10W for Transfiguration

Here is a short 10 minute worship service based on the text for Transfiguration Sunday.  If you wish to download it to your computer or smartphone you can go to www.10worship.blogspot.com and click the download option

Opening Litany based on Psalm 99

Pastor: The LORD reigns, let all the nations of the world look in awe before the mighty God who sits enthroned between the cherubim.

Congregation: Great is the LORD in Zion who is exalted over all the economic powers and the nations. Let us praise the great and awesome name of the Lord our God who is Holy of Holies, Lord or Lords and King of Kings.

Pastor: The King of Glory is mighty. The Lord of all loves justice and establishes equity in the world.

Congregation: We will exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool for he alone is Holy.

Pastor: Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

Congregation: Oh LORD our God, You answered them; You were to Israel a forgiving God. Oh Lord our God, You speak to us, and you are a forgiving God calling us to share the love of Christ.

Pastor: I will Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his Holy Places, for the LORD our God is holy.

Congregation: We will Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his Holy Places, for the LORD our God is holy.

Matthew 17:1-9

The Transfiguration

All that talk about crosses

It’s kinda creepy

It just feels good to get out

(led them up)

Go for a little hike

Where I don’t know

But good

And we all strive to stay on top

(three shelters)

Up

Out of the way

Longing for the easy way

Out of the dust

(this is my son)

Dirt

(whom I love)

Streets

(listen to him)

If only we could stay here

Have the people come to us

Visit the place it all came together

(he led them)

A holy place

(down the mountain)

A sign of the kingdom

10 Commandments

Sunday March 6th, Exodus 24: 12 The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction." In the Gospel for today, Jesus goes up on the mountain, but doesn’t stay there. God’s love for all humanity then goes down into the dusty streets of humanity where love becomes a verb. In Exodus, Moses goes up to the mountain to spend some time with God before coming down with the law, an earlier version of God’s love for all humanity. Today, modern raggin’ Pelagians want to put the Ten Commandments on the walls of the court houses, making sure everyone “knows” what they should “do” to live right. In the process they forget the most important part of the commandments, the Promise. I am the Lord Your God and you are my people. Moses brings the law down out of the mountain; he comes down from the clouds with this sign of the promise of God. Peter, James and John come down out of the mountains with Jesus, the sign of the promise of God’s love fulfilled for the whole world. Now it is our turn to come down out of the mountains, or at the very least down off our high horse, and bring the good news to the streets. We are not called to be Bible toting raggin’ Pelagians in the face of great human need. We are called to be the hands, feet and voice of God bringing hope to a hurting world. We are called to be love in action.

Such a moment

Monday March 7th, Exodus 24: 15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. The symbols roll one upon another in this description. The connections to the Glory and Majesty of God in the clouds and fire, the six days of the new creation followed by communing with the Lord, the consuming fire of purification and the forty days and nights of Jesus in the wilderness or the forty years of the wanderings in the desert. They are all rolling around in these few simple verses. They all are meant to connect us to these stories and the God connection in each. Something new is starting, something big, and all these signs let us know that God will be the main part in it. This is a liturgical moment of the Nth degree. It lets us know that humanity will be blessed with the presence and the promise of God. How many times in our lives do those liturgical connections, in whatever form they may take, punctuate a new beginning or a Holy moment in our lives? The birth of a child, a long darkness ended either emotionally or in the cosmos, a simple leaf falling from a tree but connecting with us in an amazing way, an amazing sunrise, or some event or observation that often has meaning only for you. In these moments God is there. The history of God’s relationship to all humanity is there. Your life is punctuated with a “yes” and you go on knowing life will never be the same. For those who have their eyes and hearts open, life is liturgical, and God’s nearness is known in the sign and the symbol. May you this day have such a moment.

Bright Morning Star

Tuesday March 8th, 2 Peter 1: 19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Sometimes the message of God’s love has been proclaimed by the prophets, sometimes by the saints in our lives, sometimes by aunts and uncles, parents and children, friends or strangers, but through it, you know that at that moment it is God who is speaking to your heart. In the darkness that sometimes invades our lives, the simple illumination is sufficient and you can find your way. What you find your way to is the light of Christ, the Morning Start that brings hope after a long night of darkness of our soul. Listen to the words of the children of God in times of your darkness. Be the words of God for others in the midst of their darkness. Even if the light we shine is only the dimness of the reflected light of Christ, the light of the Morning Star can bring hope to a heart in need.

Don't sell the farm

Wednesday March 9th, 2 Peter 1: 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. One can profit from listening to the prophets, but there is a danger in listening to just one. Many can reflect the light of Christ; whether they be the prophets of old or the old lady down the street. The light of Christ can be seen in the children playing or asking seemingly unanswerable questions or the learned scholar offering insight that opens a whole new way of thinking. Sometimes however, someone shining their own light in the midst of darkness can seem so holy we never notice that the holy comes with a small ‘h.” You can pretty much count on the prophets of old having been vetted through the years and their connection with God and the people. Modern day messengers are a little trickier. It is always best to test what you hear from those who seem to have the inside track with God these days with some of those older vetted prophets before you sell the farm and give them the money.

What a moment

Thursday March 10th, Matthew 17: 1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Oh, the moment!!!! To stay up on the mountain top and enjoy the moment forever would be the greatest of bliss. To bask in the light from on high and stay out of the dirty dusty streets and away from those crosses we were asked to pick up and carry, that is the life. You and I too would most likely want to stay up there and build the booths. They don’t call the street drug ecstasy for nothing. You and I too would rather stay in the sanctuary and sing the songs, hear the preaching and sing God’s praises. Only, sometimes, light in order to be light, must shine in the darkness of the dirty and dusty streets. After six days in the streets the new creation is done, on the seventh we come into the presence of Christ, and even then it is time, time to leave the mountain tops behind and shine the reflective light of Christ at work in the world and through our lives.

Listen

Friday March 11th, Matthew 17: 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" Amid the commotion of the moment comes the pure voice of God. It not only claims Jesus as the loved one and the Son, but more importantly the one who is to be listened to. Sometimes amid the clamor of our own voices and programs we fail to hear the voice of God. This is Jesus, my son whom I love,…………….. LISTEN TO HIM!!!!!!! Listen as he leads you to the dusty streets. Listen as he leads you to the poor and needy. Listen as he leads you to a life of prayer. Turn out your own lights, turn down your own volume, turn down the static and noise of day to day life, and listen. And what does the Lord require, that you seek justice, show mercy and walk humbly before your God, and Listen!!!

Fear not

Saturday March 12th, Matthew 17: 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Fear not, for the spirit of God is upon you and you will bear a son, and hope was brought to the world. Fear not, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a son, and hope was brought into the world. Get up and don’t be afraid, and they saw Jesus ready to lead them into the towns and villages below, and hope was brought into the world. Fear not, get out of your pews and into the streets, and hope is brought into the world. Fear not, and go!!

10W for March

I have uploaded 10W worship for March.  You can listen or download them at www.10worship.blogspot.com  I will continue to post to the current 10W on this site each week. 

10W for Epiphany 8

Here is a short 10 minute worship service based on the text for Sunday.  If you wish to download it you can go to www.10worship.blogspot.com and click the download option

Matthew 6:24-34

Do Not Worry

O man did you see that new car

I gotta get me one of those

Then people will sit up and take notice

Then I will be somebody

I wonder how I will pay for it

Color

            Accessories

Wheels           

If I sell my old car

Cut back on the coffee stand

Maybe

Just maybe

I can pull it off

(seek)

And then I will be cool

Everyone will know I am

(ye)

Someone

Then I will get a little respect

(first)

Life will be good

(the kingdom)

And it will be easy street

If only

(all these things)

I can

Pull it off

(will be given)

Then

Finally

(to you)

Life will be good

Opening Litany based on Psalm 131

Pastor: Our hearts are not proud, Oh LORD, our eyes are not haughty;

Congregation: We will put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore

Pastor: We do not concern ourselves with great matters or things too wonderful for us to consider.

Congregation: We will put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore

Pastor: We have calmed and quieted ourselves like a weaned child with its mother

Congregation: We will put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore

Pastor: Like a weaned child with its mother we are content.

Congregation: We will put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore

Pastor: Let us put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.

Congregation: We will put our hope in the LORD both now and forevermore

“be free!”

Sunday February 27th, Isaiah 49: 8 This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, 9 to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ For those living in the darkness of captivity this is indeed good news. Not only is God promising to return them from captivity, but God is also promising to overturn the oligarchical social structure that had brought about the downfall of Israel in the first place, and now is beginning to affect our own nation, and return the land inheritance to the people. We have seen recently the peaceful demonstrations in the Mideast in response to oligarchy and dictatorship. These are turn the other cheek and walk the extra mile demonstrations (Walter Wink’s third way http://www.cres.org/star/_wink.htm) used to overthrow oppressive regimes and help create brothers where there were formerly enemies. All too often in the history of humanity, the change of social orders has simply meant the flipping of those on the bottom into becoming those on the top who still play the same game. Jesus calls us to come out of the darkness of needing to be on top, needing to control and/or being on the bottom and secretly cherishing our victim role, and to live and love as sisters and brothers. It is then, and only then we, as well as our sisters and brothers can truly “be free!”

crumbling rock

Monday February 28th, Isaiah 49: He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. 11 I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. 12 See, they will come from afar— The return from captivity to freedom was a long road for the captives in Babylon, not only physically, but emotionally as well. The return from captivity to freedom for those suffering from all sorts of ailments, from drugs and victimization to power and control, is a long road for those who are captive. With God as their travel companion, the road is a bit easier. In the mountainous desert communities, the vision is springs of water alongside the road and instead of treacherous passes with crumbling rock and bandits; it is a super highway smooth and level. Most who climb out of addictions find the path a bit more toward the crumbling rock. Perhaps what is need in this world is just a closer walk with thee. Thee being you…. The hands and feet and hugs of God.

gorging at the top

Tuesday March 1st, Isaiah 49: 13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. For those who are truly suffering this is the word of grace. For those who for the first time are having to share it might not sound like such good news. News wire just in, Gadhafi is falling and may have fled to Venezuela, military defecting. For those who have lived under a dictatorship this is good news. For those who want stability, not so good. Stability in this case being a small group with all the power and wealth, and most others groveling for a piece of the pie. In God’s world, everyone gets a piece of the pie, and along with it the steak and potatoes and a big salad and lots of soup and hummus. God’s world view is abundance for all, most of humanities and the tea parties view is a few gorging at the top and the rest groveling at the bottom.

praise for what??

Wednesday March 2nd, 1 Corinthians 4: 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God. For some their identity is bound up in being a victim, either at the hand of others or at the hand of self. For the majority however, their main problem is feeling they are right and that their conscience is clear, they never see the victims in their wake. Paul tells us to just wait, sort of like the warning, just wait until your father/mother gets home. What happens when the Lord returns??? At that time each will receive their praise from God?!?!?! But, but, praise for what?? Praise for simple being a child of God, and that is enough.

subsistence fantasy

Thursday March 3rd, Matthew 6: 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. In Anchorage, as in many parts of the country, the other master is not money, but what money can buy. Great opulence is not the goal, good enough is. We are not after yachts costing millions of dollars, just give me a simple cabin in the woods I can get away from on weekends, a car to get me there, and boat and a snow machine when I get there and plenty of fish to give me the illusion of a subsistence fantasy. In the mean time, I notice that you and your children are gone most weekends. You might want to at least try www.10worship.blogspot.com

thin on top

Friday March 4th, Matthew 6: 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? I am getting a little thin on top. At almost 62, that is not surprising. I can worry about it, stay awake at night and the only thing I will gain is more space for less hair. On the other hand I can be thankful for all God has given me, the many gifts of love and friendship, a wonderful wife and children that go from liking me to at least hating me less than they used to. I can choose to worry or not. With God in my life, I choose to not worry, God is in charge and in this walk through life, when I fall, God picks me up, laughs at me, dusts off my knees and sets me back on the path. Were I to walk it alone, I would still be in the ditch and a bit more worried with a bit less hair.

seek

Saturday March 5th, Matthew 6: 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The solution to most difficulties in life is to walk each day with God by your side. You will not totally stay out of trouble, as a matter of fact, following God usually gets you into trouble in this egocentric fundamentalists world, but at least it will be good trouble. All of the teachings of the beatitudes, from you’re blessed because you are down and out, you’re blessed when you try to make the world a better place, you’re blessed when you get in trouble for trying to make the world a better place, if you think you can make it on your own remember by God’s accounting there are no loopholes, to, so love your enemies and pray for them and walk as a child of God and seek first the Kingdom of God, bring us life. So seek you first the Kingdom of God. Don’t worry about the rest, it will all work out.

Jesus' third way of active non-violence

The classical interpretation of Matt 5:38-42//Luke 6:29-30 suggests two, and only two, possibilities for action in the face of evil: fight or flight. Either we resist evil, or we do not resist it. Jesus seemingly says that we are not to resist it; so, it would appear, he commands us to be docile, inert, compliant, to abandon all desire for justice, to allow the oppressor to walk all over us. "Turn the other cheek" is taken to enjoin becoming a doormat for Jesus, to be trampled without protest. "Give your undergarment as well" has encouraged people to go limp in the face of injustice and hand over the last thing they own. "Going the second mile" has been turned into a platitude meaning nothing more than "extend yourself." Rather than encourage the oppressed to counteract their oppressors, these revolutionary statements have been transformed into injunctions to collude in one's own despoiling.

But that interpretation excluded a third alternative: active nonviolent resistance. The word translated "resist" is itself problematic; what translators have failed to note is how frequently anthistemi is used as a military term. Resistance implies "counteractive aggression," a response to hostilities initiated by someone else. Liddell-Scott defines anthistemi as to "set against esp. in battle, withstand." Ephesians 6:13 is exemplary of its military usage: "Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand [antistenai, literally, to draw up battle ranks against the enemy] in the evil day, and having done all, to stand [stenai, literally, to close ranks and continue to fight]." The term is used in the LXX primarily for armed resistance in military encounters (44 out of 71 times). Josephus uses anthistemi for violent struggle 15 out of 17 times, Philo 4 out of 10. Jesus' answer is set against the backdrop of the burning question of forcible resistance to Rome. In that context, "resistance" could have only one meaning: lethal violence.

This is an excellent article by Walter Wink and is essential reading for Sundays Sermon.  Please do yourself a favor and read the whole article in the link below.

Beyond Just War and Pacifism: Jesus' Nonviolent Way
by Walter Wink

10W for Ep7, Feel the Love

Below is a copy of 10W for the 7th week after Epiphany beginning February 20th. I do hope you enjoy this short worship experience. Outreach for this ministry is through you so please consider forwarding a copy to any friends you feel would benefit from this worship experience. If you wish receive this as an mp3 file just email me at bollerud@gci.net and I will put you on the distribution list to receive 10W on a weekly basis. If you wish to be removed from the email list just let me know via the same email address.

Thank you all for helping to spread this ministry and May the blessings of our Lord and Savior be with you this day.

Opening Litany based on Psalm 119:33-40

Psalm 119:33-40

Pastor: Be my guide in life O Lord and teach me the ways you would have me live, that I may walk by your side my whole life long.

Congregation: Help me to understand your plan for the world that with your help I may walk in your ways and take all your teachings to heart. 

Pastor: Direct me in the paths of your ways for it is there I find my delight.

Congregation: Turn not just my head, but more importantly my heart toward your ways and away from selfish gain.

Pastor: Turn my eyes away from worthless things and fill my life with your word.

Congregation: May your ways be seen in this world so that you may be seen by others with the awe and wonder with which I see you O Lord.

Pastor: Remove the shyness and awkwardness that sometimes keeps me from being a child of God in this world; help me to show that all your ways are good.   

Congregation: I long to walk in your ways this day O Lord, Help me each and every day to walk in your ways, for it is You O Lord who bring life to my world.  

Matthew 5:38-48

An Eye for an Eye

You have heard it said
You have lived with the truths
Handed down from generation
To generation
To generation
Born to limit revenge
Now used only for an excuse
And eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
Becomes a life for a life
And a war for a war
Victims all
And Jesus, with authority spoke
But I tell you
Resist not evil
Nor let it go on
For in doing so you risk not only your life
But you soul as well
Turn the cheek and let them see their charade for power
Give them all they steal from you
But mostly
Give them back their shame
But I tell you
Pray
Love
Help
The very ones who wish to hurt you
Hold the mirror before them
Till they see
They too
Are a prayed for
Loved
And helped
Child of God
then you may begin to grasp the
Perfect
Love
Of Christ

Big "H" little "h"

Sunday February 20th, Leviticus 19: 1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
3 “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God. 4 “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God. We are all called to be holy. That is with a small “h.” When we try to be holy with the capitol “H” we run into the problem of making idols, though not of metal, but of self. The difference between the big H and little h holiness is that big H holiness is all about the self. Little h holiness is all about God. Little h holiness is fully aware that we don’t always, or even often have it all together, but we still live in the joy of walking with God. Life then becomes a dance, and the music we dance to is the music of the spheres and the voice that spoke them all into existence. Big H holiness is a solo performance as we spin around humming loudly to ourselves and then looking to see if anyone notices. It is closer to reality TV than walking with God. It may give a thrill for a while until you look around and see half the people laughing and the other half thinking it was sooooo last year. When you little h dance with God that noise you hear is the saints cheering you on from the wings.

Dad was not a good farmer

Monday February 21st, Leviticus 19: 9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God. 11 “‘Do not steal. “‘Do not lie. “‘Do not deceive one another. 12 “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. 13 “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. 14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD. 15 “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD. My father was not the best farmer. He always found time to take a short nap before supper. The fields were not stripped clean and there was always a little left over for the deer, birds and whatever else was part of that web of life. Sundays were always more about rest and family than about production and profit and as a dairy farm; there was always enough milk to feed the cats and dogs. The machinery was old and there was always room to make things more efficient, but good enough and time to enjoy the day usually ruled. In our profit driven world, often times what is driven out are the poor and needy. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps we tell the one with no shoes and we are convinced that somewhere in the Bible it says that god helps those who help themselves. God calls us to be poor farmers, leaving enough along the path for others and remembering that good enough and time to enjoy the day and one another and God is always better than a casket surrounded by things.

brother's brother; sister's sister

Tuesday February 22nd, 1st Corinthians 3: 16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? One element common in earlier religious thought, but not so much in our modern religious thought, is the dominance of community identification over individual identification. Before the time period of the reformation to the enlightenment, a person’s identity was as part of a tribe, city, nation or community. Post enlightenment, the individual took precedence over the community. As with any social change the lines are not so clear cut and you can always find examples to the contrary, but in general there is a vast difference between one’s self identity in relationship to the group between the time of Christ and now. What we miss most is the responsibility the one has for the many, as well as the responsibility the many has for the one. In community, there are the well to do and not so well off, but in true community no one has too much at the expense of those who have too little, and everyone at least has enough. The modern libertarian concept of individual rights is contrary to the teachings in scripture and any attempt to fit them together is square peg and round hole mechanics. The message is not that we are our brothers keeper, but rather that we are our brother's brother and our sister's sister. The scriptures call us to live a life where rights, responsibility and relationship go hand in hand and where power, prestige and pilfering profit are an anathema. Free market libertarians are simply trying to boilerplate community economics onto international anonymity. The results are rights, power, prestige and pilfering profit without responsibility and relationship and a landscape strewn with victims.

give the finger

Wednesday February 23rd, 1st Corinthians 3: 18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” 20 And again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.” 21 So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—22 whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. Once again the “you” everything belongs to is not the individual “you” but the community “you.” The community “you” implies responsibility, one to another. The wisdom of the world is to shop till you drop and the one with the most toys wins. It is foolishness to God and folly for humanity. Later in 1st Corinthians Paul will bring forth the image of us all being part of the body of Christ. Right now he is just laying the groundwork for why we can’t all consider ourselves to be a finger, and one who is giving it to the rest of humanity.

butt naked

Thursday February 24th, Matthew 5: 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. The laws of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth were meant to limit revenge reactions. In a community, it stopped the Hatfields and McCoys from taking it out on each other for generation upon generation. All too often however Jesus’ but I tell you in this text has been used as justification for victimization. Walter Wink unpacks this text in a way that gives us a glimpse of Jesus third way. (http://www.cpt.org/files/BN%20-%20Jesus%27%20Third%20Way.pdf) Turning the other cheek was a challenge to the master who would abuse the slave. Giving over your coat might leave you butt naked, but the whole community who was judging you is caused to confront their own sin. And walking two miles instead of one will make the whole battalion of solders forcing you to do so nervously expend their energy wondering what you might be up to. For a full understanding of this read the linked article by Walter Wink.

sun rise to sun set

Friday February 25th, Matthew 5: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and all of humanity and called it good. Since that time humanity has been trying to prove that they or their group was better than someone else or someone else’s group. Ever since Cain and Able there have been enemies, and as a result, there has been sadness. Christ calls us to love our enemies because they are more like us than we would like to admit, sharing the same DNA and the breath of God. Enemies is a human construct. Community and family of God, is a God construct. And the God who created us and calls us good, loves us all.

Perfection

Saturday February 26th, Matthew 5: 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Being perfect could be construed as doing your best to live as a child of God, basked in the grace of God. It is not looking down on others or other tribes or other communities or faiths or nations; it is simply loving God and living as a part of God’s great creation call good. Being nice to friends is easy. Being nice to relatives a bit harder. Being nice to enemies might be the hardest, but it brings you closer to God. So be perfect, which means, live your life surrounded by the grace of God and try to see the world through God’s eyes. Then perhaps you will hear the words that started this whole dissertation in Matthew 5, Blessed are you.

10W for Epiphany 6

Below is a copy of 10W for the 6th week after Epiphany beginning February 13th. I do hope you enjoy this short worship experience. Outreach for this ministry is through you so please consider forwarding a copy to any friends you feel would benefit from this worship experience. If you wish receive this as an mp3 file just email me at bollerud@gci.net and I will put you on the distribution list to receive 10W on a weekly basis. If you wish to be removed from the email list just let me know via the same email address.

How do you use 10W? Do you listen in the morning at home on your computer? Do you listen on the way to work on your Smartphone? I would love to hear from you regarding how you use 10W and your thoughts on this ministry.

Thank you all for helping to spread this ministry and May the blessings of our Lord and Savior be with you this day.

Matthew 5:21-37

Murder Adultery Divorce

I am just trying to get to worship
Packing the kids and all their things in the car
Rushing out the door at the last moment
And then some jerk
Some stupid jerk
Pulls out in front
Of ME
And goes
So
Slow
So
Slow
So
Slow
I could just kill him
(you have heard it said)
How do you expect me to keep this family together
Teach the children their lessons
(but I tell you)
Provide a good example
With jerks like that on the road
There ought to be a law
(leave your gift)
We need a bit more law and order around here
More laws
More cops
More prisons
To control
Others
(and reconcile)
I just can’t believe I know that stupid jerk
he sits in front of me at church
(and do not)
Has such a hot wife
I mean
(cause)
Hot
I can’t wait to see what little number
(others)
She is wearing today
No wonder I never
Hear
(to sin)
The sermon