October 23, 2016
Joel 2:23- I’ve done a good bit of work of late with the book of the 12/the Minor Prophets. God’s spirit will fall on the multitude, not merely a chosen few, old and young alike restoration and superior future repayment recompense reparations no put to shame humility v. humiliation. It uses rain as an image to show god showering blessing on us. Physical and spiritual blessings as a sign of restoration.Not only the people of Judah, on all flesh.Such a vision banishes the temptation to be miserly. Again, end times biblical images alternate between visions of doom and visions of restoration. They rarely, if ever, consist of punishment alone.This image is picked up by Luke for Pentecost but it goes far beyond Pentecost. It is inclusive on gender and on age. Look the enlivening gift of the spirit touches all people, no matter their age.It is an antidote to aging’s questions about why am I here, what did I accomplish?
While Joel promises a better future, some day, what do we do in the meantime? Our epistle is for people who will not live to see Christ’s return, even though they expected the messianic age to be in their midst. 2 Tim. 4:6-18 ending verses of an old man As Neil Young said, it is better to burn out than it is to rust.Yesterday we had the service for Grace Summers. When she looked back at her long life, she was honestly able to say that she had few regrets.This is a word of encouragement to the lonely and defeated soul that even in the midst of total and utter desertion.The power and presence of God will be with us, and in us, and will work victoriously and redemptively through us. God’s empowering presence for cruciform life and ministry of suffering love is the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (2 Timothy 4:17), as it is embodied by his Church and empowered by His Spirit. Frederick note valedictory of old age even when no one came to my support God was with me and gave strength for Paul to be a conduit of the message how did I make it to this point does god have a purpose for me at this age yes to continue to be a conduit for God’s message libation was connected to sacrifices at festival and sabbath and victory connected to unintentional sins of the religious observances connected to meeting and praying with God sacrifice is a sacrament an object made sacred and transformed into prayer. The drink offering of wine fits a sacramental understanding as it is using the gifts of god but changing them through technique.Meal as communion with god and that includes drink.Sacrifice itself is a humble action, as is prayer.
Lk. 18:9-14 Pharisee was a good person and tax collector was the very image of a collaborator with the Romans who grew rich at the expense of the people Jesus says that this miscreant goes home justified/rectified/made in proper relationship with god.Imagine telling the Pharisee that.They were both doing the righteous act of prayer.and humility and hubris Comparisons are often dangerous tools.I fall into this trap all the time when I compare different religious expressions with christianity. Listen to liberal compare themselves to conservatives and vice versa. It is a dispiriting game of I am superior to you.The Pharisee’s attention is diverted from his prayer with God to observing the publican. Comparison rarely invites humility.If we continue to divide each other up into opposing camp we fall into the trap of the Pharisee’s prayer.
God enfolds us within the divine life: young or old, humble or proud, self-righteous or not. In a time when we emphasize differences, it is a good corrective to be reminded that god look through all those differences and ses us as God’s own.
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