The Greatest Space Shuttle of All
Commentary
In this series I have put much emphasis on the matter of keeping body and mind and spirit, heaven and earth, God and the world, the spiritual and the profane in the same ballpark, when we are discussing our lives of discipleship.
These days much attention is being given to this nation's fascination with the inability to launch its space shuttle. We are frustrated that we are pinned to the earth, while others make the trip.
Many are frustrated, in the same way, with their religious inability to somehow break free from their humanness -- their fleshiness -- and make direct contact with all that is holy and spiritual. They try meditation, absorption, worship, drugs, all in the name of finding a way to be ushered into the presence of God. Every little evidence, every little ray of light that seems to lead in this direction is followed.
If the good news is the good news I have always understood it to be, it is a declaration that too many of us exercise ourselves too much. While we sweat and swear and struggle to enter the presence of God, the truth is that he is standing near, making the offer of himself every moment.
Review the Bible. That moment when God comes to the Garden asking, "Where are you?" the coming at Babel; out on a lonely hillside to call Abraham; in sign, word, and symbol to prophets; down a ladder for Jacob; in fiery pillars and clouds; and, finally, in the fullest revelation of all. We know the words. "And his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us." "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us." "And being found in human form." You can look up the others.
There are, at the last, only two kinds of religion in this world. Some present God as distant, removed, aloof, withdrawn, and demanding some gift or discipline that will usher one into his presence. Others have heard the word that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaiming that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. We have the Good News to offer. It is hard to believe, but there it is.
OUTLINE I
A Model Still Worth Pursuing
Ephesians 5:21-31
Introduction: Contrary to what many may think, and many seem determined to maintain, it is clear that what is written here regarding both marriage and the church has, over the years, remained a model which is a challenge to what most of us envision. When one considers what was going on in the world of that day, in matters of marriage, this selection of scripture is absolutely radical. It remains quite radical for some today.
Many read their Bibles as if they were long collections of oracles and wise sayings for all ages, and with no reference to their contemporary situation. I suggest that you take time to look at Barclay's commentaries on the matter of marriage among the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews of that day. This will keep you from grabbing on to some phrase or sentence that seems to be out of step with the twentieth-century mind-set, and causing you to reject the entire thing.
Fortunately for us, this scripture becomes a commentary on both the married state and Jesus' relationship to the church.
A. The Church. Read slowly and carefully and disentangle the material on the church from that on marriage. Note that the entire passage rests on the self-giving of Christ for the church. That self-giving, self-sacrifice is at the base of what takes place between Christ and his church.
B. Marriage as a Mirror Image. Again the relationship rests on that Christ-like self-giving and self-sacrifice.
Conclusion: How can anyone read this selection and imagine it to be out of date or unworthy? Its challenge puts us to shame. Keep the focus on the sacrificial love that keeps both church and marriage what they ought to be.
OUTLINE II
Difficult Things to Accept
John 6:60-69
Introduction: As we have already said in a previous lesson, it is not easy for the disciple to merge daily life and spiritual life. It seems to always smack more of the holy if we can move away from the mundane or profane to some place or time that seems, to us, to reek of things spiritual. To look at this man of flesh and imagine him both Son of Man and Son of God -- that in him heaven and earth, holy and mundane are perfectly blended together -- was more than some could swallow.
A. Earth. Myth and theology had firmly convinced many that somehow evil was part and parcel of their existence. Babylonian myth had done its work. Heaven and earth had been pried apart. God owned heaven and Satan the earth. To see them brought together again in Christ was indeed hard to understand or accept.
B. Heaven. Interestingly, heaven seemed more associated with their dreams of a new Kingdom of David than some new place beyond current time and space. When the New Testament ends the discussion about the kingdom, its place and time and character are still underway. The Gospel of John gives witness to that; we discover the church moving away from the earthly-kingdom images to more otherworldly views.
C. The Blend. The Holy One of God; on earth as in heaven.
Conclusion: Too much, it seems to me, we try to separate God's rule on earth from that in heaven. Either we hear a great deal about establishing the kingdom on earth, or we hear much about hope for heaven. Drag both out for consideration. Keep them before your congregation, but be faithful to the Gospel and do not let them drift away from one another. It may be hard to accept, but that is the way the New Testament left them.
These days much attention is being given to this nation's fascination with the inability to launch its space shuttle. We are frustrated that we are pinned to the earth, while others make the trip.
Many are frustrated, in the same way, with their religious inability to somehow break free from their humanness -- their fleshiness -- and make direct contact with all that is holy and spiritual. They try meditation, absorption, worship, drugs, all in the name of finding a way to be ushered into the presence of God. Every little evidence, every little ray of light that seems to lead in this direction is followed.
If the good news is the good news I have always understood it to be, it is a declaration that too many of us exercise ourselves too much. While we sweat and swear and struggle to enter the presence of God, the truth is that he is standing near, making the offer of himself every moment.
Review the Bible. That moment when God comes to the Garden asking, "Where are you?" the coming at Babel; out on a lonely hillside to call Abraham; in sign, word, and symbol to prophets; down a ladder for Jacob; in fiery pillars and clouds; and, finally, in the fullest revelation of all. We know the words. "And his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us." "And the word became flesh and dwelt among us." "And being found in human form." You can look up the others.
There are, at the last, only two kinds of religion in this world. Some present God as distant, removed, aloof, withdrawn, and demanding some gift or discipline that will usher one into his presence. Others have heard the word that comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaiming that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. We have the Good News to offer. It is hard to believe, but there it is.
OUTLINE I
A Model Still Worth Pursuing
Ephesians 5:21-31
Introduction: Contrary to what many may think, and many seem determined to maintain, it is clear that what is written here regarding both marriage and the church has, over the years, remained a model which is a challenge to what most of us envision. When one considers what was going on in the world of that day, in matters of marriage, this selection of scripture is absolutely radical. It remains quite radical for some today.
Many read their Bibles as if they were long collections of oracles and wise sayings for all ages, and with no reference to their contemporary situation. I suggest that you take time to look at Barclay's commentaries on the matter of marriage among the Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews of that day. This will keep you from grabbing on to some phrase or sentence that seems to be out of step with the twentieth-century mind-set, and causing you to reject the entire thing.
Fortunately for us, this scripture becomes a commentary on both the married state and Jesus' relationship to the church.
A. The Church. Read slowly and carefully and disentangle the material on the church from that on marriage. Note that the entire passage rests on the self-giving of Christ for the church. That self-giving, self-sacrifice is at the base of what takes place between Christ and his church.
B. Marriage as a Mirror Image. Again the relationship rests on that Christ-like self-giving and self-sacrifice.
Conclusion: How can anyone read this selection and imagine it to be out of date or unworthy? Its challenge puts us to shame. Keep the focus on the sacrificial love that keeps both church and marriage what they ought to be.
OUTLINE II
Difficult Things to Accept
John 6:60-69
Introduction: As we have already said in a previous lesson, it is not easy for the disciple to merge daily life and spiritual life. It seems to always smack more of the holy if we can move away from the mundane or profane to some place or time that seems, to us, to reek of things spiritual. To look at this man of flesh and imagine him both Son of Man and Son of God -- that in him heaven and earth, holy and mundane are perfectly blended together -- was more than some could swallow.
A. Earth. Myth and theology had firmly convinced many that somehow evil was part and parcel of their existence. Babylonian myth had done its work. Heaven and earth had been pried apart. God owned heaven and Satan the earth. To see them brought together again in Christ was indeed hard to understand or accept.
B. Heaven. Interestingly, heaven seemed more associated with their dreams of a new Kingdom of David than some new place beyond current time and space. When the New Testament ends the discussion about the kingdom, its place and time and character are still underway. The Gospel of John gives witness to that; we discover the church moving away from the earthly-kingdom images to more otherworldly views.
C. The Blend. The Holy One of God; on earth as in heaven.
Conclusion: Too much, it seems to me, we try to separate God's rule on earth from that in heaven. Either we hear a great deal about establishing the kingdom on earth, or we hear much about hope for heaven. Drag both out for consideration. Keep them before your congregation, but be faithful to the Gospel and do not let them drift away from one another. It may be hard to accept, but that is the way the New Testament left them.
