A Sister Parish to love

A few months ago, one day before leaving Kigali for Southwest Rwanda, my assistant rector asked me to be the point person for our Sister Parish Relationship between Church of the Holy Spirit in Roanoke, VA and Kibagabaga Parish in Gasabo Diocese, Rwanda. While I enjoyed my time in Cyangugu on my last trip, I knew I would need to return to build a stronger connection with the people of Kibagabaga Parish.

Recently, PEARUSA sent an ambassador to Gasabo diocese in the person of newly ordained priest, Brandon Walsh.  Luckily for me, I had met the Walsh family the week before we left.  Once I knew what week I would be able to return, I contacted Brandon and he and Emily graciously offered to host me during my stay.  Kigali is a beautiful city, spread across rolling hills, with a diverse international population.  Sitting in an Italian restaurant enjoying a pizza, it is easy to forget you are in central Africa, until you see a quarter of the city go dark because of a rolling brown out.

I had met a small group of Kibagabaga parishioners on my previous visit, most of whom were pretty well off and spoke Kinyarwanda, French, and English.  The Wednesday evening prayer meeting I attended had a catered meal and cake for dessert. I came away with the impression that the parish was similar to my own in southwest Virginia; mostly upper middle class and upwardly mobile.  Over a week, Brandon carefully and intentionally dispelled this myth, with the help of the rector and Archdeacon, Samuel Kayitare.

While it is true that some of the parishioners are doing well and the parish church sits among beautiful new homes in a safe neighborhood, the parish is much more diverse than my parish in Virginia.  I got to visit a different "Cell Group" for a Wednesday night bible study and worship meeting.  The meeting started a little late because the members of the group have to walk home from their jobs; no money for a motorscooter taxi and certainly no cars.  This time I was in a small home packed into a quaint living room with 5 families (at least two had 3 generations present) as we sang praises to God in Kinyarwanda and heard a lesson focused on faith based on the story of the 10 lepers healed by Christ in Luke 17.  No English was spoken, except by me in introduction and Samuel translating the lesson for me and Brandon.  The home had an outdoor latrine which I believe also served as bathroom for several surrounding homes.

This is the middle class of the congregation.  The woman of the house was a widow and supported by a government pension.  Painted walls and a 13 inch TV in the corner of the living room, but no meal although they did pass out Fantas to the children and grandparents and honored Brandon and I with bottled water.  This would be a good time to point out that Fanta Citron (lemon) is my favorite drink in the world and, as far as I can tell, Coke only distributes it to Africa.  Watching the others drink Fanta and remembering that the water I was given costs 3 times as much was tough. Unfortunately, I think I got Brandon hooked on the stuff during my week so I recommended he find a dentist.  Mmmmm….Fanta.

There is another group served by the parish.  Unstable work, high rents for slum conditions with pit latrines surrounded by 12-20 mud brick one or two room tin roofed homes. No running water or electricity. More or less forgotten by the progress around them.  While there is probably something that can be done for the generation of adults living in these conditions, my great hope is for their children.  The parish nursery school is filled with children from these families.  They greet me in English with a cheery, "Good morning, Sir."  Upward mobility in Rwanda is based on command of English.  The Walsh's nutrition ministry (www.serverwanda.com) is providing them with peanuts as extra protein to prevent stunting.    These children have a future.

So, how does my parish connect with this sister congregation in the heart of Africa?  My hope is that we can foster and grow strong prayer partnerships between individual parishioners.  It is one thing to "pray for Rwanda" and quite a different thing to pray for Gilbert for success in his new job; or for Claire's five children as they go back to school.  My parish used the Advent guide which Brandon produced in our small groups as an Advent study; but my hope is that we can create a diglot bible study that the Kibagabaga "Cell Groups" and our "Life Groups" can go through together; knowing that our brothers and sisters in Rwanda are studying and meditating on the same passages of scripture at the same time.  My prayer is for success in our partnership and that we would be an example of how this Sister Parish relationship can strengthen PEAR and PEARUSA.

Peace,

Kelley K. Whitmer, MD

My First Sermon: What actually came out of my mouth

So, I recorded my first sermon.  To spare you listening to my singing, and since most of you probably don't speak Kinyarwanda or Amahavu well enough to make the translation worthwhile, I've typed up a transcript of my English during the sermon.  I haven't doctored what I said, as much as I might like to.  This is really what came out of my mouth:

There is Good News!  Our faith brings good news.  Jesus Christ is God.  He came to earth.  He lived among us to teach us who God is.  He sacrificed Himself for us and died.  He was raised from the dead. He ascended to Heaven, and He reigns over us as our King.  I didn’t always believe this.  I was 32 years old when I accepted this truth.  I am a sinful person, filled with sin.  I lived for myself.  I am selfish.  I am greedy.  I am lazy; I do not like to work when I should.  The bible teaches us that there is only one kind of person; a person filled with sin.

But I have faith in Christ as my savior and He has redeemed me.  Paul teaches in Ephesians Chapter 2, verses 4 and 5 and again in verses 8-10, “But God being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved -- … For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Faith in Jesus saves us.  But just as we heard this morning from the book of Deuteronomy, God promises blessings if we follow His commands.  If we accept Jesus as our King, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in our hearts.  The Holy Spirit guides us so that we can show the fruit of our redemption.  Just as Paul trusted the Holy Spirit when he got aboard the ship as we heard about in Acts 27 this morning.  Today I want to teach about one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  The fruit of mercy.

Before Jesus came to earth to show us who God is, there were men who spoke for God called “prophets.” One prophet who spoke for God about 700 years before Jesus came was named Hosea. In Chapter 6 verse 6 of the book of Hosea, Hosea tells us that God gave us a message.  God said, “For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.”  Jesus used these words from the prophet Hosea to teach men around Him, where He lived.  Matthew in his gospel, records Jesus talking to men called Pharisees.  The Pharisees thought they were doing the right things for God.  They made many personal sacrifices.  They made sure they always dressed the right way.  They made sure they always talked the right way.  They made sure they always gave the right things at the Temple.  They thought they were doing what God wanted them to with these sacrifices.

But Jesus used the words of Hosea to teach them something different.  Twice in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses Hosea’s words talking to the Pharisees.  In Ch 9 v 13 and again in Ch 12 v 7, Jesus uses Hosea’s words.  Jesus tells these men making sacrifices, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”  Jesus was telling them that they had been deceived by Satan.  That God does not want sacrifices; God wants mercy.  Jesus tells us to follow two rules.  To love God, and to love our neighbors.  A man once asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  Jesus’ answer is a story.  It is a story about selfishness.  It is a story about sacrifice.  But more importantly, it is a story about mercy.  I’ll read from the Word. 

The gospel of Luke, Chapter 10 vv. 30-37:

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

The priest and the Levite were following God's law of purity.  If the man by the side of the road was actually dead, and they touched him, they would be impure and would not be able to worship in the Temple.  Following the law of purity, they neglected the command for mercy.  God says in Leviticus 19:18, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  These men would not have wanted to be left for dead.  They were not being neighbors to the man who was hurt.

The Samaritan, when he came by, did not know if the robbers had left or if they were still close by.  He sacrificed his safety to care for the man.  He had a long journey to complete.  He sacrificed his time to care for the man.  When he got to the inn, the innkeeper required money.  He sacrificed his money to care for the man.  But Jesus doesn’t tell us that the Samaritan was a neighbor because of his sacrifice.  Jesus tells us that the Samaritan was a neighbor because the things he did came from a heart of mercy.

How can we show our heart of mercy?  What if you know someone whose loved family member has died?  How can you show mercy to them?  You might prepare food for them. You could help them with their work, something that might be hard while they are in mourning.  What if someone has lost an animal?  You can help them find it.  If a boat is damaged you can help repair it.  If a child needs money for school fees, or clothes for school you can give them money.  All of these things are sacrifices.  You are sacrificing your time.  You are sacrificing your strength.  You are sacrificing your food or your money.  But Paul tells us that if we do these things to feel good about ourselves or puff ourselves up, we are not showing mercy.  We do these things because from the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we can show love for our neighbor.

This is not an easy thing.  I am selfish.  I do not want to love others as I love me.  It takes time to change.  But if you have Jesus as your King, the Holy Spirit is within you and he will help you.  Ask Him for help.  Pray to Him for help.  It can be hardest to show mercy and love to our neighbors who have harmed us.  But Jesus’ story of the Samaritan can tell us something of this as well.  Samaritans were not accepted among the Jews.  Their tribe was considered inferior.  The Jews did many evil things to the Samaritans.  And yet the Samaritan showed mercy to a Jew who was injured.

But the best example I have seen of showing mercy, I have seen right here.  The best example of loving your neighbor, I learned in this church.  The savings and credit groups that come together as neighbors and share among themselves are showing love for their neighbors.  What they do comes from a heart of wanting to help each other.  This is very good.  

God reached out to us with mercy.  God showed Grace for us when He sent His son to die for our sins.  We do not always do what God wants to do, but He shows us grace and mercy. Imana ishimwe (Praise God).  He has shown us Grace.  He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.  Let us go and show our love to our neighbors.  Amen.

Reworked sermon, "Mercy not Sacrifice"

So, Pastor Meyer was rightly concerned that my sermon might be misconstrued as a false 'works righteousness' gospel.  This draft puts the Gospel first.  St. Augustine helped me get my thoughts together, but his City of God was left on the cutting room floor in this version.

MERCY NOT SACRIFICE

Paul presents the Gospel of Christianity in 1^st Corinthians chapter 15. Jesus Christ is God.  He came to Earth and died for our sins.  He was raised from the dead, ascended, and reigns over us.  I didn't always believe this truth.  I lived to please myself.  I am a fallen man.  I am selfish, and greedy, and lazy.  There is only one kind of person, the sinful person.  But I have faith in Christ and He has redeemed me.  Paul, in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 4 and 5, states “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—“ I am sinful and deserving death, but now I trust Jesus as my redeemer and serve Him as my King.  Reading further from Ephesians 2, verses 8 through 10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  If we have accepted Jesus’ lordship over us, the Holy Spirit comes to aid us and dwell in our hearts.  The Holy Spirit guides us so that we can show the fruit of our redemption.  Today we are going to learn about the fruit of mercy.

Around 700 years before God came to us as Jesus, a prophet who spoke for God named Hosea said these words:

Hosea 6:6 “For I desire mercy not sacrifice.” 

Jesus used the words of Hosea, the words of God to Hebrews living centuries before, to rebuke some of those who thought they were living as God wanted them to.

Matthew’s gospel reports many encounters of Jesus and a group of very religious people called the Pharisees.  The Pharisees thought that they were doing the right things in how they honored God.  They tried to perform every part of God’s law that required personal sacrifice.  They wore the right things, they walked and talked the right way, and they made the right offerings of their belongings at the Temple of God.  They thought they were doing what God wanted by this kind of sacrifice.  But Jesus taught them something different. 

In Matthew 9 verse 13 and again in Matthew 12 verse 7, Jesus quotes Hosea.  I will read the verses:

9:13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

12:7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

To both groups he implores them to learn and apply mercy, rather than require sacrifice.  This call for mercy is stated even more explicitly in Matthew 23 verse 23:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

Jesus was telling them that they had been deceived by Satan into believing they were honoring God with personal sacrifices, when what God wanted, what God wants, is mercy.  Jesus tells us to put two rules first.  To love God, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.  So, how do we show mercy the way that God wants us to show mercy?

In the 10^th chapter of Luke’s gospel, a man asks Jesus this question directly.  This lawyer stood up and asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  Jesus’ answer is a story.  It is a story about selfishness and sacrifice, but most importantly, it is a story about how to show mercy.

I will read from the Word; Luke 10:30-37

Jesus replied, “A man Jerusalem  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

TempleYou shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”  Love your neighbor as yourself.  These men would not have wanted to be left for dead.  They were not being neighbors.

The Samaritan had no idea whether the robbers were gone for good.   He sacrificed his safety to help the stricken man.  He had some place to be and a journey to complete.  He sacrificed his time to care for the man.   He had limited resources as all of us do.  He sacrificed his money to care for the man.  But Jesus does not tell us he is doing right by the man because of his sacrifice.  Jesus tells us that the Samaritan has done right because his sacrifices come from a heart of mercy.  So, how can we love our neighbors?  How can we show our heart of mercy?

What if you know someone whose loved family member has died?  How can you show mercy to them?  You can go and comfort them.  You can help them in their daily tasks; things which may be hard for them to do while in mourning.  You can offer them food.    What if your neighbor has lost an animal?  You can show mercy by helping them search.  What if the food they have stored has gone bad?  You may offer them some of what you have stored.  If a boat is damaged, you can help repair it.  If a child needs an adult to walk with them to make sure they get to school safely, you may escort him.  If a home needs repaired, you may help.  If a child needs clothes to go to school you may give money to aid her.  All of these things are sacrifices on your part.  You may be sacrificing your time, your strength, your food, or your money.  And remember, if you do them to seek your own glory, so that you become puffed up because you have sacrificed, you are not showing a heart of mercy.  You must do these things simply because you love your neighbor.

This is not easy.  This does not come quickly.  If you have a selfish heart, it will take time to change.  But the Holy Spirit is with us to help us change.  Every one of you who has accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior has the Holy Spirit to help you.  Ask Him for help.  In the Bible, Jesus called on some people to give up everything they had to follow Him.  It may be that Jesus is calling you to the same, but my advice is to start small and ask for help through prayer.  Begin by looking around where you live and finding one thing you can do to serve your neighbor and show your love for them each day.  The very smallest things in your eyes may bring joy to your neighbor.  Perhaps there is trash near their house you could remove for them.  Where I come from, simply smiling and saying hello to everyone throughout your day can show them that you care for them.  You could carry something for them when you see them walking by with a heavy burden.  Try it.  (*Todd suggests using a personal anecdote of a native of the island solicited by asking folks to tell me “the nicest thing someone has done for them”*) My experience is that every act of love I do makes me want to do more.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit within me. 

God, in his mercy, looks beyond our selfishness and loves us.  It can be hardest to show love to those who do not return love to you; but Jesus’ example can teach us something about this as well.  Samaritans were not accepted in Jewish society.  Their tribe was considered inferior and many times throughout their history, the Jews had done evil things to them.  And yet, this Samaritan chooses to reach out to a man in need who was of a different tribe and show him mercy.  We do not do the things God wishes us to do at all times and yet God reaches down to us with Grace and sends His Son to rescue us, as an act of love despite the fact that we do not always show Him love in return.

Praise our Heavenly Father.  He has shown us Grace.  He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.  Let us go now and show mercy to each other.  Amen.

My first sermon.

I decided to post this transcript of what is to be my first sermon.  Obviously, I hope to preach from notes rather than from a full script like this one, but I thought it would be good to organize my thoughts on paper in a complete narrative just so I could see about how long it is in English.  The sermon will be translated as I speak into at least 1 additional language and possibly two.  This transcript takes me approximately 10 minutes to read with proper inflection and articulation.  This means that at best it will be 20 minutes when translated but perhaps longer than 30 minutes.  I also plan on signing a praise song in English (a capella solo) and then offering a prayer for acceptance of the sermon and the Spirit's guidance of my words prior to beginning.  It is to be delivered to a rural Rwandan population living on an island in crowded, materially impoverished, conditions.  I would appreciate any input you may have.  Thanks in advance.

MERCY NOT SACRIFICE

Around 700 years before God came to us as Jesus, a prophet who spoke for God named Hosea said these words:

Hosea 6:6 “For I desire mercy not sacrifice.”  

We are going to talk a little about what this means this morning.

Around 400 years after Jesus came to us, there was a man who lived much nearer to here than where I am from.  This man, Augustine, was an African.  His blessed mother prayed and prayed that Augustine would find his way to salvation through Christ, but this took a very long time.  Augustine was around the same age I was when he was saved by the Spirit of our Lord.  He was about 32.  He later became bishop of a city in North Africa and presided over his churches at a time when the great Roman empire was disintegrating.  Augustine thought of all these things and wrote a book called The City of God.  In it, he discusses something which should be obvious to any of us who have spent much time here.  There is a great conflict going on around us and there are two ways to live.  We can live as if we are a part of the City of Man, enslaved to our selfish desires and motivated only by what pleases us; or we can live as if we are a part of the City of God, released from enslavement to our passions and able to work to restore God’s perfect order to society.

Why do I bring up the ideas of Augustine this morning?  Because, I want us to remember that Christ has been working in Africa for a long time.  But our Enemy has been at work here as well.  Just as everywhere on Earth, there is a struggle between the City of Man and the City of God.  The question I have for you this morning, is “How do you live?  As a citizen of the City of Man, or as a redeemed and blessed citizen of the City of God?”  For those of you who have accepted Jesus as your savior, you may quickly answer that you are a part of the City of God, but there were many in Jesus’ day who thought this as well, and Jesus had something to teach them.  Jesus used the words of Hosea, the words of God to Hebrews living centuries before, to rebuke some of those who thought they were living as God wanted them to.

Matthew’s gospel reports many encounters of Jesus and a group of very religious people called the Pharisees.  The Pharisees thought that they were doing the right things in how they honored God.  They tried to perform every part of God’s law that required personal sacrifice.  They wore the right things, they walked and talked the right way, and they made the right offerings of their belongings at the Temple of God.  They thought they were doing what God wanted by this kind of sacrifice.  But Jesus taught them something different. 

In Matthew 9 verse 13 and again in Matthew 12 verse 7, Jesus quotes Hosea.  I will read the verses:

9:13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

12:7 And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.

To both groups he implores them to learn and apply mercy, rather than require sacrifice.  This call for mercy is stated even more explicitly in Matthew 23 verse 23:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

Jesus was telling them that they had been deceived by the Enemy into believing they were honoring God with personal sacrifices, when what God wanted, what God wants, is mercy.  Jesus tells us to put two rules first.  To love God, and to love each other as we love ourselves.  If we are able to love our neighbor as ourself, then we have become a citizen of the City of God and we have overcome the selfishness of the City of Man.  So, how do we show mercy the way that God wants us to show mercy?

In the 10^th chapter of Luke’s gospel, a man asks Jesus this question directly.  This lawyer stood up and asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  Jesus’ answer is a story.  It is a story about selfishness and sacrifice, but most importantly, it is a story about how to show mercy.

I will read from the Word; Luke 10:30-37

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

The priest and the Levite were afraid to touch the man because if it turned out that he was dead then they would be impure based on the Temple law and would be unable to go to the Temple until they could be purified.  The Pharisees listening to this story would have understood this and been proud of the men for maintaining their purity.  But following this portion of the law neglected to show mercy for the man who had been robbed and injured.  Leviticus 19:18, a verse of the law the priest and Levite surely knew by heart, states “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”  Love your neighbor as yourself.  These men would not have wanted to be left for dead.  They were not being neighbors.

The Samaritan had no idea whether the robbers were gone for good.   He sacrificed his safety to help the stricken man.  He had some place to be and a journey to complete.  He sacrificed his time to care for the man.   He had limited resources as all of us do.  He sacrificed his money to care for the man.  But Jesus does not tell us he is doing right by the man because of his sacrifice.  Jesus tells us that the Samaritan has done right because his sacrifices come from a heart of mercy.  So, how can we love our neighbors?  How can we show our heart of mercy?

What if you know someone whose loved family member has died?  How can you show mercy to them?  You can go and comfort them.  You can help them in their daily tasks; things which may be hard for them to do while in mourning.  You can offer them food.    What if your neighbor has lost an animal?  You can show mercy by helping them search.  What if the food they have stored has gone bad?  You may offer them some of what you have stored.  If a boat is damaged, you can help repair it.  If a child needs an adult to walk with them to make sure they get to school safely, you may escort him.  If a home needs repaired, you may help.  If a child needs clothes to go to school you may give money to aid her.  All of these things are sacrifices on your part.  You may be sacrificing your time, your strength, your food, or your money.  And remember, if you do them to seek your own glory, so that you become puffed up because you have sacrificed, you are not showing a heart of mercy.  You must do these things simply because you love your neighbor.

This is not easy.  This does not come quickly.  If you have a selfish heart, it will take time to change.  But the Holy Spirit is with us to help us change.  Every one of you who has accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior has the Holy Spirit to help you.  Ask Him for help.  In the Bible, Jesus called on some people to give up everything they had to follow Him.  It may be that Jesus is calling you to the same, but my advice is to start small and ask for help through prayer.  Begin by looking around where you live and finding one thing you can do to serve your neighbor and show your love for them each day.  The very smallest things in your eyes may bring joy to your neighbor.  Perhaps there is trash near their house you could remove for them.  Where I come from, simply smiling and saying hello to everyone throughout your day can show them that you care for them.  You could carry something for them when you see them walking by with a heavy burden.  Try it.  My experience is that every act of love I do makes me want to do more.  This is the work of the Holy Spirit within me. 

God, in his mercy, looks beyond our selfishness and loves us.  It can be hardest to show love to those who do not return love to you; but Jesus’ example can teach us something about this as well.  Samaritans were not accepted in Jewish society.  Their tribe was considered inferior and many times throughout their history, the Jews had done evil things to them.  And yet, this Samaritan chooses to reach out to a man in need who was of a different tribe and show him mercy.  We do not do the things God wishes us to do at all times and yet God reaches down to us with Grace and sends His Son to rescue us, as an act of love despite the fact that we do not always show Him love in return.

Praise our Heavenly Father.  He has shown us Grace.  He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.  Let us go now and show mercy to each other.  

Christ died for ALL men: Interacting with those who are not the elect

I have recently been blessed to share a new acquaintance, Father Kenneth Tanner, pastor of Holy Redeemer in Rochester Hills, MI.  My introduction to Fr. Tanner was a beautiful poem about our Lord's entry into the world as a babe which I will share with you at the end of this post.

This web log entry is actually a response to a Facebook discussion that began following a post by Fr. Tanner on his own wall which is as follows:

  "In my youth, I was down on folks who said their faith was all about Jesus, who seemed to sit loose on doctrine.
   Yet the older I get the more I think Jesus plus nothing *does* actually equal everything, *if* we really know Jesus.
   If someone wants a vague Jesus, or wants Jesus on their own terms, so that they reject or ignore the experience, practices, and teaching of the first Christians, and of (frankly) most Christians down the centuries, my youthful concern still guides.
   However, time has taught the opposite is true, too: tightly-controlling abstract doctrines apart from an encounter with the living Christ are as dangerous as a vague Jesus with no Creed.
   I ran across a stunning example of this late last night: a learned man, someone with obvious Christian commitments and academic credentials, who, because of an a priori commitment to what is called "definite" (aka, "limited") atonement, admits he is reticent to tell sinners that Christ died for them for fear of lying to them if they are not of the "elect."
   You see, the doctrine of definite (limited) atonement teaches that Jesus' death on the Cross was not intended for "the sins of the whole world," as John plainly tells us, but for the sins only of those who God foreordains to salvation.
   Besides bordering on blasphemy, in its diminishment of the Cross, the doctrine makes a joke of apostolic missionary effort in the New Testament on down to this day, and it puts a damper on Christ's command to preach the Gospel to all nations. Who wants to have either a limited Cross or the fear of telling lies in their mind and heart when they declare the work of Jesus for all persons?
   Bottom line: Someone who starts with Jesus can never paint themselves into the corner this professor and brother in Christ finds himself because he commits first to a set of abstract doctrines, not to the behaviors, actions, teachings, dispositions, and person of Jesus as *the* controlling reality and manifestation of the invisible God."

Below is the exchange which followed that led to my desire to respond more fluently.  I should point out that my initial response was 2 hours after my normal bedtime and hastily typed on my phone.  That Fr. Tanner's eloquent defense was posted another 2 hours later is humbling to say the least.

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Kelley: Fr. Tanner, it is tough for me to read the gospels and not come away with a sense that there is an elect. I do not think it is incompatible with missionary effort as no one but God knows whom the elect are. The more I ponder the "free-will vs. predestination" antinomy, the more I realize that our Lord is big enough to reconcile these things which boggle our finite minds.

Tanner: Jesus dies for the sins of the world. No exegete not already committed to a limited atonement reads the passage as other than "all sins." All sin. I see no conflict in acknowledging the complete victory of God on the Cross over all sin at the same time we discern that some will choose to reject the incomprehensible love expressed by this victory. Yes, election is central to the New Testament but as in the Incarnation, so also at the Cross and in the Resurrection, Jesus Christ is the New Adam, represents a new humanity, a Son whom God elects from before all worlds so that all might be elect in him. Radical universalists say we ultimately cannot resist the choice of God, the choice that as Father, Son and Spirit loved us before any of us existed; while most of the rest of us suspect from the witness of Jesus and the apostles that God really does give us the terrible freedom to choose not to elect his loving "yes," not to accept his loving choice of us. I cannot imagine doing so, or that anyone would, but I do catch glimpse of it in myself, first, and also, at times, in others. I want to believe that God's love is so powerful that no one will be able to resist his love forever. Many say it's Christian to pray that this might be so even as we cannot preach what we do not know. I am one of them.
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Okay, so I am not going to pretend that I think I can convince Father Tanner of the 'rightness' of reformed theology.  I might say that Tanner cannot imagine anyone not accepting God's loving 'yes,' simply because he is a member of the elect and can only think as one; but that would be wriggling off the hook, rather than confronting the dilemma.  In fact, as I pondered how I might respond throughout the day today, I became increasingly convinced that I should just toss this draft and concede that I am not so far along the process of sanctification as my brother Kenneth and I would best be served and serve others by keeping my thoughts to myself.  Then, after a busy day that kept me from doing anything other than my job (I dislike that kind of day though I'm blessed to help people as a career), on my drive home it occurred to me that these may not be words that Fr. Tanner needs to hear, but rather his friend who is locked in a theological quagmire that is stifling the Gospel.

As I initially said, I do not think you can honestly read the gospels, in particular the gospel of John, and not come away with a concept of  'the elect.'  The evangelist and disciple whom our Lord loved and to whom He entrusted his dear mother does say that Jesus died for "the sins of the world," that "God so loved the world he gave his son."  But the same evangelist records our Lord's prayer.  Not the prayer He taught us to say, but the prayer He prayed for us.  In John 17, Jesus prays for those who believe He was sent by the Father, those who the Father gave Him from the world (vv. 8-9).  The elect.  That same evangelist records in his apocalypse an image of our Lord destroying thousands by the power of His word, a vision of an occupied throne sovereign over all, and a prediction of trials for the fledgling church in Smyrna.  The letter to Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11) includes the duration of those trials proving He is aware of the actions the enemy will take against the church and knows the length they will last, that they are predetermined.  For me, it is the writings of this evangelist which most thoroughly inform my position as a believer in predestination.

It is, however, this same evangelist who most thoroughly informs my understanding of God as triune, as "loving relationships in community" as Tim Keller puts it in The Reason for God. To continue to quote Keller's remarkable chapter on the trinity, God is three persons in one, "...in the Christian conception, God really has love at his essence." God offers this love to us.  So how to reconcile the dilemma of delivering a message of hope to someone who may be doomed?  We simply cannot look at it in this way.  We must fall back on our best examples of what our Lord asks of us as members of His body, doing His work.  The Apostles.  They were privileged to hear directly from the incarnate Lord what His work for them was to be.  That work?  Share the message of hope.  Cry out at every opportunity the message of God's love and redemptive plan.  The Apostles, including Paul, do not stop to consider whether someone they share the message with is of the elect.  They trust God, the Holy Spirit, to use them and place them in the position to best achieve His work.  Since I'm not trying to convince a free-will advocate, but rather a believer in predestination there is one example which stands out for me in Acts, when Paul is prevented by the Spirit from going to Bithynia (16:7).  We must trust the Holy Spirit to guide us to those to whom we are meant to share the Gospel.

As I have told a friend who is not (yet) a brother on several occasions, God is a relentless pursuer.  Challenges have faced this friend, things we feel we should not have to endure, and yet somehow I find myself able to share the Gospel with him most easily in the wake of these misfortunes.  I am convinced that God has placed these storms in my friend's life to His good purpose (Jonah 1:14) or at least He is, in Keller's words again, "weaving bad decisions into His loving plan for us."  Should I have withheld the message of saving Grace the Gospel offers because my friend is desperately fleeing God's love?  I see the predetermined-ness of my availability at the precise moments where he needed to hear that God loves him, rather than focusing on the possibility that, perhaps, he will succeed somehow in escaping God's loving, untiring, pursuit of him.  I must trust that my work, as all disciples (and Apostles) before me, is to share the Gospel and I must trust that God's will is not to let one true kernel be lost (Amos 9:9).

Thank you for reading this.  I must end by honoring Father Tanner's request. 

 "To be honest, brothers, I have already taken my eyes too far off Christ with what I've written above about us and how we respond to his love or not. I just listened to John Rutter's magnificent setting of Charles Wesley's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." Give it a listen--hear the words, especially that last verse--and let him take over your vision. Peace." 

Below is the amazingly beautiful poem, which as we are immersed in the season of Advent, seems most appropriate as we contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation.  Let it wash over you and bless you:

She lays his bright flesh in a feed trough, swaddled against the anxiety of leaving her womb, nestled by wool and straw from the cold night's sting.

The One who was God before all worlds lies there, as helpless against fragile existence as any of us, bound to the poverty of homelessness, a slave now to the elements he created, a hungering creature of necessity, soon to be an immigrant fleeing political terror, held aloft from the damp ground by wood that as God he holds together.

At the dedication of the Temple, Solomon said of this tightly wrapped bundle of dust, 'the heaven of heavens cannot contain you.' Yet contained he was for nine months within this weary teenager named Mary, smeared with dirt, sweaty from her labor, catching her breath in time with this One who breathed the stars into the astonished sky above them.

The beginning and end of the Christian revelation of God is this baby, this mother, this manger, this dust, this sweat, this wood, this night, these halting breaths. 
-Kenneth Tanner