The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”

His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself. John 9:18-21

INTRO: What is implied in the statement, “He who has ears, let him hear”? (see Mt. 13:9) Continue reading →

John 9:13-17

INTRO: I spent the past two days with my niece, driving back and forth to Commerce

As we made our way home through the crowded LA freeways Friday evening, my niece, who attended private Christian schools all the way throught the twelfth grade, began to tell me about some of her friends. Having left the shelter of their private schools, their exposure to the many new and different ideas, perspectives, and educated opinions has thrown them into confusion regarding their own beliefs, and many have given up the faith. Continue reading →

When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:6-7

INTRO: I came across a folktale this last week in a book written by Simone Weil

A young monk was anxious regarding the salvation of his father, who was a miser and could think of nothing other than money. The Prior of the monastery called for the old man and struck a deal with him. For every time that he would say recite the prayer, “Glory to the Lord of light,” the Prior would give him a penny. All he had to do was show up in the evening and report how many times he had recited the prayer and he would receive his money. Continue reading →

We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world. John 9:4-5

INTRO: A couple weeks ago I mentioned Anne Rice, who still follows Jesus although she left “Christianity”–because of Christians

This week The Washington Post (online) printed a “pastoral response” to Anne Rice’s announcement Continue reading →

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3  

INTRO: I received an email this morning from a pastor who told me, “A heart attack took me out of ministry two years ago”
He went on to describe
– a security job he recently lost through no fault of his own
– his wife’s extremely painful and debilitating illness

When we hear stories like his, they raise those most difficult of all questions: Continue reading →

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.  1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:23-26

INTRO: It might seem strange – in a letter devoted to spirituality that Paul would spend four chapters talking about food

Continue reading →

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

INTRO: Thinking about tonight’s talk has been bugging me all week
If I had to identify a reason why . . .
 – probably because I think of love as other-centered
 – and love isn’t lazy
So I come up against my own self-centeredness and laziness
 – in all sincerity, I wish I could just say, “Follow Barbara for a week”
– you would see care for others and selfless service in action Continue reading →

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 
1 Corinthians 13:8-12 

INTRO: Documentary, “Lord, Save Us From Your Followers” – interviews with average North Americans
What became painfully obvious: 

1. No one wants to listen to Christians–that is, their condemnation, dogma, and arguments
2. People are deeply impressed by acts of love and kindness Continue reading →

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

INTRO: Those of us who started Reflexion were drawn together by a shared vision and passion

• Vision: That “spiritual journey” is a useful analogy to describe our life in Jesus
• Passon: Our desire to make continued progress in this journey, to move deeper into God and travel further in fulfilling his will Continue reading →

If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 

INTRO: I was thinking about Christian fundamentalism a few days ago 

• It occurred to me that the pioneers got it wrong
  The fundamentals they emphasized were beliefs (doctrines)
   – but those are not what is fundamental to the Christian life Continue reading →