Waiting on the Wind

It will be good to be back in the pulpit of Seneca Presbyterian Church this week after taking a Sunday off for some time with my family. We will be considering the story that begins the book of Acts. Jesus has gathered the disciples on a mountaintop outside Jerusalem. He has been with them for forty days, instructing them "of things concerning the kingdom of God." It is the moment when the risen Christ is to be received into heaven. The disciples who have gathered there ask Jesus a human question: "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?"

As I contemplate this text, it sounds so much like the one question that haunts people of faith and those who perhaps want to believe, yet somehow can't: If God is God, why is there so much unjust suffering in this world? Or to put it bluntly: The world is a lousy place for too many people, God. Why don't you fix it?

Do you ever ponder the same question?
When you encounter the question from others, do you feel compelled to somehow defend God? 

Perhaps Jesus wants us to hear something of the same answer he gave those first disciples. There are some things you are not meant to know. But know this: you are meant to be my witnesses - my partners - in the work of God in the world.Then Jesus promised them and us the gift of the Holy Spirit - his abiding presence and power - to be his faithful witnesses and disciples and partners in the work of the kingdom of God in God's world. Now that' an amazing invitation to an amazing adventure!

On Sunday, I will share with you the concept of rowboat and sailboat churches. The idea comes from the writings of Joan Gray. The distinction is rather simple to understand. Rowboat churches, like rowboats, work with human power and under human control. They have human agendas and operate under human limitations. Sailboat churches, like sailboats, wait on the power of the wind. In church, we call that the power of the Holy Spirit. They seek to have divine agendas and strive to operate with divine possibilities.

The distinction may be rather simple to understand. Living it is an entirely different matter. It requires mastering skills, patient and diligent practice, respecting the wind and the water, learning how to capsize - and how to right the boat again. And trusting in a higher power - whether you are sailing boats or churches.

But isn't it worth the risk?

Unfinished Business

Just like Christmas, Easter has many different stories. And just as we do at Christmas, we tend to merge them together into one. We have stories of resurrection appearances in the garden, especially to Mary Magdalene (John). We have a wonderful story about a risen Jesus walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke). We have stories about Jesus appearing to all the disciples in Jerusalem. And John gives us more stories about Jesus appearing to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee, preparing breakfast for them and then having a seriously forgiving conversation with Peter.

And yet, if we look at each Gospel account on its own, we soon discover that Mark's account is unique. You can read it in chapter 16, verses one to eight. Your Bible no doubt contains verses nine to twenty as well. They should be marked as additions to Mark that were put there later by others. It did not take long for this strange ending to bother those first Christians. 

".. and they (the women) said nothing to anyone, 

for they were afraid." 

Mark's story doesn't make for a very exciting Easter, does it? And yet, if we are honest it may be precisely what we need to hear. In anticipation of our Easter Sunday celebration, ponder these questions:

• What bothers you about the original ending of Mark? What is missing for you? Would you prefer to end Mark's Gospel in a different way?

• What if a portion of Mark's manuscript was lost (torn away) and he really did not mean to end this way. That is what some scholars have speculated. If it is an unfinished sentence, how would you finish it? 
•  What do you like about it the way it is? What possibilities does it offer for you and your faith?  

On Sunday at Seneca Presbyterian Church, we will explore Mark's "unfinished business" and see what it might be able to teach us about Easter faith. 

Looking Toward Easter

After the blessing of eight worship services this week, I am ensconced into my usual Friday of hibernation, seeking to pull together the sermon for Sunday morning. Because the Presbyterian congregations of Oconee County have a long standing tradition of gathering for worship each evening of Holy Week, and because as pastor of one of those congregations, I am called upon to preach once during the week, my long sought after discipline of slowly incubating a sermon for Sunday has been shattered. As a consolation, I will post the sermon from Wednesday night. It surprised me - taking a different course and becoming a bit of a respite from the burden and solemnity of Holy Week. If you are curious, check out the second "Seedling to Sermon" page.

What I am anticipating now is the climax of this week - the last three services that will take place on Sunday morning. (This week actually offers 12 opportunities for worship. My missing one will be tonight - Good Friday- which I hate to miss but necessity will be my master this evening.) Our day at Seneca Presbyterian Church will begin at 6:30 a.m. with our sunrise service of worship. I understand this tradition has a long history as well, dating back to the days when the hill that now sustains our Fellowship Hall building was vacant - and an ideal spot to watch the sun rise on Easter morning. Though that hill is no longer accessible, its base still provides a great place to gather for worship. As we do, we shall borrow just a bit of an ancient tradition that is finding something of a resurgence among Protestants - namely the Easter Vigil.

A true Easter Vigil would begin in the early darkness of the last night before Easter dawn. It would last about six hours and contain four distinct movements: the service of light where the fire is rekindled after being extinguished on Good Friday, the service of readings that traces salvation history from the time of creation to the Easter morning of new creation, the service of baptism, and the celebration of communion. We will do numbers one and four along with a very abbreviated version of number two. Then adjourn to Pastors' Hall for our SPC tradition - the feast of Easter breakfast.

As today progresses, I hope to offer you another post as I ponder one of the most amazing stories of Easter: Mark's very strange ending to his Gospel. (That's verses one to eight, not nine to twenty. They were added later as an attempt to "fix" Mark's puzzling end to the Gospel story.) So check back again and offer your feedback. Then join us in our worship of God on Easter Sunday at either 9:00 or 11:00 a.m.  The final outcome of today's work will be embedded within the joy of that morning's celebration.