Hebrews 2:11-18 (NRSV)

Monday in the First Week of Lent - Reflections on the Letters during Lent.

"The one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”And again, “I will put my trust in him.”And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested."

"Share" - It sounds a bit like a word that one would learn on Sesame Street. You know, "if you are a real friend" you "share" with your neighbor. When growing up, sharing is one of the first things we learn how to do (or not). Sharing helps us learn many things including how to be with others in a way that brings us together. Sharing makes us vulnerable and open to our own shortcomings as well as the shortcomings of others. The way we deal with sharing (or don't) shows the world who we are.

I think the writer of the letter to the Hebrews is trying to explain our relatedness as believers by pointing out that Jesus "shared the same things" with us, therefore we have a share in him and a share with each other as Children of God. Jesus lived and died as "one of us." By sharing in our life, God has become the merciful connector that we have in Jesus, living with restraint and giving everything of himself for creation.

As Jesus shared with us, we are called to share with each other. We are brothers and sisters in Christ... heirs of God's everlasting kingdom. What we share is life in Christ. How we share it is by coming together and celebrating Christ with us in the sacrament of his body and blood and then going out and loving one another as he loves us. So, as simple as "Sesame Street" as it sounds sharing is fundamental to who we are as children of God.

Hebrews 5:1-10 (NRSV)

Saturday after the First Sunday in Lent

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; as he says also in another place, ‘You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.’

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

When reading this portion of the letter, it’s hard for me not to immediately hear, “you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,” and not have it resonate back to the readings used at the service of my own ordination to the priesthood in December of 2007. Before that, when this passage from the letter to the Hebrews was ever read, that particular part seemed to be glossed over, even sometimes struggling to even pronounce the name Melchizedek. 

The long obscure name means something, especially if the writer of the letter is saying that Jesus is himself a “high priest,” an honor reserved only for those who were Levites and the line of Aaron. However, Melchizedek's priesthood predates Aaron and the Levitical line. Melchizedek shows up in Genesis and is referred to as a priest prior to the covenant with Abraham and prior to the Torah being given to Moses. 

When Jesus is called a High Priest, it is with reference to both of these previous priesthoods. Like Melchizedek, Jesus is ordained (set apart) as a priest that comes before the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Like the Levite priests, Jesus offers sacrifice to satisfy the Law when he offers himself as a sacrifice for our sins. However, the difference is that Jesus only had to offer sacrifice once, for all, redeeming everyone who will come to God through him. Therefore Jesus is our great intercessor and mediator (our priest), the ultimate one who reconciles the creation to the creator.

It is good for us to take a minute to think about important the writer to the Hebrews thought it was to connect Jesus’ sacrifice to the priesthood, especially the priesthood of Melchizedek. In modern times, we realize that the sacrifice for our sins is completed. The saving work was done by Jesus on the cross. We are called, therefore, as his followers to make sacrifices of praise in thanksgiving, sacrifices of money to provide for the forgotten and those in need, and sacrifices of time for prayer. 

In the season of Lent, a time for preparation and introspection, we can ask the question, “what in our life are we willing to sacrifice in order for God to be glorified?”

1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (NRSV)

First Sunday in Lent

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’

I often struggle with the idea that someone, namely Jesus, had to die so that I might have life. That a benevolent creator would require a blood sacrifice of the creation. I’m sure I’m not alone. I’m sure that when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he faced similar push-back from the people he spoke with. He went to proclaim the good news of Christ and Christ crucified for the sins of everyone and was ignored by the ones who thought it was absurd or foolish. This was usually the people, who in a Hellenistic world, were quick to judge things as rational and irrational based on reason.

In today’s reading, I love the phrase, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Corinth was a port city and a cultural melting pot in this world. So, I’m sure that Paul was bombarded from all sides when he tried to present the idea that Jesus came into the world to die for the sins of anyone who would repent and believe. It’s an absurdity.

To make his case, Paul points out that God takes what is foolish in this world and makes it meaningful. God rights the wrongs and makes the weak strong. God raises up the low and brings down that which the world has raised up. The whole understanding of the socio-economic system and everything rational in society according to the world is turned on end when viewed through the lens of the Good News. God’s news of love and reconciliation and truth revealed in Jesus Christ.

People through the ages have thought about over and over again, trying to wrap their heads around the things of God. It’s not easy, nor is it very complicated. What I am trying to say is, if we continue to contemplate the creator through the lens of the creation and the created order, the deeper and more complex it becomes. However, if we fully accept and return the love so freely displayed for us by God in the person of Jesus, then it makes the complicated and complex start to fall away. What is left is love. Love is what connects us to our creator. To know we are loved and to know our life has meaning is what I think it’s all about. God loved us so much that God gave of himself that we might be reunited with God and dwell in the presence of the creator forever. It remains the only perfect sacrifice.

Luke 9:18-27 (NRSV)

Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, 'Who do the crowds say that I am?'  They answered, 'John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.'  He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?'  Peter answered, 'The Messiah of God.'  He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, saying, 'The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.'  Then he said to them all, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.  What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?  Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.'

Jesus asks, “who do you say that I am?”  Our readings today take the normal Sunday detour from the Gospel of John to the Gospel of Luke.  The story today isn’t one in the context of Jesus running from the Jews, but it is a question of Jesus’ identity.  Jesus asks his disciples about what people are saying and he gets all kinds of answers from John the Baptist to any other of the wide range of prophets.

It is Peter who steps forward in his boldness to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah of God.  Jesus is quick to put a damper on Peter’s proclamation, explaining that it’s not time yet.  Jesus makes the offer that if any want to become his followers, that they are welcome to deny themselves and take up their own cross and follow him.  He makes the claim that this self denial for his ways leads one to eternal life and the kingdom of God.

I feel that the call comes from Jesus’ direct words, “deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me.”  We are called to participate and learn from Jesus about the way that leads to eternal life.  We are given the chance to see the salvation of God through self denial and sacrifice to proclaim the good news.

Some have suggested that the hardships that we endure are somehow “our cross to bear.”  However, I don’t think that this is the point of Jesus’ offer.  The cross is Jesus’ fate and a symbol of his ultimate sacrifice.  Our way of participation is pure belief, self denial, and acceptance of Jesus’ way and his teaching.  Jesus is the messiah of God, and through following him we will see the kingdom of God.

John 10:1-18 (NRSV)

[Jesus says] "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.  The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers."  Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.   The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.  For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.”  The “Good Shepherd” imagery has always been interesting to me.  Primarily, because I know very little about keeping sheep (other than what I have learned).  I have no “first-hand” experience like those in Jesus’ audience would have.  However, the passage also says that they didn’t know what Jesus was saying to them.

That makes me ask the question, why does Jesus refer to himself as a good shepherd?  We know that shepherds are pretty special people, especially if you are a sheep.  They are not just a hardened group of typical farmers.  Shepherds protect, feed, and care for the sheep.  The sheep know and respond to the shepherd voice and they are led from the front and not driven or herded as cattle would be.  Good shepherds are willing to sacrifice themselves to save the sheep.  Jesus says that as the “Good Shepherd,” he also desires to bring the “other” sheep into his fold.  To me, these traits alone makes the good shepherd imagery a good fit for Jesus.

In this passage, Jesus also calls himself the gate for the sheep, offering “sheep” the way in to the sheepfold and the way out to find good pasture.  He refers to the ones that came before him as thieves and bandits, insinuating the they wanted to mislead the sheep to ways of destruction.

I feel, in the context of all the shepherd imagery, our call today is “follow.”  We are all called (as sheep) to where the Good Shepherd, Jesus may lead us.  We are called to tune our hear to the Good Shepherd’s voice, and go out and have good pasture and the abundant life that only the Good Shepherd offers.