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Welcome and Prayer: Nancy Lopez

Welcome to RefleXion…Good Morning!         May the Lord be with you.

Naomi and Ruth were survivors.  We are all survivors.  Perhaps Naomi thought that when she married Elimelech that finally she was loved, and maybe when she had her two sons she felt in control of her destiny, and when they moved to Moab, she felt secure.  We have all developed this way, with strategies for making life work.  And then life happens.

We all, at some time when we were little, felt alone and disconnected; and we let our Ego create ways of being OK.  We developed an adaptive self for coping with life that would substitute for the more direct inner knowing, because that’s all we knew to do, and thank God we could do it—we survived. Our illusion of separateness just led us down any track away from shame, fear, or lack of control.   It created the persona that we use to cover our nakedness and shame.  The problem is that ego, who took on this task, is small and disconnected compared to soul, with no real source of life. All during our lives, fears arise about our own inner deficiencies and about threats in our environment that could unmask or destroy this assumed self, so, we just keep piling on the covers.  But the beautiful thing is though that no matter what we survived or how we developed, it did not touch our core authentic self (you can call it the True Self, the Imago Dei, the Beloved or Essence).  It is the REAL because of the divine indwelling, the Holy Spirit; it is our birthright.

Now our work is to let go of everything that doesn’t belong, all the scaffolding, the pretense, and to integrate all that is redeemed.  I’m not saying it’s easy, but are we willing?  The world is changing.  Our small self will not be enough for the demands of the days to come.  Contraction in to the little me will not help or heal ourselves or the world.   Here’s the phrase I’m sitting with: 

“We’re afraid to give up the control we think we have over the life we think we are living.”

Paul said it this way in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Join me in prayer, will you? Thank you God for the Real Life freely granted to us.  Let us not remain unaware of our own presence connected to Yours.  Let the strategies lose their grip on us, not in hopelessness but in hope.  Let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds not in arrogance, but in humility. You call us new creatures and that we need no longer live in the old way, but in the new and living way.  May we, like Naomi and Ruth, find ourselves on the journey home.  Amen

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a worthy man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz Ruth Chapter 2

Intro: In the apartment complex where my son Scotty lives,

There’s an old vending machine where residents can buy sodas
– Calum was six the first time I bought him a cola drink from it
• we inserted the money, he pressed button, machine rumbled,
◦ and a can of soda dropped into the slot at the bottom
• then before we could insert more money, the machine rumbled again and another soda dropped down
◦ as I was worrying about how we could return the drink we had not purchased,
◦ Calum exclaimed, “Oh! It’s my lucky day.”
– that could be the title for this chapter
• it’s a lucky day for all three of the main characters
• at first, people are just doing ordinary things, but
◦ before day ends, something extraordinary has happened

The chapter opens with a small piece of information
– the storyteller introduces to “a worthy man”
• the Hebrew word for worthy suggests force or strength, and elsewhere is translated mighty man of valor
◦ but it can be used also for a person of great wealth
• in some instances, the word refers to the quality of a person’s character
◦ here: Boaz was either wealthy or a man of integrity
◦ same word is used of Ruth, which is translated virtuous in the King James Version (Ruth 3:11), but could just as easily be translated a woman of integrity
• Boaz is also a relative of Naomi’s husband
– but this information in verse 1 is not helpful–it doesn’t explain anything
• however, it prepares us for what is about to happen
• it foreshadows a future development
Smith, jr., “Our storyteller is using a device that is similar to what modern movie makers use: focusing the camera briefly on a specific object—a glove, a cufflink, a coffee cup—without giving any explanation for it. The experienced moviegoer will recognize the importance of that brief closeup as a clue to the plot and will keep it in mind. At this point in Naomi’s story, Boaz has no clear role. But we need to keep an eye on him.”

(Please read verses 2-3) A quick scene change: Ruth goes to work

The storyteller alone will refer to Ruth by name,
• no one else will speak her name
◦ the storyteller also reminds us she is “the Moabite”
◦ her status as a foreigner remains in the foreground
• she volunteers to follow the harvesters and scavenge for grain
– Ruth intends to find someone who will treat her well
• we’ll see further one that the harvest field could be dangerous for a young woman
◦ she wants to find favor in someone’s sight – someone who will treat her kindly
◦ it could be one of the harvesters, an older woman, or one of the other locals
• this is an ironic twist on stories of famous Israelites in foreign lands
◦ Joseph found favor in Egypt; Esther found favor in Persia — these are key themes
◦ Ruth, however, is a foreigner in the land of Israel looking to find favor in someone’s eyes
– Naomi simply says, “Go, my daughter”
• she gives her permission, but she is not enthusiastic
• I think Naomi assumed Ruth’s gleaning after the harvesters was a necessary risk

Now we learn why the chapter began with that bit of information
– Ruth “happened” to stumble onto a field belonging to Boaz
• the meaning of the Hebrew means more than an event
◦ it refers to a happenstance, to happen by chance, a coincidence
• biblical Hebrew has a way to forcefully emphasize special word
◦ by saying the word twice: the heaven of heavens, the Song of Songs, the holy of holies
(there is a lot of this in the later chapters of Isaiah)
◦ Ruth happened to happen upon just this particular field
– it’s a total coincidence the the field she gleaned belonged to the man mentioned in verse 1

(Please read verses 4-7) The storyteller tells us to look at who shows up

Robert Alter tells us that in scripture, a person’s first recorded words reveal that person’s character
– if so, we learn a lot about Boaz when he greets his crew
• their back and forth blessing is part of the charm of the Book of Ruth
• but after that, Boaz gets straight to business
◦ there is one particular woman Boaz did not recognize and inquired about
“She is the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi”
◦ and she had been a hard worker from early morning

(Please read verses 8-13) This conversation is too rich to cover all the details

What is obvious is the role Boaz plays, which is authoritative and paternal
– immediately and quite naturally he begins telling Ruth what to do
• it’s as if he’s giving instructions to one of his servants (cf. vv. 15-16)
◦ at same time, he promises her protection under his care
◦ and he grants her the privileges of his hired crew
• it wasn’t necessary for Ruth to bow before Boaz
◦ it is a dramatic gesture that illustrates the depth of her gratitude
◦ here is the person she hoped to find, in whose eyes she found favor
– Boaz explains his generosity, and then adds his blessing (v. 12)
• what Boaz has to say about God is noteworthy
◦ he says his name, Yahweh, then identifies him as “the God of Israel”
• when in chapter 1 Ruth said she would swap her gods for Naomi’s God,
◦ we cannot know if that was a cultural accommodation or true conversion
◦ it is possible storyteller wants us to know Ruth’s faith was real
– put a mental bookmark here at verse 12 at this metaphor of Ruth finding refuge under God’s wings (cf. Ps. 91)
• in chapter 3, Ruth will finding refuge under someone’s wings will recur in the next chapter

One thing Ruth makes very clear, is her status in Bethlehem
– verse 10, I am a foreigner – and now here in verse 13
you have . . . spoken your servant, though I am not one of your servants
• Boaz has giver her preferential treatment as if she belonged with his hired crew
• but she wants to point out that she is not his servant
◦ she may be holding to the line of her outsider status
◦ or she may be implying,
I’m not your servant, but I could be something more

(Please read verses 14-17) Boaz continues to take a special interest in Ruth

And to grant her special privileges:
– she is allowed to join him and his crew for a meal–baked bread dipped in wine
• his instructions to his crew, do not reproach her, do not rebuke her
• she was allowed to glean, not only in the harvested field,
◦ but also around the bundled sheaves where more grain might have fallen
– Ruth’s last job for the day was to beat out what she had gleaned
• that is, to “thresh” it to separate the chaff from the grain
• this is another foreshadow of things to come

(Please read verses 18-23) Naomi is obviously impressed with Ruth’s good luck

Naomi has a couple of questions, but even before she gets answers,
– she pronounces a blessing on the stranger who was so kind
• when she learns it was Boaz, she blesses him again
• Boaz’ interest in Ruth is not lost on Naomi,
◦ and for the first time she reveals, he is not only a relative,
◦ but a special relative, one of our redeemers
– the ga’al was a family member with the legal right to perform certain duties
• if a family lost property, or if a husband died and left no male heirs,
◦ the ga’al had the right to purchase property and provide the widow with an heir
◦ this legal provision will set up most dramatic moment of story
• one other function of the ga’al that is often overlooked, is the avenger of blood
◦ that is, to service a vendetta (Nu. 35:12-19)

Conclusion: I have struggled over how to bring this home to us

The easy message might be, trust God for divine coincidences
– since we cannot make happen everything we want to have happen,
• let’s put ourselves in God’s hands and see how things play out
• let’s wake up each morning and say, “This may be my lucky day”

But this is Memorial Day weekend
and we mourn those who died in service to our nation
Why did they die? For what did they give their lives?

This weekend we cannot help but mourn other tragic deaths;
the children and teachers in Uvalde, Texas
Is this what our brave soldiers gave their lives to protect?

What I find in the book of Ruth this morning,
are biblical examples of basic decency:
• Trust God–then we can live without envy, or fear, or hate
• Express gratitude for whatever kindness is shown us
• Whatever needs to be done, work heartily for the Lord and not for men (Col. 3:23)
• Remember we are not trash, but we aren’t the Messiah either
• Be generous with what we have
• Be especially generous with our blessings
Giving a blessing doesn’t diminish what we have, but multiplies it

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Welcome and Prayer: Nancy Lopez

Good morning, and welcome to RefleXion.  May the Lord be with all of you!

You are all so smart!  What most people mean when they say that is that we’re using our intellect (the capacity for reason, understanding, and figuring things out).  Is intellect our intelligence?   What is intelligence?  In the old days, we took IQ tests, and that was how we knew about our intelligence, but since then there are all these theories of our multiple kinds of intelligence, such as emotional intelligence, social intelligence, creativity intelligence.

Our brain relies on neurons; there are about 86 billion neurons in our brain!  And our gut has about 500 million neurons, and our heart has about 40 thousand!  Each neuron, wherever it is found, has a capacity to store, to remember, to inform us, and the capacity for neuroplasticity.  So, is our intellect our only way of perceiving, of knowing?

I quote Chuck from last week here, “No science can account for the soul or what goes on in the mind” (unquote).  Science is very important, but it is but one lens, one way of perceiving, knowing, and responding.  One example: I just read an article about by a theoretical physicist who said, “There’s a distinction between curiosity and wonder.  Curiosity is an intellectual outlook, but wonder suggests there is something in your soul that compels you to know more about the world.”  If we could, as Chuck suggested, incorporate some practices like creativity, might we awaken capacities that our brain simply isn’t best at?  Many of think we need to rely heavily on our intellect.  Our body has been created with left and right brain hemispheres, multiple neurons throughout heart and gut, and the abilities of instinct, insight, imagination, and inspiration; and different parts of us are designed for different ways of engaging life.  Contemplation and creativity are ways of awakening our God-given capabilities.  We’ve heard of out-of-body experiences; how about developing whole-body experiences?  If more of our God-given capacities were working together, we might feel more fully alive.  Maybe this might be a part of recovering the art of being human?

Today marks the day we remember the Ascension of Jesus, 40 days after His Resurrection.  As the disciples watched Jesus ascend into the clouds of heaven, Jesus blessed them; they worshipped. Do you think they were just curious as they watched Jesus ascend into the clouds, using their intellect; or do you think they were in wonder?  I’ll bet that was a genuine, whole-body experience!

Let’s pray to our God of Wonder:

Gracious God who causes us to Be and to Become.  Finish the work in us as you promised.  We are looking forward to the finished work; and, meanwhile, we are leaning in here and now to your work for us and in us, so that You might flow through us.  Awaken us, bring us to wholeness, for our sake, for Your sake, and for the sake of the world.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Today’s Talk: chuck smith, jr.

In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons Ruth 1:1

Intro: With these words, we walk through a gate and into what may be the most enchanting story in all of scripture
– but because it took place long ago and in a strange culture far away,
• we need some help orienting ourselves
• when, where, what, and who occur in the first verse and set the tone and create atmosphere
– notice that a solid connection is made with the days of the Judges
• not long after Israel entered the land, they lost their identity
◦ they could not maintain loyalty to Yahweh for very long
◦ even their God-appointed leaders made serious blunders
• it was a period of religious confusion and ludicrous politics
◦ the last story is so bizarre it is unpleasant even to read
◦ a simple explanation is given several times and at end of the book of Judges:
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Jdg. 21:25 – not a good thing, as in De. 12:8)

By way of contrast to Judges, Ruth is a lovely story
– and that is because Ruth is a lovely person
• there are other contrasts between Judges and Ruth
◦ Ruth makes no mention of any supernatural activity: Spirit, angel, or prophet
• on the other hand, there are frequent references to Yahweh
◦ even though he doesn’t intervene directly until the last chapter
– Bethlehem seems to have become a God-fearing town
• although its name means “house of bread,” the plot is set in motion by a famine there
◦ so story starts with a negative tone of hardship and desperation
– into this dark time, the storyteller brings four people
• they have packed whatever belongings they can carry,
◦ said their good-byes, set out into the Judean desert,
• and travel east to Moab, where they will sojourn (this suggests it is a a temporary arrangement)
◦ wait out the famine in Moab, and then return to Bethlehem

(Please read verses 2-5) Until verse two the family is anonymous

There is nothing strange about this in the Scriptures
– now, all four family members are named – is there a reason?
• perhaps it’s a way to maintain their identity in a foreign land
◦ “Ruth” is a name that is foreign in Bethlehem, but the locals see her as
the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi (2:6 & 4:5)
• we notice a lot of naming in these verses
• Elimelech: God is king – Naomi: pleasant or sweet
◦ the meaning of the other names is sketchy
– all the important characters in Ruth will be named
• this is rare – we are not given the name of lots of important people in Judges
◦ having names makes them more familiar – real people
◦ we feel more involved with them, more empathy for them, and a stronger response to them

Their time in Moab did not turn out like they had hoped

First, Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with just her sons
– both of her sons died after marrying Moabite women
so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband
• the image that the childless widow this evokes is universal in its effect – we all feel it
◦ like a photograph of a widow in a refugee camp, bereft of her children
– what the storyteller has left out, is that Naomi she still has two daughters-in-law

(Please read verses vv. 6-14) We see that the plot takes a sudden turn

The world is not all at once bright and cheerful, but there is a ray hope
– at first, Naomi gets up to leave Moab, without us knowing why
• then comes the first bit of good news
◦ she heard in the fields of Moab there was food in Israel
◦ but what was she doing in the fields of Moab?
◦ perhaps the same thing Ruth will do in fields of Bethlehem; glean whatever grain is dropped by the harvesters (Ruth 2:1-3)
• in the first two chapters, the plot turns in a specific location: the fields or field
◦ these turn out to be a place where good things happen that change the mood of story
◦ in the third chapter, the location will be a threshing floor, and in the fourth chapter a city “gate”
– Naomi begins her return journey with her daughters-in-law,
• but before they get far, she has second thoughts
◦ the journey and her life in Bethlehem would be more difficult without them,
◦ but once she was back home home, she would have nothing for them
• even now she has nothing to give them but her blessing
◦ and here is another one of the beautiful features of this story,
◦ in every chapter there is at least one blessing
In chapters 2 and 3, Boaz and Naomi bless others in the name of Yahweh
In the last chapter, others bless Boaz and Naomi

So the three women stand by the highway crying, hugging, and kissing each other
– given Naomi’s thoughtfulness, we see why her daughters-in-law don’t want to leave her
• in her motherly way, Naomi reasons with them
◦ Naomi feels sorry that she brought pain into their lives
• notice she uses the word “bitter” to describe what she feels
“As if it is not hard enough that Yahweh has struck me, but it is even worse that you have become collateral damage”
◦ although it hurts to say good-by, Orpah knows Naomi is right and she heads back home
– Ruth did not leave Naomi’s side, but clung to her
• the Hebrew word translated clung means to be joined to, to form a bond with
• we cling when frightened, desperate, or do not want to be abandoned
◦ we cling to what we love the most – to what we cannot live without
Robert Alter, “The whole story turns on four key words”; namely, “return,” “go,” “cling,” and hesed “kindness” (mercy, compassion–the word has several layers of meaning)

(Please read verses vv. 15-18) Naomi tells Ruth to follow Orpah’s example

I have a question that I have to ask, though I know there is no answer given for it
– why was Ruth so attached to Naomi?
• in v. 8, Naomi told her to return to her “mother’s house”
• why did Ruth want to be with Naomi more than with her own mother
– with her mother, Ruth would have been guaranteed survival
• were there untold problems in Ruth’s home? was she happy to get away from her mom?
◦ what did Ruth see in Naomi that made venturing with her into the unknown worth the sacrifice?
• what is apparent to us is Ruth’s fierce loyalty and devotion

Ruth’s famous vow – there is nothing I can add to enhance it
– we simply have to listen to it and hear its poetry and passion
Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.
Your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
Where you die I will die,
and there will I be buried.
May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.
– surprisingly, Naomi “said no more”
• either she was deeply moved,
• or else she gave up trying to get rid of her

(Please read verses vv. 19-22) The homecoming

Bethlehem was stirred by Naomi’s return
– immediately, women began talking
• and this is where the first chapter will end, with women talking
• it is also where the book of Ruth will end
◦ but the talk at the end will be nothing like the talk here
◦ here the mood is bitter despair, at the end it will be festive joy
– when Naomi heard them say her name (and perhaps its correct Hebrew pronunciation)
• it was all too painful – in her response to them, her words are poetic
◦ in scripture, a person’s identity or destiny was wrapped up in their name
• the name-game gets really interesting:
◦ she gives herself two names and she refers to God by two names – one of them is ancient
I am [Yahweh]. I appeared to Abraham . . . as God Almighty, but by my name [Yahweh] I did not make myself known to them (Ex 6:2-3)
– the poetic form of Naomi’s response is a chiasmus
(to say the same thing in two parallel lines, but in the reverse)
Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara
the Almighty has . . . and Yahweh has . . .
Why call me Naomi
Yahweh has . . . and the Almighty has

Naomi stayed with God–
– if her life had become sour, it was sour with God;
– if she returned back empty, she was empty with God

So the first chapter began with a famine and a departure
– and it ends with a return and the beginning of a harvest

Conclusion: What will we take from this?

Regardless of whatever enters your life, do not change your name – do not stop being who you are
– do not stop clinging to Jesus, whatever else you may lose
• the temptation comes when facing life’s greatest challenges and hardships
◦ terrible times do change us – I once found my identity in being a husband and a dad
◦ then an unwanted divorce ripped that from me, and for a good while I was lost
◦ but I discovered that had not been my identity, but was a temporary persona that was meant to last for a season
• we want personas to be forever; that’s why we beg our toddlers not to grow up
– when we find our true self in Jesus – that identity never changes
• our identity is permanent, because it is anchored in God

When the big loss hits, double-down with God
You are not lost – God knows exactly where you are
The world may become darkened with chaos and nations may crumble
So, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near (Lk. 21:31)

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Welcome and Prayer: Nancy Lopez

Good morning!       Welcome to the Reflexion Community.          May the Lord be with you!

I’ve been following the timeline of Jesus’ appearances between His Resurrection and His Ascension (I think you realize that He walked around and had conversations for 40 days), he spoke a few times to His disciples and even to 500 people at once.  One of those times is noted in Matthew chapter 28; we often call this conversation “The Great Commission.”  I’ll get back to that.

A few weeks ago, Chuck mentioned the term “our calling” in a way that it is normally used as “our vocation.”  I wanted to tell you about my experience the first time I was asked to consider my calling.  I was at a Christian University, and we were each asked to write about “our calling,” how we knew about it and were pursuing it.  Everybody else in the class was much younger than me and excited to fulfill their calling as Christian vocation:  pastor, worship leader, missionary . . . .  I was not sure if I knew. I knew about spiritual gifts and doing what I had experience it–but was that my calling? 

Well, eventually I wrote about how we are first called from a human perspective.  The first couple of things we are called to when we are little:  Learning to Walk, we hear “Come to Mama–or Daddy—Come to me”; then Come Home, (come home when the porchlights come on, come home by midnight).  And I thought my Christian journey had pretty much the same foundation, “Come to Me, Come Home,” then we’ll learn what else we’re supposed to do.

I mentioned “The Great Commission”, that conversation Jesus had with His Disciples near the end of His last 40 days on earth.   (Have you heard that term? How did it make you feel when you heard it?) I’m going to read it from The Message.  See if you might hear it in a fresh way.

“Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back– not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally. Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

My translation:  Come to Me, come as you are, remember who I am and who I have been to you, train others as I have taught you, come, let’s go on together!

Let’s pray:  Lord Jesus thank you for your Call to us.  Thank you that though we doubt, though we lag, You are undeterred.  We remember Your Power and Your Passion.  We remember Your Authority.  What we have received from You, we can impart to others.  Thank You for that Call.  And, mostly, thank you that You are going with us.  We’re traveling by Faith and Grace.  Let today be a day that we’re closer to the destination You have in mind.  Amen

Today’s Talk: chuck smith, jr.

And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. Genesis 4:19-22

Intro: How did we wind up in Genesis this morning?

Many preachers have their sermons lined up for the whole year
– I’ve never been that organized or thought that far ahead
• it’s when I finish a series of talks that I think about what’s next
• usually that has a lot to do with what is pulling on my heart in that particular moment
– so we’re in Genesis, because it provides a seed for my talk
• I’m not sure what’s next – I’m thinking, the Book of Ruth
• that’s because it beautifully illustrates what I will try to explain

Genesis has been described as “the book of origins”

The origin of the universe, of life, humankind, sin and salvation, and so on
– in this snippet of a story we meet three brothers – inventors
• Jabal is mentioned first – the father of shelters and livestock
◦ I imagine this as the transition from hunters and gatherers to ranchers and herders
◦ this makes sense in terms of survival value; that is, a dependable food source
• Jubal comes next – the father of musicians
◦ the value of his role is not survival
◦ it has more to do with the soul than the body
• Tubal-cain was the forger of metal tools – technology
◦ his innovation served both farming and musical instruments
– we do not learn any more about them from Genesis,
• but my suspicion is that Jubal did not have a real job
• but moved from one brothers home to the other,
◦ sleeping on the couch and raiding the refrigerator
◦ that is, if he was the father of musicians

It is not difficult to imagine the invention of a harp or flute

Most any string that is stretched tight will vibrate with a specific tone
– the twang of a bow string or a thick thread of spun wool
• some materials provide better resonance than others
◦ I don’t want to know how it was discovered that cat gut strings worked well for guitars
• the biblical lyre (kinnor) would sound to us more like a sitar than harp
– perhaps Jubal heard wind moving through a hollow reed,
• and noticed it made a sound similar to human voice or a bird song
• experimenting with one reed or with several each a different size,
◦ he found that different notes could be produced – even a tune
◦ with musical instruments, he found another voice that spoke not with words, but music

The Bible doesn’t record the development of music over time

Or any of the other arts – though there were periods of innovation
– what we find is that by the time Israel came out of Egypt,
• there had been significant progress in their artistic skills
◦ in fact, God recruited artists for his project; the sacred tent
I have called by name Bezalel . . . and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft (Ex. 31:1-5)
• artistic work put into God’s sanctuary included:
◦ architecture, design and fabrication of furniture,
◦ splendid clothing, perfumed oil and incense, and tapestries
– even when art is not mentioned, it runs all through the Bible
• it is filled with the art of storytelling and the art of poetry
• that is why I am thinking of going through the Book of Ruth
◦ it is one of the best put together stories in the entire Bible

Have you ever felt a longing in subterranean depths of soul

To create something beautiful? A painting, a poem, a melody?
– if someone told you that you’re not an artist, they lied
• we are all artists – everyone of us
• we do not have to make art to sell or show to others
◦ we can make art for ourselves, for God,
◦ or just for the experience and joy of doing it
– my eleven-year-old granddaughter, Adrianna,
• has always been creative – she dabble in all sorts of projects
◦ she’s always cutting, pasting, drawing, dancing, singing
◦ whenever I can’t find the scissors, I ask Adrianna where she left them
• Friday night, I warmed up dinner for her and her brother
◦ I noticed that she was swirling the last bite of chicken teriyaki sauce making interesting patterns on her plate
◦ it felt to me like Van Gogh had visited us

Sometimes, driving the grandkids to school, I make up a song
– they’re nonsensical rhyming songs
• frequently, when I run out of ideas, one of them will add a line of their own
• making art an innate skill, impulse, instinct
– our artistic drive can find many forms of expression:
• painting, poetry, and music are the obvious ones
◦ there’s also photography, sculpture (and sand sculptures), and needlepoint
◦ fine cuisine can be an art form, as well interior design, and clothing design
• storytelling is a universal art form
◦ one in which Jesus excelled

Last week I quoted from Ephesians

We are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ep. 2:10)
– what does Paul mean by “beforehand”?
• it’s been suggested that it goes as far back to the beginning of humankind
• we were created in our Creator’s image – to be creative
– perhaps you’ve heard that workmanship translates the Greek word poiema
• it’s true our English word “poem” is derived from poiema
◦ but poiema does not mean “poem” or “masterpiece”
◦ it can refer to anything that is made
• the Theological Dictionary states that poiema is “what is produced by artisans”
◦ each one of us is an “art project”
◦ and doing art is built into us

There is a special gift that art brings to us

You–are not an “exact science”
– we do have sciences for understanding the body and brain
• the materials of bone and tissue – and their various functions
◦ but, we are not machines
◦ no science can account for the soul or what goes on in our minds
– science cannot answer our most pressing questions:
• “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” “Is there a purpose to life?”
• when it comes to the human soul,
◦ we are more art than science

What art gives us is a freedom found nowhere else

Farming and ranching had to be discovered, we can’t exist without them
– technology is also a necessity
• science is constrained by boundaries, by material limitations
◦ but art is not constrained by anything
• art is unnecessary; it does not have to exist
◦ the landscape doesn’t have to be painted or photographed
◦ that any art does exist reveals an unparalleled freedom
– art does not have to obey any rules
• surreal impossibilities can be painted,
◦ fictional worlds can be created and populated
◦ superheroes can save our planet multiple times
• art is a way we can practice and express our freedom
◦ art gives us a different kind of language
◦ the language of creative imagination
• through art, we can ask, “But what if things were different?”
◦ and then experiment with what the answer would look like, sound like, dance like

When Jesus outlined his ministry, he spoke of freedom

to proclaim liberty to the captives . . . to set at liberty those who are oppressed (Lk. 4:18-21)
So if the Son sets you free, your will be free indeed (Jn. 8:36)
– Paul was also very concerned about our freedom
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1)
For you were called to freedom . . . Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Gal. 5:13)
– a great feature of doing art: you can lose yourself in it
• you lose consciousness of hours ticking by
• you don’t notice that you missed lunch — and dinner
◦ freedom to lose yourself is a significant blessing
◦ it is the only way to find your true self

Conclusion: I would like to see us recover the art of being human

George Steiner, “In the immense majority of adult men and women, early impulses towards the making of art have withered away altogether.”
Don’t let that be true of you!
I hope God’s Spirit breathes new life into our artistic souls
For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 2:17)

Welcome and Opening Prayer: Nancy Lopez

Good morning!  In honor of this special day, I would like to celebrate all of you, in every way you that you mother, nurture, and support the growth and well-being of a child, another creature, of creation itself.
May the Lord be with you. 
Thank you, Jim, for reviewing the historical robustness of contemplative Christianity last week.  We do have a rich history and some treasured books, authors, and practices that we can lean in to.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we all seem to be experiencing separation, and I think I’ve found a connection point.  Whatever happened to humans in the biblical story of Adam and Eve, one thing I think we can agree about is that we do feel separated:  alienated from God, isolated from other people, and even say to myself, “Get it together, Nancy!” Ken Wilber calls this the great optical illusion of separateness. 
Personally, I picture this is the great shattering of the mirror that was meant to give us a true reflection of ourselves, but now we see everything with only a disconnected shard of glass.  We are made to reflect the image and likeness of God, to see ourselves in the faces of our neighbors, friends, families, even our enemies, to know that we are connected to all of creation, and to know wholeness even inside ourselves.  It is said that we mostly see ourselves through the trance of our personality.  Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I?”? 

So, this is where I see a contemplative opportunity for connection. As we are present to God in silence and stillness, we can enjoy a True mirror.  We take a long, loving look at The Real ; we gaze at Beauty and Truth.  From Ignatian Spirituality, I read something I loved; I quote, “When we take a long, loving look at the real, we see the vast landscape of divine mercy, grace, and fruitfulness into which our single lives are planted. We contemplate our experience within God’s larger gaze, which shines over every moment of every day. In the safety of that loving gaze—as God takes a long, loving look at us—we can grow courageous enough and hopeful enough to look honestly at this moment, this problem, this hurt, or this dream. As God contemplates us, we can contemplate ourselves and know that we, even here and now, are loved and beautiful.”  So, my thought is that, by the Spirit, we are charged with literally re-membering ourselves by the grace of God, by the gaze of God.  This is our practice now.  But there will be even more:  from 1 Cor. 13:   For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  Our journey, as I see it, is from a Shattered Mirror to a Reflective Mirror to then–Face to face.

Today’s Prayer comes from Thomas Merton’s (Jim recommended him to us last week).  It is a Prayer of Unity from his Asian Journal : 
Oh God, we are one with You. You have made us one with You. You have taught us that if we are open to one another, You dwell in us. Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts. Help us to realize that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection. Oh God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept You, and we thank You, and we adore You, and we love You with our whole being, because our being is in Your being, our spirit is rooted in Your spirit. Fill us then with love and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways, united in this one spirit which makes You present in the world, and which makes You witness to the ultimate reality that is love. Love has overcome. Love is victorious. Amen.

Morning Talk: chuck smith, jr.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him Colossians 3:17

Intro: Paul begins this sentence with a three-letter word: “AND”

We have made our way through his list of virtues,
– we have seen how he wrapped the virtues in love
• we paid close attention to what he said regarding:
◦ the word of Christ and the peace of Christ
• now we come to the last verse in this section of Colossians,
◦ where the climax of his thought begins begins with AND
– Paul hasn’t finished all he had to say, his thought is incomplete
• AND there is something else that is too important to leave out

I remember discovering how this verse is relevant to worship

I had combed through the entire Bible studying worship
– I read more than a dozen books on worship; mostly theology
• in the previous verse Paul coached the Colossians on the use of music (to teach and counsel each other)
◦ for first fifteen centuries of church history,
◦ theology was ingrained in the hearts and minds of believers through hymns
(an ever deeper knowledge of God deepens worship as well)
– anyway, one day as I read Colossians 3, it occurred to me, Paul is saying,
• “Make your whole life a continuous act of worship”
• it is another take on what he says in Romans:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Ro. 12:1)

This is Paul’s A-N-D – the capstone to his message about putting off the old self and putting on the new self
– for Paul, the outcome of every truth, every revelation is worship — and his thoughts about God take him there on occasion
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen (Ro. 11:33-36)
• the word “worship” covers every sort of interaction with God
◦ including prayer, praise, receiving his word, and doing his will
◦ everything comes back to God as our service of worship
– the most important word in scripture regarding worship is this:
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:24)
• is it alright if when I worship I follow a written liturgy? Yes
◦ can I worship God with music? Yes
◦ can I worship God by lighting candles or incense? Yes
◦ can I surround my worship with sacred art? Yes
◦ can I keep a holy Sabbath as a day of worship? Yes
◦ does worship include a sermon and offerings? Yes, yes, yes
• but all these forms of worship have been relativized
(you see, the answer to each question could also be, No!)
◦ what is essential is that we worship in spirit and truth
◦ the where and the how are subordinate to spirit and truth
• if someone has to ask, “How do I worship in spirit?”
◦ the answer is,
“You cannot know, because you cannot see the kingdom of God unless your are born again;
unless you’ve taken your first drink of living water, first bite of the bread of life. It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.”
◦ once God’s Spirit has us, then all of life can be worship
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)

In our verse, Paul specifies “whatever you do” as “in word and deed”

We live in a time when people use words loosely
– we have become casual with rules of grammar
(we ask, “Can I have that last cookie?” when the proper way of asking the question used to be, “May I have that last cookie?”
• and we are too free with insults and profanity
• we also have a strange new vocabulary shaped by our computers and hand-held devices
– when my dad was a child, if he had told his mom that he googled a friend,
• she would have washed out his mouth with soap
• some people worry that computers are becoming too human
◦ maybe we should worry, humans becoming too much like computers
◦ our decisions are driven by calculations and computations rather than common sense and compassion
◦ with computers, the only reliable language is mathematics

There are times when our words really matter
– when the wrong word can break a heart–or a spirit
• in most conversations, I ignore incorrect grammar
(if someone uses a double negative, it don’t make no difference to me)
◦ but what I admire is when a person’s speech is nurturing
◦ if insightful, perceptive, positive, gracious, lovely
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person (Col. 4:6)
• we do not say kind words by accident
◦ but angry, hurtful words can slip out accidently
◦ this does not go well with God
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (Mt. 12:36-37)
– David wrestled with this challenge in Psalm 39:
I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence” Still, he slipped (Ps. 39:1-6)
• Paul suggests another way to guard our words
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus
• if you’re interested in reading more on the nurturing and destructive power of words, there is a wealth of wisdom in The Proverbs and James chapter 3

Of course, our words are not our only form of communication

Our deeds speak for themselves,
– and sometimes others don’t hear what we say because actions are so loud
– there has some confusion regarding our deeds that I would like to clarify
• Paul is adamant in Romans and Galatians that we are not saved by our works
◦ God doesn’t accept us because we’re righteous enough, or pious enough, or good enough
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works (Ep. 2:8-9)
• I’ve heard preachers draw a absurd conclusion, one that I’ve even read it in commentaries
◦ “Good works are good for nothing”
– some Christians use this as excuse for not doing anything to relieve suffering in the world
“Why worry about their poverty, their illness, if they have shelter, or food and water if their souls are going to hell?”
• there is no place for that reasoning in the Christian mind
Jesus: let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Mt. 5:16)
• Paul, Peter, John – all fully agree with Jesus’ teaching
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ep. 2:10)
[Jesus gave himself for us] to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:14)
The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people (Titus 3:8)
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin (Jas. 4:17)
Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God (3 Jn. 11)

There’s a part of this verse that we tend to misunderstand

In the name of Jesus – the way Bible uses “name” is foreign to us
– it doesn’t mean we say his name or label our good works with it
• 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles refer to the temple as a house for the name of the LORD
(Did they build a house for God’s “name” to occupy?)
◦ if a person’s name was spoken, it brought them to mind
◦ think of the name of one of your friends –
can you think of that person’s name without seeing his or her face?
• to say God’s name was to invoke his presence — he was there
◦ that’s why the first words Jesus placed in the prayer he gave his disciples was
Hallowed be your name (or, Let your name be revered)
– they used the word name the way we use the word “person”
• we could say, do everything in the spirit of Jesus
◦ as his representatives, with his love, and his attitude, and his grace
• and the whole while, giving thanks to God the Father through him

Conclusion: Something in the Book of Joshua has always perturbed me

Towards the end he makes his famous announcement:
. . . if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Jos. 24:15)
– the answer from the people is immediate and adamant:
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods . . . . Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” (Jos. 24:16-18)
• this is a high point in Israel’s history
• what perturbs me: Joshua pours cold water on it:
But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins.” (Jos. 24:19)

Whenever we feel ready to follow Jesus, whatever the cost;
when we think we’re ready to speak only the words of Jesus,
or do only the work of Jesus,
we would do well to hear Joshua’s voice in our ears:
“You are not able”
So, before we leave here,
determined that whatever we say or do will be in the name of Jesus
We need to confess, “I can’t”
AND
then allow Jesus to tell us,
“I know. But I can, and I will”