ministry commenced with baptism from John, and his life ends with another baptism through death on the Cross, as it was written by Mark: "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" (Mark 10:38).
Cup and baptism are metaphors for the suffering and death Jesus faced. My personal understanding of the meaning of baptism recorded by the Gospel is this: Baptism with water is a symbolic act which opens the door to Jesus. Then, as we mature in the faith we arrive at a time when we feel empowered by the Holy Spirit, and ready to bear witness to the cross ourselves. At that time we should feel refreshed, regenerated, with visions of a new life.
I personally believe that the real significance of baptism is the sharing of Jesus' suffering and death on the Cross. However, frankly speaking, I could not understand that for long time. In fact my first baptism was at the age of 20. Since then I regularly attended Sunday services at the church, but my life-style was not changed at all. One day of Sunday worship, followed by 6 days in business, made me to feel like a righteous man.
But at the age of 45, I experienced an incident, which broke the illusion and forced me to acknowledge my sinful condition. In more detail, I hurt my son, mentally and physically, during an aggressive dispute. In consequence our lines of communication was broken. Moreover the entire family relationship became dark and repugnant. So much so I attended an evening school of theology to seek a way of forgiveness. As time passed by, through biblical studies, I gained some insight into the nature of my sin. Remorsefully, I prayed to God. Then suddenly I felt as if I received the second baptism, not with water but with the spirit. The conviction was so strong, that I decided to quit the company I worked for after 30 years of service.
Some feel empowered by the spirit when they are baptised with water. In addition to the baptismal water, Jesus also received the Spirit of God in the form of a dove (Mark 1:10). Others may never feel the movement of the spirit in their life. Great Christians throughout history have often experienced dramatic encounters with God after salvation. It is also true that equally devout, effective Christians have gone through life without such a 'second work,' of grace. In any case the first step to becoming a Christian member of the Baptist Church, is to be baptised with water. Therefore, I earnestly invite those here today who are not yet baptized to make a decision. And to those who have already been baptized with water, please pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
However, it is also encouraging to note that the Apostle Paul argued that we are all united in Christ. He addressed the early church, and some of the members who claimed special privilege and status because of their spiritual gifts. "For in the one spirit we were all baptised into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and we were all made to drink of one spirit" (I Cor. 12:13).
3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Mark describes the scene of Jesus' baptism with the words, "heaven being torn," an apocalyptic image of a heavenly response. On the second point of the lecture, we will reflect on the meaning and significance of "heaven being torn" (Mark 1:10). But, first I will read today's invocation verses: Isaiah 63:18 - 64:1 "For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary. We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! "
Mark's verse 10, draws on the Old Testament book of Isaiah. And the background to the Isaiah verses is the event which happened in 587 B.C. The Babylonian invasion and occupation of Jerusalem. Conquering soldiers burned the city. They killed Jewish men and raped women. Inhabitants were starving.
The author of Lamentations portrays these terrifying scenes: "Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field. With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed" (Lamentations 4:9-10).
The described scene is the embodiment of Hell itself. And those terrible acts were committed not only in the ancient world, but also in modern times, after the second world war for example. At that time the Japanese who had gone into China or Manchu came back to the home country by traveling through former enemy territories.
Normally these journeys were very dangerous, endured under harsh conditions. A large number of Japanese women were raped and became pregnant. Furthermore, after coming back to their homeland, they were segregated and stigmatised with the label of "illegal pregnancy," and forced to undergo abortions. Many of them died due to poor medication, malnutrition, and other surgical procedures. Such miseries were caused by wars which were generated by sinful humans.
Recognising such degradation and sin in Old Testament times, the Jewish people prayed, "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down . . ." (Isaiah 64:1). To such lamentations God later responded by sending his Son. As long as wars occur tragedies will continue. Therefore we must pray, "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down." Mark again uses a similar expression, "torn", later in his Gospel, "The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (15:38). That was the very moment when Jesus died on the Cross. That means God responded once again after a period of silence. The torn curtain symbolizes the achievement of Jesus' mission through His own death, which made all previous animal-sacrifices useless.
We accept that truth when we receive baptism with water. Jesus told His followers not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father. "For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). So now, let us pray, as we wait for the promised Holy Spirit.
Further Reading: The Proper Employment of Spiritual Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1 - 14:40
1. John the Baptist
In this new year of 2009, we continue to trace the life and times of Jesus. We have already turned our attention to Luke and reflected upon Mary's conception at Christmas. Mary accepted the annunciation hesitatingly, by saying to the angel: "May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). Last week, we looked at Matthew and followed the episode of Herod's plot to kill the new born Jesus, who was saved by the divine power of God.
Then Luke revealed how Jesus changed direction in his life: "Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph" (Luke 3:23). But before commencing his ministry he was baptised by John the Baptist. So today we will contemplate that very event. A most important occurrence for us because we also commenced our Christian life by being baptised.
Mark describes the scene, "At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan" (Mark 1:9). "At that time" signifies the period when John the Baptist began his ministry. He was a compelling preacher: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). After hearing rumours of John's ministry, Jesus set out from his hometown of Nazareth, where he was working as a carpenter, and came to the desert region of Judea to be baptized by John the Baptist. Commentators believe that John started his preaching in about 28 C.E., which corresponds to the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1).
In that era, Judea was under control of the Roman Empire, and many bloody rebellious movements involving the Jewish people occurred there. They zealously sought independence. It was embarrassing for the Jewish people to be dominated by Gentiles, like Romans, because they considered themselves to be God's people. They were aspiring to the arrival of the Messiah, who would emancipate them from their current shameful situation.
At that very time they heard about John. They thought perhaps that John might be the long expected messiah: "The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River" (Mark 1:5).
Jesus too was among those who sought to be baptised by John. And when it was accomplished we read, "As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased'" (Mark 1:10-11).
2. Baptism with Water
Today we examine the meaning of Jesus' Baptism by focusing on two points. The first point is there are two types of baptism. For instance, John the Baptist says: " I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:8).
We too are baptized by entering into the water after confessing our sins and repenting. However, some of us lose the faith and drift away from our earlier decisions. There are also those who remain faithful, but are unmoved after the event. It is true, that those decisions and symbolic actions like a baptism with water cannot necessarily bring about regeneration or new life.
Jesus' ministry commenced with baptism from John, and his life ends with another baptism through death on the Cross, as it was written by Mark: "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" (Mark 10:38).
Cup and baptism are metaphors for the suffering and death Jesus faced. My personal understanding of the meaning of baptism recorded by the Gospel is this: Baptism with water is a symbolic act which opens the door to Jesus. Then, as we mature in the faith we arrive at a time when we feel empowered by the Holy Spirit, and ready to bear witness to the cross ourselves. At that time we should feel refreshed, regenerated, with visions of a new life.
I personally believe that the real significance of baptism is the sharing of Jesus' suffering and death on the Cross. However, frankly speaking, I could not understand that for long time. In fact my first baptism was at the age of 20. Since then I regularly attended Sunday services at the church, but my life-style was not changed at all. One day of Sunday worship, followed by 6 days in business, made me to feel like a righteous man.
But at the age of 45, I experienced an incident, which broke the illusion and forced me to acknowledge my sinful condition. In more detail, I hurt my son, mentally and physically, during an aggressive dispute. In consequence our lines of communication was broken. Moreover the entire family relationship became dark and repugnant. So much so I attended an evening school of theology to seek a way of forgiveness. As time passed by, through biblical studies, I gained some insight into the nature of my sin. Remorsefully, I prayed to God. Then suddenly I felt as if I received the second baptism, not with water but with the spirit. The conviction was so strong, that I decided to quit the company I worked for after 30 years of service.
Some feel empowered by the spirit when they are baptised with water. In addition to the baptismal water, Jesus also received the Spirit of God in the form of a dove (Mark 1:10). Others may never feel the movement of the spirit in their life. Great Christians throughout history have often experienced dramatic encounters with God after salvation. It is also true that equally devout, effective Christians have gone through life without such a 'second work,' of grace. In any case the first step to becoming a Christian member of the Baptist Church, is to be baptised with water. Therefore, I earnestly invite those here today who are not yet baptized to make a decision. And to those who have already been baptized with water, please pray for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
However, it is also encouraging to note that the Apostle Paul argued that we are all united in Christ. He addressed the early church, and some of the members who claimed special privilege and status because of their spiritual gifts. "For in the one spirit we were all baptised into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and we were all made to drink of one spirit" (I Cor. 12:13).
3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Mark describes the scene of Jesus' baptism with the words, "heaven being torn," an apocalyptic image of a heavenly response. On the second point of the lecture, we will reflect on the meaning and significance of "heaven being torn" (Mark 1:10). But, first I will read today's invocation verses: Isaiah 63:18 - 64:1 "For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary. We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! "
Mark's verse 10, draws on the Old Testament book of Isaiah. And the background to the Isaiah verses is the event which happened in 587 B.C. The Babylonian invasion and occupation of Jerusalem. Conquering soldiers burned the city. They killed Jewish men and raped women. Inhabitants were starving.
The author of Lamentations portrays these terrifying scenes: "Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field. With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed" (Lamentations 4:9-10).
The described scene is the embodiment of Hell itself. And those terrible acts were committed not only in the ancient world, but also in modern times, after the second world war for example. At that time the Japanese who had gone into China or Manchu came back to the home country by traveling through former enemy territories.
Normally these journeys were very dangerous, endured under harsh conditions. A large number of Japanese women were raped and became pregnant. Furthermore, after coming back to their homeland, they were segregated and stigmatised with the label of "illegal pregnancy," and forced to undergo abortions. Many of them died due to poor medication, malnutrition, and other surgical procedures. Such miseries were caused by wars which were generated by sinful humans.
Recognising such degradation and sin in Old Testament times, the Jewish people prayed, "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down . . ." (Isaiah 64:1). To such lamentations God later responded by sending his Son. As long as wars occur tragedies will continue. Therefore we must pray, "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down." Mark again uses a similar expression, "torn", later in his Gospel, "The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (15:38). That was the very moment when Jesus died on the Cross. That means God responded once again after a period of silence. The torn curtain symbolizes the achievement of Jesus' mission through His own death, which made all previous animal-sacrifices useless.
We accept that truth when we receive baptism with water. Jesus told His followers not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father. "For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5). So now, let us pray, as we wait for the promised Holy Spirit.
Further Reading: The Proper Employment of Spiritual Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12:1 - 14:40
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Epiphany
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
1. Visit of the Magi
As early as the fourth century, Epiphany has been the festival commemorating the visit of the wise men to the baby Jesus. The account of that visit in Matthew 2:1-12 is thus the center of attention in our church today. The visit of the Magi is regarded as the first appearance of Jesus to the gentiles. This is the season to declare the manifestation of the divine Son. The festival is usually commemorated on January 6. The text from Matthew begins: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him'"（Matthew 2:1-2).
Magi are like astrologers, and people of that era thought they were capable of seeing into the future. They augured upcoming events by observing the stars. For example, it is said that the birth of Alexander the Great was portrayed by astrologers, as the appearance of one who would destroy the oriental world."We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" means that the Magi predicted the arrival of Jesus by studying astrological movements. A German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, J.Kepler* concluded, after referring to ancient records concerning movements of Saturn and Jupiter, that the year of this phenomena would correspond to about 7 B.C.
To see the new born king of the Jews, the Magi came to the palace because Herod the Great was the king of the Jews at that time. But it was a big mistake, and their words, 'the king of the Jews' upset Herod. Despite his domination over Judea, Herod's origin was not Jewish but Idumaean. He had taken over the ruler's post from Hasmoneans, the authentic Jewish dynasty, with the support of the Roman occupation forces.
He was not popular with the Jewish people, and his status was in reality, very fragile. To justify his reign he married a daughter of the Hasmonian family, but he remained anxious about his status. He killed the Hasmonian's relatives, even his own sons born from that marriage.** So, perhaps it was understandable that he became extremely nervous when he heard the Magi's talking.
Matthew reports that all Jerusalem was disturbed by that news, as was Herod (Matthew 2:3). "All Jerusalem" indicates, "chief priests and teachers of the law," not ordinary Jewish people. Because it was the privileged of society who hated change.
Herod created a plot which would stifle the possibility of the child's survival. At first he needed to know the baby's birth place, so when he had called together all the people's chief priests, and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied (Matthew 2:5). But the high ranking Jewish people, remained aloof, and did not even comprehend what the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem meant to the world.
In contrast, the Magi set off from Jerusalem to adore the future king by following the guiding star. Being informed of Herod's dangerous plot, they were able to warn the parents of the new born Jesus (Matt. 2:11-14). Later, "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi" (Matt. 2:16). The place was filled with weeping and great mourning for the parents of baby boys.
2. From a Position of Faith
The birth of Jesus, God's agent, into a sinful imperial world brings two responses. The powerful centre rejects him. Herod, Rome's vassal king over Judea (40-4 BCE), tries to murder the new born Jesus. In contrast, insignificant people from the margins - the Gentile magi, or wise men, Joseph and Mary - all welcome God's initiative. We should read the text passage Matthew 2:1-23 in its entirety from a position of faith. The content includes three pivotal elements: the Magi's visiting Herod, the massacre of baby boys in Bethlehem and the escape of Joseph's family into Egypt.
From the faith point of view, the first element from which we comment is the identification of Jesus. Issues of identity and lifestyle were especially important to the largely Jewish audience for whom the Gospel of Matthew was initially written. The Jewish people were aspiring for the arrival of a Messiah, a leader who would free them from Roman domination. The idea that the birth of great leaders would be accompanied by celestial signs were fairly common at the time of Matthew's writing. A more immediate background is provided by several Old Testament texts: Isaiah 60:1-6, which speaks of kings coming to worship Israel's God, bringing gifts of gold and frankincense; the strange seer from the east (Num. 23-24) who saw a star "come forth out of Jacob" Num. 24:17); and the account of Moses being saved from the wicked Pharoah's slaughter (Exod. 2:1-10).
The second comment is about the Savior's birth place chosen by God, in Bethlehem - not in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a little town approximately 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. Jesus was born and worshiped for the first time in such a remote place. Even though Jerusalem was a huge city claimed by some as God's city, nobody there celebrated the birth of Mary's baby. Furthermore, the plot to kill the new born babies was secretly conceived and troops were organized for that purpose in Jerusalem. Thirty years later, Jesus was arrested and put on the Cross in that very city. History records that Jerusalem was hostile against Jesus on more than two occasions.
The third and most important point is that Jesus was firstly worshiped by the Gentiles, not by the Jewish people. The Jewish leaders considered themselves to be chosen by God, therefore they saw Jesus as the enemy who challenged their privilege of status. In contrast, the Gentiles rejoiced in the news about the birth of the future Savior of the world, and came to worship Him by traveling thousands of kilometers.
3. Through Acceptance Comes Peace
Today's invocation verses are John 1:11-12, "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. The majority of Jewish people rejected Jesus, whereas the Gentiles accepted Him as the Savior. The verses above represent John's testimony to the fact that the rejection of Jesus by the Israelites opened the way for all human beings to receive forgiveness and became God's children.
We are now living in the 21st century. The preceding one was symbolized by progress in science, research and technology. Thanks to new discoveries and inventions the human life span is longer. Population has increased enormously, and our material lives have become much more plentiful than before. Nevertheless, we cannot say that humans are happier now, because advanced technologies also generated weapons of mass destruction. In consequence, casualties, and victims of war have increased tremendously because humans cannot stop fighting. Conflicts continue in Iraq and Afghanastan, between Christians and Islamic terrorists, for example. Wars due to racism continue to cause misery in Africa and Palestine.
Many wars are provoked by racial hatred. Like those who rejected God's Son, or as the Gospel of John records, "His own (Jewish people) did not receive him." But the Gentiles received him, believed in his name, and were given the right to become children of God.
As long as we are held mentally captive of preconceived ideas about our fellow humans, and continue to bear racial prejudices, we cannot expect anything to change. And that attitude will only lead to open conflict and disputes. The only way to get free from such yolks is to find and recognize God, who goes beyond all racial, religious or dogmatic boundaries.
Paul experienced a similar problem, the attitude which refuses to accept differences in lifestyles. On one of those occasions he taught Christians to open their minds to Jesus' Sacrifice: "If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died" (Romans 14:15).
By believing in the same Savior, Jesus Christ, we can come to understand different attitudes and thinking. Christ died for our sake, regardless of status or life-style. Jesus came to reconcile all of us with our neighbors. However, many of us have rejected Him, and so the disputes and wars in the world continue unabated.
But for those of us who have accepted Jesus, there is a message. Keep in mind our given role, and continue to make the effort to spread peace and good-will among the many different peoples and cultures of this world. To conclude today's lecture, I would like to share with you the words of a thoughtful prayer by St. Francis of Assisi.*** May the words speak to our hearts and encourage us to spread God's love and peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy;
----
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean
*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis
1. Visit of the Magi
As early as the fourth century, Epiphany has been the festival commemorating the visit of the wise men to the baby Jesus. The account of that visit in Matthew 2:1-12 is thus the center of attention in our church today. The visit of the Magi is regarded as the first appearance of Jesus to the gentiles. This is the season to declare the manifestation of the divine Son. The festival is usually commemorated on January 6. The text from Matthew begins: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him'"（Matthew 2:1-2).
Magi are like astrologers, and people of that era thought they were capable of seeing into the future. They augured upcoming events by observing the stars. For example, it is said that the birth of Alexander the Great was portrayed by astrologers, as the appearance of one who would destroy the oriental world."We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" means that the Magi predicted the arrival of Jesus by studying astrological movements. A German mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, J.Kepler* concluded, after referring to ancient records concerning movements of Saturn and Jupiter, that the year of this phenomena would correspond to about 7 B.C.
To see the new born king of the Jews, the Magi came to the palace because Herod the Great was the king of the Jews at that time. But it was a big mistake, and their words, 'the king of the Jews' upset Herod. Despite his domination over Judea, Herod's origin was not Jewish but Idumaean. He had taken over the ruler's post from Hasmoneans, the authentic Jewish dynasty, with the support of the Roman occupation forces.
He was not popular with the Jewish people, and his status was in reality, very fragile. To justify his reign he married a daughter of the Hasmonian family, but he remained anxious about his status. He killed the Hasmonian's relatives, even his own sons born from that marriage.** So, perhaps it was understandable that he became extremely nervous when he heard the Magi's talking.
Matthew reports that all Jerusalem was disturbed by that news, as was Herod (Matthew 2:3). "All Jerusalem" indicates, "chief priests and teachers of the law," not ordinary Jewish people. Because it was the privileged of society who hated change.
Herod created a plot which would stifle the possibility of the child's survival. At first he needed to know the baby's birth place, so when he had called together all the people's chief priests, and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied (Matthew 2:5). But the high ranking Jewish people, remained aloof, and did not even comprehend what the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem meant to the world.
In contrast, the Magi set off from Jerusalem to adore the future king by following the guiding star. Being informed of Herod's dangerous plot, they were able to warn the parents of the new born Jesus (Matt. 2:11-14). Later, "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi" (Matt. 2:16). The place was filled with weeping and great mourning for the parents of baby boys.
2. From a Position of Faith
The birth of Jesus, God's agent, into a sinful imperial world brings two responses. The powerful centre rejects him. Herod, Rome's vassal king over Judea (40-4 BCE), tries to murder the new born Jesus. In contrast, insignificant people from the margins - the Gentile magi, or wise men, Joseph and Mary - all welcome God's initiative. We should read the text passage Matthew 2:1-23 in its entirety from a position of faith. The content includes three pivotal elements: the Magi's visiting Herod, the massacre of baby boys in Bethlehem and the escape of Joseph's family into Egypt.
From the faith point of view, the first element from which we comment is the identification of Jesus. Issues of identity and lifestyle were especially important to the largely Jewish audience for whom the Gospel of Matthew was initially written. The Jewish people were aspiring for the arrival of a Messiah, a leader who would free them from Roman domination. The idea that the birth of great leaders would be accompanied by celestial signs were fairly common at the time of Matthew's writing. A more immediate background is provided by several Old Testament texts: Isaiah 60:1-6, which speaks of kings coming to worship Israel's God, bringing gifts of gold and frankincense; the strange seer from the east (Num. 23-24) who saw a star "come forth out of Jacob" Num. 24:17); and the account of Moses being saved from the wicked Pharoah's slaughter (Exod. 2:1-10).
The second comment is about the Savior's birth place chosen by God, in Bethlehem - not in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a little town approximately 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. Jesus was born and worshiped for the first time in such a remote place. Even though Jerusalem was a huge city claimed by some as God's city, nobody there celebrated the birth of Mary's baby. Furthermore, the plot to kill the new born babies was secretly conceived and troops were organized for that purpose in Jerusalem. Thirty years later, Jesus was arrested and put on the Cross in that very city. History records that Jerusalem was hostile against Jesus on more than two occasions.
The third and most important point is that Jesus was firstly worshiped by the Gentiles, not by the Jewish people. The Jewish leaders considered themselves to be chosen by God, therefore they saw Jesus as the enemy who challenged their privilege of status. In contrast, the Gentiles rejoiced in the news about the birth of the future Savior of the world, and came to worship Him by traveling thousands of kilometers.
3. Through Acceptance Comes Peace
Today's invocation verses are John 1:11-12, "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. The majority of Jewish people rejected Jesus, whereas the Gentiles accepted Him as the Savior. The verses above represent John's testimony to the fact that the rejection of Jesus by the Israelites opened the way for all human beings to receive forgiveness and became God's children.
We are now living in the 21st century. The preceding one was symbolized by progress in science, research and technology. Thanks to new discoveries and inventions the human life span is longer. Population has increased enormously, and our material lives have become much more plentiful than before. Nevertheless, we cannot say that humans are happier now, because advanced technologies also generated weapons of mass destruction. In consequence, casualties, and victims of war have increased tremendously because humans cannot stop fighting. Conflicts continue in Iraq and Afghanastan, between Christians and Islamic terrorists, for example. Wars due to racism continue to cause misery in Africa and Palestine.
Many wars are provoked by racial hatred. Like those who rejected God's Son, or as the Gospel of John records, "His own (Jewish people) did not receive him." But the Gentiles received him, believed in his name, and were given the right to become children of God.
As long as we are held mentally captive of preconceived ideas about our fellow humans, and continue to bear racial prejudices, we cannot expect anything to change. And that attitude will only lead to open conflict and disputes. The only way to get free from such yolks is to find and recognize God, who goes beyond all racial, religious or dogmatic boundaries.
Paul experienced a similar problem, the attitude which refuses to accept differences in lifestyles. On one of those occasions he taught Christians to open their minds to Jesus' Sacrifice: "If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died" (Romans 14:15).
By believing in the same Savior, Jesus Christ, we can come to understand different attitudes and thinking. Christ died for our sake, regardless of status or life-style. Jesus came to reconcile all of us with our neighbors. However, many of us have rejected Him, and so the disputes and wars in the world continue unabated.
But for those of us who have accepted Jesus, there is a message. Keep in mind our given role, and continue to make the effort to spread peace and good-will among the many different peoples and cultures of this world. To conclude today's lecture, I would like to share with you the words of a thoughtful prayer by St. Francis of Assisi.*** May the words speak to our hearts and encourage us to spread God's love and peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy;
----
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod_the_Great
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasmonean
*** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis
Monday, 5 January 2009
The Practice of Hypocrisy
Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6, 6:16-18
# On the 4th Sunday of every month, Pastor Mizuguchi gives a lecture of reflections upon, "The Sermon on the Mount." This session today, is the ninth of the series and the lecturing text is taken from Matthew chapter 6.
1. Charities, Prayers, and Fasting
Today's passage consists in a sandwich-like structure and its core is the verses known as the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15). We are only focusing today on Matthew verses 1-6 and 16-18. The portion of scripture regarding the Lord's Prayer will be contemplated on another occasion.
Among the first 6 verses the most essential is: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).
For Jewish people of that era "acts of righteousness" included essentially charities, prayers and fasting. And Jesus teaches how those acts should be practiced, in comparison with those who act in a hypocritical way. As we progress, more will be revealed about hypocritical conduct.
1) Charities: "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:2).
2) Prayers: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:5).
3) Fasting: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:16).
The word "Hypocrite" reminds us first of people who pretend to be good and kind by concealing their malicious thinking or malevolent conduct. However, its original meaning was not exactly so. The word which is translated into 'hypocrites' is hupokrisis in Greek, which means ‘acting out a theatrical part,’ to some extent meaning 'actors'.
Actors play various roles on the stage drawing appreciation from the audience. Their prior concern is how spectators evaluate their performance. And those who seek before anything else appreciation from others, tend to live their life as if they were actors, playing a role on the stage.
Jesus called such people, 'hypocrites." Meaning, if we are always worrying about what other people are thinking, our personality and conduct, we could easily be characterized as a 'hypocrite." Although these teachings of Jesus were originally directed to the Jewish people, they could easily apply to anyone. We must wonder if there has been times in our lives when we too acted hypocritically. If so, we will fully comprehend and understand these lessons today.
Matthew 6:2 tells about gifts offered seemingly benevolently but with a hypocritical purpose. Jesus criticized those people who acted hypocritically, whilst portraying themselves "to be honorable men." The description "do not announce it with trumpets,"means do not draw attention to yourselves for doing good. In Japan, some temples and shrines have a public list of names of all who donate. In some instances, they even show the amount of money given. Their goal is to encourage charitable acts by people who seek to be recognized for their good deeds.
But Jesus says, "Don't behave like they do. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:3-4).
He teaches us also to free ourselves from complacency or self-consciousness. Indeed, the path to faith has traps which might catch us in a mood of complacency. Sometimes we feel arrogant satisfaction through the compliments of others. There are those who might do a favour for someone. Even though no one is told about it, sometimes the person secretly hopes the good deed will ultimately be revealed to their friends.
Moreover, if one does not express thankfulness as we imagined they might, we become disappointed, and even angry. We look for appreciation from others for our favourable gestures. But Jesus criticizes severely that kind of conduct: "to give to the needy, they announce it with trumpets in the synagogues and on the streets" (Matthew 6:2).
In contrast, Jesus compels us to seek real appreciation, the rewards given by God our heavenly Father. Those who seek public recognition and rewards through ostentatious methods are compensated with social appreciation. But such rewards are only of earthly value. We Christians must not seek human evaluations. We must focus on what is best in the sight of God. God can see all our conduct, good and bad, even if something is concealed from human eyes. And we should have no preconceived ideas of doing good just to receive compliments.
To people such as ourselves, God sent forth his only Son, Jesus Christ, who tells us, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). God's evaluation is based on such a great and deep mercy. "To look up to God, our Father" is to live by recognizing God's love and mercy. By remaining in a vivid relationship with Him.
True acts of righteousness are not offering donations to the church, or to poor neighbors. Rather, it is feeling and expressing gratefulness to God, who takes care of our every need. That gratefulness must encourage us to do benevolent and charitable acts. When we conduct ourselves in this manner, we will be freed from earthly concerns, like worldly reputations and offers of appreciation. Our real rewards are only accumulated and received by the grace of God.
2. Concerning Prayer
Concerning prayer, Jesus offers further criticism: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward" (Matthew 6:5).
Indeed, they pray, but their prayers are not sincere or genuine. They wish to pray in order to publicly display their faithfulness. By publicly praying they are seeking expressions of appreciation from those who watch. Prayers must not be given for that purpose. Therefore Jesus teaches: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:6).
Matthew 6:7 also teaches: "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Pagans might pray continuously in a foolish or incomprehensible way, because they may think the quantity of words have more power. A similar thinking can be attributed to certain Japanese people. They try to appeal to their gods in order to obtain what they seek, by practicing 'hundred-times-prayers'. Those attitudes seem to me a sort of extortion with verbal violence towards their gods.
In the following verse Jesus tells us who our God is, and how our relationship with him should be: "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8). Pagans' gods are so far from humans that they need a lot of words to draw their attention. In contrast our Christ is always beside us, in knowing what we need even before we express them in prayer. Perhaps some might say therefore there should be no need to pray in that case.
To some extent they are right because we should pray, before all, not to obtain what we want, but to give praise and gratefulness to God for His love. We pray to communicate with God. God's love has been, and is always with us even before the birth of Jesus. However it is thanks to Jesus Christ that we can recognize and authentically feel the power of God's love, and enter into a relationship with Him. Our prayers must be given spontaneously as expressions of our gratefulness.
3. Concerning Fasting
Matthew 6:16-18 concern fasting. Fasting is abstaining from foods as a practice of asceticism. In early Jewish societies during the time of Jesus, fasting was sometimes recognized to be an expression of lamentation, sadness due to sin. The original purpose of fasting was to show how they are repentant of their sins. Thus the important point of the practice is not physical renunciation of food, but of spiritual repentance.
Nevertheless, as time passed by, the practice became a sort of performance to show oneself as a faithful person, a superficial manifestation of faith. In consequence, very often they intentionally simulated a suffering state during a time of fasting. Jesus criticized this tendency: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:16).
"They have received their reward in full" means they were already praised by neighbors for their apparent faithful acts. They became so complacent they did not need any further appreciation from God. But the real rewards we must seek is that of God's forgiveness and mercy.
I chose Matthew 9:15 for today's invocation verse: "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."
The verse above was the answer to the disciples of John the Baptist, who questioned: "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" (Matthew 9:14).
"The bridegroom" is a reference to Jesus himself. Disciples of Jesus did not fast because Jesus was with them. For Christians the time when Jesus remains among them is a time of festivity, filled with joy. Fasting is not appropriate for such a joyful occasion.
It is true, however, that we must be regretful and always repent of our sins. We need to recognize that Jesus came to us as the son of God, to take away our burden of sin. We are forgiven and live with hope and joy. Our sinful past is buried inside Jesus' love.
Today we contemplated three teachings of Jesus concerning charity, prayer and fasting. All three teaches that whatever we do must always focus on God. Worldly reputation and public appreciation cannot hold much importance in the sight of God. Once we become receptive to human acclamation our behaviour tends to become hypocritical.
Naturally many churches seek earthly success, by increasing the size of their congregational membership, or to provide the church building with a huge pipe organ, for example. Those tendencies put churches at risk of becoming a simple human oragnisation - not churches of God.
We must keep in our mind the prior role of the church, given by God: to spread good news about Jesus to our neighbors. For that purpose we do not need "trumpets," or ostentatious methods because: " For I (the Lord Jesus) am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:1).
And finally, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:16). If we were thinking of a phrase to take with us, into the New Year of 2009, perhaps we could consider: Try not to be hypocritical. Be conscious of self-display, when we give, when we pray, and when we fast.
# On the 4th Sunday of every month, Pastor Mizuguchi gives a lecture of reflections upon, "The Sermon on the Mount." This session today, is the ninth of the series and the lecturing text is taken from Matthew chapter 6.
1. Charities, Prayers, and Fasting
Today's passage consists in a sandwich-like structure and its core is the verses known as the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15). We are only focusing today on Matthew verses 1-6 and 16-18. The portion of scripture regarding the Lord's Prayer will be contemplated on another occasion.
Among the first 6 verses the most essential is: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:1).
For Jewish people of that era "acts of righteousness" included essentially charities, prayers and fasting. And Jesus teaches how those acts should be practiced, in comparison with those who act in a hypocritical way. As we progress, more will be revealed about hypocritical conduct.
1) Charities: "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:2).
2) Prayers: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:5).
3) Fasting: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:16).
The word "Hypocrite" reminds us first of people who pretend to be good and kind by concealing their malicious thinking or malevolent conduct. However, its original meaning was not exactly so. The word which is translated into 'hypocrites' is hupokrisis in Greek, which means ‘acting out a theatrical part,’ to some extent meaning 'actors'.
Actors play various roles on the stage drawing appreciation from the audience. Their prior concern is how spectators evaluate their performance. And those who seek before anything else appreciation from others, tend to live their life as if they were actors, playing a role on the stage.
Jesus called such people, 'hypocrites." Meaning, if we are always worrying about what other people are thinking, our personality and conduct, we could easily be characterized as a 'hypocrite." Although these teachings of Jesus were originally directed to the Jewish people, they could easily apply to anyone. We must wonder if there has been times in our lives when we too acted hypocritically. If so, we will fully comprehend and understand these lessons today.
Matthew 6:2 tells about gifts offered seemingly benevolently but with a hypocritical purpose. Jesus criticized those people who acted hypocritically, whilst portraying themselves "to be honorable men." The description "do not announce it with trumpets,"means do not draw attention to yourselves for doing good. In Japan, some temples and shrines have a public list of names of all who donate. In some instances, they even show the amount of money given. Their goal is to encourage charitable acts by people who seek to be recognized for their good deeds.
But Jesus says, "Don't behave like they do. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:3-4).
He teaches us also to free ourselves from complacency or self-consciousness. Indeed, the path to faith has traps which might catch us in a mood of complacency. Sometimes we feel arrogant satisfaction through the compliments of others. There are those who might do a favour for someone. Even though no one is told about it, sometimes the person secretly hopes the good deed will ultimately be revealed to their friends.
Moreover, if one does not express thankfulness as we imagined they might, we become disappointed, and even angry. We look for appreciation from others for our favourable gestures. But Jesus criticizes severely that kind of conduct: "to give to the needy, they announce it with trumpets in the synagogues and on the streets" (Matthew 6:2).
In contrast, Jesus compels us to seek real appreciation, the rewards given by God our heavenly Father. Those who seek public recognition and rewards through ostentatious methods are compensated with social appreciation. But such rewards are only of earthly value. We Christians must not seek human evaluations. We must focus on what is best in the sight of God. God can see all our conduct, good and bad, even if something is concealed from human eyes. And we should have no preconceived ideas of doing good just to receive compliments.
To people such as ourselves, God sent forth his only Son, Jesus Christ, who tells us, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). God's evaluation is based on such a great and deep mercy. "To look up to God, our Father" is to live by recognizing God's love and mercy. By remaining in a vivid relationship with Him.
True acts of righteousness are not offering donations to the church, or to poor neighbors. Rather, it is feeling and expressing gratefulness to God, who takes care of our every need. That gratefulness must encourage us to do benevolent and charitable acts. When we conduct ourselves in this manner, we will be freed from earthly concerns, like worldly reputations and offers of appreciation. Our real rewards are only accumulated and received by the grace of God.
2. Concerning Prayer
Concerning prayer, Jesus offers further criticism: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward" (Matthew 6:5).
Indeed, they pray, but their prayers are not sincere or genuine. They wish to pray in order to publicly display their faithfulness. By publicly praying they are seeking expressions of appreciation from those who watch. Prayers must not be given for that purpose. Therefore Jesus teaches: "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:6).
Matthew 6:7 also teaches: "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." Pagans might pray continuously in a foolish or incomprehensible way, because they may think the quantity of words have more power. A similar thinking can be attributed to certain Japanese people. They try to appeal to their gods in order to obtain what they seek, by practicing 'hundred-times-prayers'. Those attitudes seem to me a sort of extortion with verbal violence towards their gods.
In the following verse Jesus tells us who our God is, and how our relationship with him should be: "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8). Pagans' gods are so far from humans that they need a lot of words to draw their attention. In contrast our Christ is always beside us, in knowing what we need even before we express them in prayer. Perhaps some might say therefore there should be no need to pray in that case.
To some extent they are right because we should pray, before all, not to obtain what we want, but to give praise and gratefulness to God for His love. We pray to communicate with God. God's love has been, and is always with us even before the birth of Jesus. However it is thanks to Jesus Christ that we can recognize and authentically feel the power of God's love, and enter into a relationship with Him. Our prayers must be given spontaneously as expressions of our gratefulness.
3. Concerning Fasting
Matthew 6:16-18 concern fasting. Fasting is abstaining from foods as a practice of asceticism. In early Jewish societies during the time of Jesus, fasting was sometimes recognized to be an expression of lamentation, sadness due to sin. The original purpose of fasting was to show how they are repentant of their sins. Thus the important point of the practice is not physical renunciation of food, but of spiritual repentance.
Nevertheless, as time passed by, the practice became a sort of performance to show oneself as a faithful person, a superficial manifestation of faith. In consequence, very often they intentionally simulated a suffering state during a time of fasting. Jesus criticized this tendency: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full" (Matthew 6:16).
"They have received their reward in full" means they were already praised by neighbors for their apparent faithful acts. They became so complacent they did not need any further appreciation from God. But the real rewards we must seek is that of God's forgiveness and mercy.
I chose Matthew 9:15 for today's invocation verse: "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast."
The verse above was the answer to the disciples of John the Baptist, who questioned: "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" (Matthew 9:14).
"The bridegroom" is a reference to Jesus himself. Disciples of Jesus did not fast because Jesus was with them. For Christians the time when Jesus remains among them is a time of festivity, filled with joy. Fasting is not appropriate for such a joyful occasion.
It is true, however, that we must be regretful and always repent of our sins. We need to recognize that Jesus came to us as the son of God, to take away our burden of sin. We are forgiven and live with hope and joy. Our sinful past is buried inside Jesus' love.
Today we contemplated three teachings of Jesus concerning charity, prayer and fasting. All three teaches that whatever we do must always focus on God. Worldly reputation and public appreciation cannot hold much importance in the sight of God. Once we become receptive to human acclamation our behaviour tends to become hypocritical.
Naturally many churches seek earthly success, by increasing the size of their congregational membership, or to provide the church building with a huge pipe organ, for example. Those tendencies put churches at risk of becoming a simple human oragnisation - not churches of God.
We must keep in our mind the prior role of the church, given by God: to spread good news about Jesus to our neighbors. For that purpose we do not need "trumpets," or ostentatious methods because: " For I (the Lord Jesus) am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:1).
And finally, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:16). If we were thinking of a phrase to take with us, into the New Year of 2009, perhaps we could consider: Try not to be hypocritical. Be conscious of self-display, when we give, when we pray, and when we fast.
Thursday, 25 December 2008
Accepting God's Will
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
1. The Annunciation
Today we observe the Christmas service. We will contemplate the announcement of the Incarnation to Mary by reading Luke 1:26-38. The word "Annunciation" makes many of us think about Leonardo da Vinci's painting in which he presents the scene where Mary has received the news from the Angel Gabriel. DaVinci portrayed Mary listening to Gabriel with a very calm facial pose. However, in reality she may not have been so peaceful. Mary's reply reveals her amazement: "How will this be," Mary asked the Angel, "since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34).
Perhaps it is difficult to understand why God decided to do it this way. In that era, pregnancy before official marriage caused general public outrage. So let us seek to find the real significance behind God's method of bringing Christ into the world.
Mary is first approached by the Angel: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). I found it relevant that the word "Angel" is derived from "aggelo" in Greek, which means messenger. Naturally, Mary was astonished and became fearful upon hearing the announcement. But the Angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus" (Luke 1:30-31).
The name "Jesus" is the Hellenistic pronunciation of "Joshua" in Hebrew, which means: "God is the Saviour." However, we could imagine that Mary was probably more confused and upset, rather than feeling blessed by God. Even though she was engaged to Joseph, they were not yet married.
Matthew recorded the same event focussing on Joseph's reaction: "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:18-19).
As we can see Joseph felt the same embarrassment as Mary. According to Jewish law at that time, sexual intercourse by a betrothed virgin with another man betrayed the commitment to future marriage, and so was considered to be adultery ( Deuteronomy 22:23-24).
But, the Angel said: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:35-37).
Here, we arrive at the core of today's lecture, Mary' response: "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). Mary's positive response to the Angel's terrifying message is a dynamic statement of faith.
"May it be to me" in this translation is, "Let it be" in the New King James version. Even if 'May' could not be clearly understood, she accepted God's will for the future event as it was announced. For the angel said it would be realized by the Holy Spirit. Mary now claims a place in God's household.
2. Let it be
With the expression in many biblical translations, "Let it be," some of you might remember the song by The Beatles, which is titled, "Let it be."* The song is said to be a Paul McCartney composition. The beginning of the lyrics goes something like this:
When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom 'let it be.'
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
Speaking words of wisdom, 'let it be.'
The very thought of, 'Mother Mary' indicates The Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother. McCartney's mother was also named Mary and she was a faithful Catholic Christian. At the time of composing the song, McCartney was involved in disagreements with John Lennon, which resulted in the breaking-up of the band. Under such circumstances he wrote these lyrics. He might have intended to recall and honour Mary's faith, as she accepted the inevitable difficulties which would flow from her belief in God's will.
We find in the New Testament another verse which reminds us also of the "let it be" attitude. It is found in Luke 22:42, today's invocation verse: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
The prayer above was given by Jesus at Gethsemane, on the preceding day of the Cross. At that time Jesus was about 33 years old, so His body was, no doubt, filled with vital power. He was strong and healthy. Besides he might not have completely accepted that His death on the Cross was God's real will.
He might have been wondering if serving God on earth would prove to be sufficient in the role as God's son. Therefore Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me." However, the passage of scripture was followed by: "yet not my will, but yours be done." The entire verse represents a similar perspective to Mary's, "let it be."
3. Faith & Trust
At Wednesday's prayer meeting we are now reading the Gospel according to Mark. Last week's passage was the latter half of chapter 5, which tells about the healing of Jairus's daughter. Jairus, one of the synagogue rulers, came to Jesus, fell at His feet, pleading for his ill daughter to be saved from death. So, Jesus went with him, but before arriving at Jairus's house they received the message about the daughter's death. Nonetheless, Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe" (Mark 5:36).
When Jesus saw her, he said, "Talitha koum!" Which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" She came back to life and was immediately surrounded by her joyful family.
The above story has been received with great personal impact over the years by many people. Kanzo Uchimura,** a Japanese influential Christian during the Meiji period, was one of them. Uchimura's daughter Rustu was gravely ill when she was just 17 years of age. Naturally Uchimura prayed earnestly for her recovery. But, despite his prayers, she passed away.
After her death, Uchimura explained how he felt: "I heard Jesus' voice which said 'don't be afraid; just believe.' Yet, in spite of that, my prayers remained in vain. I was strongly disappointed and my faith was becoming destabilized. I found myself at the bottom of the darkness." However, as time passed by, he found a new faith and vision:
"My prayers for my daughter's life were not abandoned. Because, on the last day of the world, Jesus would make all of us live again and He would say to my daughter too, "Talitha koum!" We must have a faith stronger than Jairus. Regardless of a cure, we ought to believe in the ultimate healing, and the preservation of life. We ought to be grateful to God while we wait. Indeed it is very hard for us to keep such a faith when we see the death of our loved ones. But God will have mercy, even to those who lack real faith."
The responsibility and task given to Mary might have seemed tremendous at first. But, she prayed, "May it be to me." In fact Joseph, despite his initial intention of breaking the engagement, decided to marry Mary. Joseph was an admirable character, who possessed a moral uprightness laced with compassion. By knowing Mary was innocent, he becomes Jesus' adopted father through his paternal tenderness and care.
Mary's response to God's faithfulness is reminiscent of scriptural hymns of praise sung in response to God's intervening graciousness and power. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour . . ." Mary's song (Luke 1:46-55), is also known as the Magnificat,*** the first word of the Latin translation of this passage. It is a canticle frequently sung or spoken in Christian church services. A Japanese biblical translator considered this portion of scripture to be Mary's expression of gratefulness for God. She who was conscious of the responsibility, and trust placed in her by God.
Jesus was not perfectly calm when He was put on the Cross, as Matthew recorded. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). However, God did not abandon, rather, He was ultimately resurrected. Uchimura's daughter died, but that sad incident led him to a greater belief, faith, and trust. Thus, God responds to our prayers, when we surrender ourselves in faith and trust to his will.
Our lives are filled with unhappy and sad incidents and accidents. However, if we accept them as God's will, those hard experiences could open to a new and more positive way of living. In acceptance lies peace and the prospect of blessings. That is the very meaning of "Let it be." A Japanese preacher Takemoto Masaichi said we can recognize God's love and mercy through seemingly heavy burdens. Indeed, many believers strengthen their faith by experiencing grave illness or harsh living conditions.
The Old Testament book of Job is considered by most scholars to be the finest wisdom text of the Jewish and Christian canons. Let us share in a verse of that knowledge: "But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction" (Job 36:15).
I hope we remain mindful of "Let it be" in our prayer time, not as a passive resignation, but as a positive acceptance of God's will. We ought to show our gratitude by surrendering ourselves into God's hands, because they are filled with love and mercy.
-------------
Reference:
* the Beatles - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatles
** Kanzo Uchimura - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanzo_Uchimura
*** Magnificat - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnificat
1. The Annunciation
Today we observe the Christmas service. We will contemplate the announcement of the Incarnation to Mary by reading Luke 1:26-38. The word "Annunciation" makes many of us think about Leonardo da Vinci's painting in which he presents the scene where Mary has received the news from the Angel Gabriel. DaVinci portrayed Mary listening to Gabriel with a very calm facial pose. However, in reality she may not have been so peaceful. Mary's reply reveals her amazement: "How will this be," Mary asked the Angel, "since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34).
Perhaps it is difficult to understand why God decided to do it this way. In that era, pregnancy before official marriage caused general public outrage. So let us seek to find the real significance behind God's method of bringing Christ into the world.
Mary is first approached by the Angel: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). I found it relevant that the word "Angel" is derived from "aggelo" in Greek, which means messenger. Naturally, Mary was astonished and became fearful upon hearing the announcement. But the Angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus" (Luke 1:30-31).
The name "Jesus" is the Hellenistic pronunciation of "Joshua" in Hebrew, which means: "God is the Saviour." However, we could imagine that Mary was probably more confused and upset, rather than feeling blessed by God. Even though she was engaged to Joseph, they were not yet married.
Matthew recorded the same event focussing on Joseph's reaction: "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:18-19).
As we can see Joseph felt the same embarrassment as Mary. According to Jewish law at that time, sexual intercourse by a betrothed virgin with another man betrayed the commitment to future marriage, and so was considered to be adultery ( Deuteronomy 22:23-24).
But, the Angel said: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God" (Luke 1:35-37).
Here, we arrive at the core of today's lecture, Mary' response: "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). Mary's positive response to the Angel's terrifying message is a dynamic statement of faith.
"May it be to me" in this translation is, "Let it be" in the New King James version. Even if 'May' could not be clearly understood, she accepted God's will for the future event as it was announced. For the angel said it would be realized by the Holy Spirit. Mary now claims a place in God's household.
2. Let it be
With the expression in many biblical translations, "Let it be," some of you might remember the song by The Beatles, which is titled, "Let it be."* The song is said to be a Paul McCartney composition. The beginning of the lyrics goes something like this:
When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom 'let it be.'
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
Speaking words of wisdom, 'let it be.'
The very thought of, 'Mother Mary' indicates The Virgin Mary, Jesus' mother. McCartney's mother was also named Mary and she was a faithful Catholic Christian. At the time of composing the song, McCartney was involved in disagreements with John Lennon, which resulted in the breaking-up of the band. Under such circumstances he wrote these lyrics. He might have intended to recall and honour Mary's faith, as she accepted the inevitable difficulties which would flow from her belief in God's will.
We find in the New Testament another verse which reminds us also of the "let it be" attitude. It is found in Luke 22:42, today's invocation verse: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
The prayer above was given by Jesus at Gethsemane, on the preceding day of the Cross. At that time Jesus was about 33 years old, so His body was, no doubt, filled with vital power. He was strong and healthy. Besides he might not have completely accepted that His death on the Cross was God's real will.
He might have been wondering if serving God on earth would prove to be sufficient in the role as God's son. Therefore Jesus prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me." However, the passage of scripture was followed by: "yet not my will, but yours be done." The entire verse represents a similar perspective to Mary's, "let it be."
3. Faith & Trust
At Wednesday's prayer meeting we are now reading the Gospel according to Mark. Last week's passage was the latter half of chapter 5, which tells about the healing of Jairus's daughter. Jairus, one of the synagogue rulers, came to Jesus, fell at His feet, pleading for his ill daughter to be saved from death. So, Jesus went with him, but before arriving at Jairus's house they received the message about the daughter's death. Nonetheless, Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe" (Mark 5:36).
When Jesus saw her, he said, "Talitha koum!" Which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" She came back to life and was immediately surrounded by her joyful family.
The above story has been received with great personal impact over the years by many people. Kanzo Uchimura,** a Japanese influential Christian during the Meiji period, was one of them. Uchimura's daughter Rustu was gravely ill when she was just 17 years of age. Naturally Uchimura prayed earnestly for her recovery. But, despite his prayers, she passed away.
After her death, Uchimura explained how he felt: "I heard Jesus' voice which said 'don't be afraid; just believe.' Yet, in spite of that, my prayers remained in vain. I was strongly disappointed and my faith was becoming destabilized. I found myself at the bottom of the darkness." However, as time passed by, he found a new faith and vision:
"My prayers for my daughter's life were not abandoned. Because, on the last day of the world, Jesus would make all of us live again and He would say to my daughter too, "Talitha koum!" We must have a faith stronger than Jairus. Regardless of a cure, we ought to believe in the ultimate healing, and the preservation of life. We ought to be grateful to God while we wait. Indeed it is very hard for us to keep such a faith when we see the death of our loved ones. But God will have mercy, even to those who lack real faith."
The responsibility and task given to Mary might have seemed tremendous at first. But, she prayed, "May it be to me." In fact Joseph, despite his initial intention of breaking the engagement, decided to marry Mary. Joseph was an admirable character, who possessed a moral uprightness laced with compassion. By knowing Mary was innocent, he becomes Jesus' adopted father through his paternal tenderness and care.
Mary's response to God's faithfulness is reminiscent of scriptural hymns of praise sung in response to God's intervening graciousness and power. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour . . ." Mary's song (Luke 1:46-55), is also known as the Magnificat,*** the first word of the Latin translation of this passage. It is a canticle frequently sung or spoken in Christian church services. A Japanese biblical translator considered this portion of scripture to be Mary's expression of gratefulness for God. She who was conscious of the responsibility, and trust placed in her by God.
Jesus was not perfectly calm when He was put on the Cross, as Matthew recorded. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). However, God did not abandon, rather, He was ultimately resurrected. Uchimura's daughter died, but that sad incident led him to a greater belief, faith, and trust. Thus, God responds to our prayers, when we surrender ourselves in faith and trust to his will.
Our lives are filled with unhappy and sad incidents and accidents. However, if we accept them as God's will, those hard experiences could open to a new and more positive way of living. In acceptance lies peace and the prospect of blessings. That is the very meaning of "Let it be." A Japanese preacher Takemoto Masaichi said we can recognize God's love and mercy through seemingly heavy burdens. Indeed, many believers strengthen their faith by experiencing grave illness or harsh living conditions.
The Old Testament book of Job is considered by most scholars to be the finest wisdom text of the Jewish and Christian canons. Let us share in a verse of that knowledge: "But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction" (Job 36:15).
I hope we remain mindful of "Let it be" in our prayer time, not as a passive resignation, but as a positive acceptance of God's will. We ought to show our gratitude by surrendering ourselves into God's hands, because they are filled with love and mercy.
-------------
Reference:
* the Beatles - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatles
** Kanzo Uchimura - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanzo_Uchimura
*** Magnificat - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnificat
Friday, 19 December 2008
The Incarnate Word of God
Scripture: John 1:1-18
1. In the Beginning Was the Word
Today is the third Sunday of Advent. Next Sunday, we will observe the Christmas service. Today's lecturing passage is John 1:1-18, a hymn-like celebration of the coming of the Word into the world. These short opening verses represent the essence of the Gospel according to John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
And there is more: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). John concludes the initial prologue with: "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known" (1:18 ). The purpose of Jesus' ministry was to make God known. The Son/Father relationship is incarnational language for the eternal Word/God relationship of verse 1.
In John's prologue, the Magi, shepherds of Bethlehem, or even Jesus' mother Mary, are not present. For the Gospel of John, the beginning is not a particular event in time like Jesus' birth (as in Matthew and Luke), or the start of Jesus' ministry (as in Mark). Instead the beginning is outside the normal calculation of time, in the cosmic existence of the Word with God. The beginning focuses our attention immediately on what follows - the Gospel story is about the very character of God, and how God makes Himself known to the world through the life and death of Jesus.
In the beginning recalls Gen.1:1, but points to a time before the creation of the world. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). The Word's relationship with God, underscored in the three short phrases of this verse is eternal. It begins outside the limits of time and place, but will eventually move into the time-bound world.
Naturally many of us who live in modern societies might find it difficult to believe that, 'God plus word equals creation.' Some Christians reject the Darwinian and Big Bang theory. The book of Genesis contains two accounts of creation. The first is spacious, taking in the whole cosmos as viewed from the earth, while the second has a more limited, localised setting, taking place entirely within the Garden of Eden.
2. Ministry of the Word
However, I think faith and natural science do not exclude each other, but progress of scientific research will eventually explain and even confirm some biblical records of creation. The world was created by God's word, and the Word generated these events. By believing in this theory, we continue to read the Bible and listen to sermons. Those activities help us to gain insight into the meaning of the Bible. God's words will pierce the hearts and minds of people who are receptive to biblical faith and truth. The Word has a dynamism about it which breeds life. As John says: "In him (Christ) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5).
However John admits that the world rejected God's only and unique son, Jesus: "the darkness has not understood it." The Gospel of John was written around the 90s C.E., or about 60 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. During those years many of the disciples of the first generation were killed after suffering persecution. In John's time of writing Jewish authorities were condemning the Christian church as heretic. They expelled Jesus' followers from synagogs and the community. Being expelled from the synagogs meant no official recognition and protection from the authorities. "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him" (John 1:10-11).
Though Jesus was executed by Roman soldiers, the real executioners were the Jewish priests and law teachers. Originally their role was to communicate God's Word to people. Despite that, they killed God's son. Why such a contradiction? The priests said the people would be forgiven and saved by worshiping God and offering money to the Temple. But, in reality, donated money was used by the priests, who lived in rich and gorgeous conditions as a religious aristocracy. Law teachers compelled people to respect strictly the Jewish law. Jesus once said, "they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi' " (Matthew 23:6-7).
Law teachers, pretending to serve God, sought only to be served by others. In spite of their conduct they considered themselves to be in the light. Jesus criticism of their activities hastened the persecution of His followers and his untimely death on the cross. Even though the majority of Jewish people denied and rejected Jesus' divinity, a few had faith, and remained believers as John testifies: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).
The verses above signify that God's children are not born through human will, or natural procreation. Indeed, from the genetical point of view, we are born from our parents. But in spiritual meaning all humans are created by God. Therefore our lives are not our own, but of God. For that reason wilful acts of homicide, suicide, or abortion, are to be recognized as sin. All human lives receive God's blessing, regardless of physical, mental, or behavioural conditions. And we are compelled to love each other as brothers and sisters, even though some may be enemies. Here we have the drama of rejection, and the saving purpose of the ministry of the Word. Whoever believes in His name - that in the Word one sees and knows is God - is given new life and existence as a child of God.
3. The Word Became Flesh
As lighted candles show, Christmas is often a festival of lights. Because, light shines in the darkness. Although the Church has celebrated Christmas on the 25 December since about the fourth century, the exact date of Jesus' birth is still largely unknown. The celebration of the birth of Christ took over from the pagan winter solstice holiday that fell in late December. From there, the 25th of December was observed by Christians at a holy Mass or Christ’s Mass. Today, one-third of the world’s population celebrates the birth of Jesus, the light of the world, on this day.
We chose John 3:16-17 for today's invocation verses: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Eternal life does not speak of immortality or a future life in heaven, but is a metaphor for living now in the unending presence of God. Jesus' offer of his own life through being lifted up on the cross makes eternal life possible for those who believe.
Surveys and research have indicated that modern-day humans, depend heavily on human intelligence and reasoning from a stable point-of-view. Descartes' famous statement: "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am), ** symbolizes such an attitude. In effect it declares humans have no need of God. And, under the influence of that Philosopher, many have sought to eliminate religious teaching from our daily lives. Many today mistakenly believe that humans are all-powerful and strong in their own right. Some people try to be superior to others, and often exclude the weak, like the disabled or less talented people. The world has changed into a kind of battle field. Wars between countries and cultures appear to be unstoppable. However after experiencing two world wars we began to recognize that human existence is not perfect or self-sufficient. Today we cannot really say, "Cogito, ergo sum."
The time for turning back to God has come. Despite John's encouragement: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:17), many remain in the dark, filled with sadness because the world does not yet accept the Cross of Jesus. Therefore we, as Christians, must reveal the light of Christ in the dark tunnels of life.
Let us rejoice in the fact that: "The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). God evolved into a human body. Normally the human body is fragile and defective. Astonishingly, God took such a fragile body to dwell among us in order to open the way to salvation. The story of Jesus is the story of the Word becoming flesh. This verse has a confessional tone, indicated by the first-person plural (we, us). The evangelist (John), is not observing the incarnation as an uninvolved spectator, but is recounting his community's experience of God.
Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. It is through the Word made flesh that Jesus brings God fully to the world. No other New Testament witness places the incarnation at the centre of its theological world in quite the same way as John does. From beginning to end, John bears witness to the gift that God gives to the world in the incarnate Jesus. By reading through the magnificent prologue from the Gospel of John, a hymn-like celebration of the coming of the Word into this world, we have again been reminded of the hope and consolation we have in the light and life of Jesus.
-------------
* http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/english/
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descartes
1. In the Beginning Was the Word
Today is the third Sunday of Advent. Next Sunday, we will observe the Christmas service. Today's lecturing passage is John 1:1-18, a hymn-like celebration of the coming of the Word into the world. These short opening verses represent the essence of the Gospel according to John: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).
And there is more: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). John concludes the initial prologue with: "No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known" (1:18 ). The purpose of Jesus' ministry was to make God known. The Son/Father relationship is incarnational language for the eternal Word/God relationship of verse 1.
In John's prologue, the Magi, shepherds of Bethlehem, or even Jesus' mother Mary, are not present. For the Gospel of John, the beginning is not a particular event in time like Jesus' birth (as in Matthew and Luke), or the start of Jesus' ministry (as in Mark). Instead the beginning is outside the normal calculation of time, in the cosmic existence of the Word with God. The beginning focuses our attention immediately on what follows - the Gospel story is about the very character of God, and how God makes Himself known to the world through the life and death of Jesus.
In the beginning recalls Gen.1:1, but points to a time before the creation of the world. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). The Word's relationship with God, underscored in the three short phrases of this verse is eternal. It begins outside the limits of time and place, but will eventually move into the time-bound world.
Naturally many of us who live in modern societies might find it difficult to believe that, 'God plus word equals creation.' Some Christians reject the Darwinian and Big Bang theory. The book of Genesis contains two accounts of creation. The first is spacious, taking in the whole cosmos as viewed from the earth, while the second has a more limited, localised setting, taking place entirely within the Garden of Eden.
2. Ministry of the Word
However, I think faith and natural science do not exclude each other, but progress of scientific research will eventually explain and even confirm some biblical records of creation. The world was created by God's word, and the Word generated these events. By believing in this theory, we continue to read the Bible and listen to sermons. Those activities help us to gain insight into the meaning of the Bible. God's words will pierce the hearts and minds of people who are receptive to biblical faith and truth. The Word has a dynamism about it which breeds life. As John says: "In him (Christ) was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5).
However John admits that the world rejected God's only and unique son, Jesus: "the darkness has not understood it." The Gospel of John was written around the 90s C.E., or about 60 years after the crucifixion of Jesus. During those years many of the disciples of the first generation were killed after suffering persecution. In John's time of writing Jewish authorities were condemning the Christian church as heretic. They expelled Jesus' followers from synagogs and the community. Being expelled from the synagogs meant no official recognition and protection from the authorities. "He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him" (John 1:10-11).
Though Jesus was executed by Roman soldiers, the real executioners were the Jewish priests and law teachers. Originally their role was to communicate God's Word to people. Despite that, they killed God's son. Why such a contradiction? The priests said the people would be forgiven and saved by worshiping God and offering money to the Temple. But, in reality, donated money was used by the priests, who lived in rich and gorgeous conditions as a religious aristocracy. Law teachers compelled people to respect strictly the Jewish law. Jesus once said, "they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi' " (Matthew 23:6-7).
Law teachers, pretending to serve God, sought only to be served by others. In spite of their conduct they considered themselves to be in the light. Jesus criticism of their activities hastened the persecution of His followers and his untimely death on the cross. Even though the majority of Jewish people denied and rejected Jesus' divinity, a few had faith, and remained believers as John testifies: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).
The verses above signify that God's children are not born through human will, or natural procreation. Indeed, from the genetical point of view, we are born from our parents. But in spiritual meaning all humans are created by God. Therefore our lives are not our own, but of God. For that reason wilful acts of homicide, suicide, or abortion, are to be recognized as sin. All human lives receive God's blessing, regardless of physical, mental, or behavioural conditions. And we are compelled to love each other as brothers and sisters, even though some may be enemies. Here we have the drama of rejection, and the saving purpose of the ministry of the Word. Whoever believes in His name - that in the Word one sees and knows is God - is given new life and existence as a child of God.
3. The Word Became Flesh
As lighted candles show, Christmas is often a festival of lights. Because, light shines in the darkness. Although the Church has celebrated Christmas on the 25 December since about the fourth century, the exact date of Jesus' birth is still largely unknown. The celebration of the birth of Christ took over from the pagan winter solstice holiday that fell in late December. From there, the 25th of December was observed by Christians at a holy Mass or Christ’s Mass. Today, one-third of the world’s population celebrates the birth of Jesus, the light of the world, on this day.
We chose John 3:16-17 for today's invocation verses: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Eternal life does not speak of immortality or a future life in heaven, but is a metaphor for living now in the unending presence of God. Jesus' offer of his own life through being lifted up on the cross makes eternal life possible for those who believe.
Surveys and research have indicated that modern-day humans, depend heavily on human intelligence and reasoning from a stable point-of-view. Descartes' famous statement: "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am), ** symbolizes such an attitude. In effect it declares humans have no need of God. And, under the influence of that Philosopher, many have sought to eliminate religious teaching from our daily lives. Many today mistakenly believe that humans are all-powerful and strong in their own right. Some people try to be superior to others, and often exclude the weak, like the disabled or less talented people. The world has changed into a kind of battle field. Wars between countries and cultures appear to be unstoppable. However after experiencing two world wars we began to recognize that human existence is not perfect or self-sufficient. Today we cannot really say, "Cogito, ergo sum."
The time for turning back to God has come. Despite John's encouragement: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:17), many remain in the dark, filled with sadness because the world does not yet accept the Cross of Jesus. Therefore we, as Christians, must reveal the light of Christ in the dark tunnels of life.
Let us rejoice in the fact that: "The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). God evolved into a human body. Normally the human body is fragile and defective. Astonishingly, God took such a fragile body to dwell among us in order to open the way to salvation. The story of Jesus is the story of the Word becoming flesh. This verse has a confessional tone, indicated by the first-person plural (we, us). The evangelist (John), is not observing the incarnation as an uninvolved spectator, but is recounting his community's experience of God.
Jesus is the incarnate Word of God. It is through the Word made flesh that Jesus brings God fully to the world. No other New Testament witness places the incarnation at the centre of its theological world in quite the same way as John does. From beginning to end, John bears witness to the gift that God gives to the world in the incarnate Jesus. By reading through the magnificent prologue from the Gospel of John, a hymn-like celebration of the coming of the Word into this world, we have again been reminded of the hope and consolation we have in the light and life of Jesus.
-------------
* http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/english/
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descartes
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