May 25, 2020

Good afternoon,

" I am the way, the truth and the life, "  John 14

Who is Jesus for you ?

We have come through Good Friday, Easter Resurrection, Ascension Day and this Sunday will be Pentecost celebration. These are some of the great Christian holidays. And now what are we going to do ? Paul's letters from Romans to Thessalonians are written after the above events. Then after another few decades the Gospels are written. They are biographies, with a twist. All four want you to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and they write their stories with this bias in mind. The writers of the Gospels are master storytellers. So, as you think of these Gospels, who is Jesus for you ?

Jesus is a miracle worker and healer. He makes meals out of thin air. Jesus heals people of their long term illnesses. He even raises a few people form the dead. Is this the Jesus that you identify with in your spiritual life ? Do you often pray that healing will come into your life, or the life of your family and friends ?

Jesus is a prophet who confronts injustices. He stands up for that woman who is caught in adultery. He talks about taxes and who you should pay, God or the Emperor. At his trial, he is ordered to be crucified by the political representative, Pilate. He suggests you give up your cloak, give the abuser your other cheek to smack, and walk the extra mile. These are not only good ethics, but political statements. Is this the Jesus for you ?

Jesus is a storyteller, or a parable giver ( although in John, the writer gives no parables to Jesus ). The parables of the Lost Son, the Good Samaritan, the seeds, the weeds, the Pharisee and sinner, or the other 25 or more that are recorded in the first three Gospels . They are about day to day situations that the hearers would understand, and laugh at more than we do.  The parables are hard to understand, but that might be Jesus' point. It is in the struggle to learn what they mean, that they become meaningful to us.

Then, there is the suffering Jesus during his last week of his life. Although, he was under threat of death right after his first sermon in his hometown.  Is Jesus' suffering most important to you in your faith ? Is Jesus ont eh croos or in teh sky ofr you ?

I believe all of the things that Jesus did, said and experienced are part of him being the Messiah. What do you think ?

Prayer for today

Thank you God, through Jesus of Nazareth

for walking and talking in Palestine,

to children, to women, to people who are sick

to politicians and kings,

to invite them, to see

God,

at work, in the whole world

in our bodies, in our souls, in our minds.

All of us, and in everything.Thank you for being complex, and

simple.

Thank you for the presence through your Holy Spirit

today, tomorrow and forever.

Amen.

Fred

May 7, 2020

Good afternoon.

"  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42

This is the classic dilemma in following Jesus. Do we work hard, or do we sit and experience the presence of the living Christ ? Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better way, but not the only way. As some will say, that if we all just sat around and reflected on the words of Jesus, the world would be a lesser place. Who would show compassion ? Who would drive cancer patients ? Who would make casseroles ? Who would build churches in Guatemala ? And who would wash the dishes ? These are not just female questions, but they are questions of men as well. You know, Jesus healed people, he did work, and on the Sabbath nonetheless !

I am not a practical person. I cannot fix a car ( or a tractor ). I do not do home repairs very well. I can hardly change a light bulb. I am an okay gardener ( I take pictures of flowers ), but I am not a Martha. I am the farthest thing from a Martha in this world, but I do not feel more faithful as a Mary. We have many different gifts that make of the community of faith, and the Kingdom of God. But, I do wash dishes.

Mary and Martha grieve the death of their brother Lazarus, and then celebrate his resurrection. Mary ( according to John ) anoints Jesus for his death . Both Martha and Mary are complex people. We are not just one-sided people of God. We have gifts of action and reflection. What gifts has God given to you, and to our community ? What would it mean for you to go from actions of Jesus faith, to reflections on faith in Jesus ?

Poem from Gerald Manley Hopkins

( Hopkins was an English poet and Jesuit priest from England in the 1800's )

“To lift up the hands in prayer gives God glory,

 but a man with a dungfork in his hand, a woman with a slop pail, give Him glory, too.

God is so great that all things give Him glory if you mean that they should.”

  AMEN

May 4, 2020

Good afternoon,

" As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. " Luke 7:38

I will begin a week of reflections on the women who were around Jesus, during his time here on earth. Last week, I wrote about the disciples that were named to be part of the 12. The women who followed Jesus were not named in the same way.

The story of Jesus being anointed by a woman is told in the Gospels in four different ways. The story in Luke is while he is in Galilee, and the other three tell of a woman who does the radical act right before Jesus dies. The woman in Luke is not named. In Matthew, the unnamed woman is at the home of Simon the Leper, and anoints Jesus's head . In Mark, it is the same woman in the anointing story. In John, it is Mary ( of Mary, Martha and Lazarus ), and she anoints the feet of her Lord.

A bottle of perfume was broken, a mostly unnamed woman poured it on one part of Jesus's body, and people in the room reacted negatively to her actions. What is the meaning of the story for you ?  Some assume she is a sinner, and she is ridiculed, but Jesus stands up for her. She understands his mission in life, and Jesus says, " that wherever the Gospel is preached throughout the world, she will be remembered." ( Mark 14 ).

What acts of worship that you have seen, that have been important for your faith ? A communion service or a footwashing event ? A song at your baptism or wedding ? I remember watching two members of a church, who knew each other for seventy years, washing each others' feet during a footwashing service. Both died within the year, and so it was the last time that they had experienced that act of worship together. And I smelled their tears and love.

Prayer for Today

Dear God,

Thank you for your stories,

A broken bottle of scents,

for you, and only you.

A washing of your hair and feet,

to bring a beautiful smell throughout the room and the world,

And you brought out her faithfulness, took a stand for her,

for all to see.

and she is never forgotten, for ever and ever

Even until today.

Thanks you for the smells of faith.      AMEN

Fred

Good afternoon,

" … Matthew was a tax collector … and Simon, the Zealot, … Matthew 10: 2,3

Matthew and Simon, the Zealot, are two of the more difficult choices made by Jesus to have as his closest followers. Tax collectors were considered to be thieves. The Temple leadership thought of them as unclean because they handled money. On the other hand, they might have appreciated some new tax money for their work. As the tax man, the Empire would have been a harsh employer. He would have to take just enough that the Empire would not be angry with his commissions, but fine with the amount that he collected for them. Why would Jesus select Matthew ?

Simon would have been a violent revolutionary. Zealots disliked the occupation of the Romans. They would have like to bring in a new kingdom of God through violence. After Jesus died, the Zealots and Jewish leadership were defeated in 70 AD ( CE ) by the Romans, and the Temple was destroyed. Why would Jesus select Simon, the Zealot ?

I wonder what the discussions were like with these two, and the rest of the disciples ? Many of the others were fisherman, so they would not have had high standing in Palestinian society either. Jesus did pick a very different group of people to surround himself with during his time on earth.

Everybody is in. Jesus even allowed Gentiles into the group. If Matthew and Simon can be called disciples with their background, then I am invited in as well. Come and see what it is all about. Whom have we excluded that Jesus will let in into our community ?  Everybody is in the boat

Prayer for Today

  28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”      Matthew 11:28-30

Fred

April 30, 2020

Good afternoon,

" Philip… Bartholomew….Thaddeus "    Mark 3:17

We do not know much about these apostles. The Philip here is different than the one in the book of Acts. Like all the others they are saints of the church. The saints came later after the church became part of the Empire ( that is my historical take on church history ).

So, since we know nothing about these three friends of Jesus, we can tell our own story of faith. I know two men named Thaddeus. Thaddeus J. Stevens lived in Lancaster PA and was a member of the House of Representatives. He is best known for his work on civil rights during the 1860's. Thaddeus Hostetler was a MCC volunteer in Vietnam, while we were in Hanoi in the summer of 1996. He still lives in Hanoi. I do not remember ever meeting anyone named Bartholomew.

So, let us get back to our faith stories. You might begin by thinking of those people that introduced you to faith. Then, you could recall when you first heard the stories from the Bible. What churches have you attended, and how did they influence your faith ? What are your favourite songs of faith ?  And, at this stage of your life, do you have a favourite story from God's word ? And, when has the Spirit spoken to you ?

And since the stay-at-home orders from the government were started in the second week of March, how have you experienced God ? What is God saying to Poole, the world and the creation ? What will God yet do for us in 2020 ?

Prayer/Song for Today

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain

We all have sorrow

But if we are wise

We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride

If I have things you need to borrow

for no one can fill those of your needs

That you won't let show.

Lean on….               written by Bill Withers ( 1938-2020 ) in 1972

Fred

Tread on bold new paths !

Fireflies flash the direction

Hope springs eternal           Monica Pieper Landoni 2020

Fred Redekop

Pastor

Poole Mennonite Church

April 29, 2020

Good afternoon,

" …. James and his brother John ( who he named Boanerges, meaning Sons of Thunder ) … "  Mark 3:17

These two, James and John, are always named together. Jesus gives them a nickname. Why do they get a nickname ? Was Jesus closer to them than the others ? Had they grown up together in Nazareth ? Sons of Thunder is a cool nickname to have. I wonder if Jesus would give me a nickname. Growing up, people used to call me " Freddie " , and "red hat", because I played goalie in soccer with a red hat on. Nothing special. I would like to have a name like James and John had been given by Jesus. I have brothers James and John, and they are an accountant and an artist. No Sons of Thunder there !

Like Andrew and Peter they are mentioned more than the others. They are called early as disciples as well. But, they would like to be the best in heaven. Really ! They ask Jesus if he could put a good word in for them in heaven. And, then it is recorded in Matthew, that their mother gets down on her knees to ask Jesus if they could have a place at the right and left side of Jesus when they get to heaven. The other disciples are angry with them ( Matthew 20:24 ). I wonder how that discussion went at the Last Supper ?

Church history has all kind of Johns and James' . There is the John the writer of the Gospel, the letters and the book of Revelation. They might be all different people who wrote this  biblical material . Then there is another disciple named James ( son of Alphaeus ), and then there is Jesus' brother, the leader of the church in Acts. John the disciple is said to have taken Jesus' mother Mary to Ephesus. Today there are the ruins of the Church of St. John there, where it is said the bones of John are buried. There is also a large shrine to the Virgin Mary nearby.

 These two men are both Sons of Thunder, and are petty and want something only for themselves. They are faithful and broken just like all of us. They would like to be at the front of the line, just like us, or we want to be at least in the top half. I am pleased that the Gospel writers did not edit out such a glaring mistake by James and John.

What do you think of James and John ? Thinking of their request, what would you have done with them ?

Prayer for Today

Thank you , O Lord

for the honesty of the writers,

for the honesty of the disciples

Thank you, O Lord

for your presence with the us

even when we,

mess up, as sons and daughters of Thunder.

our lightning is not as bright,

as we might think it is.

Thank you, O Lord.

For your patience, understanding and love . AMEN.

Remember to pray for our frontline healthcare workers who are responding with love to their patients and clients. AMEN.

Fred

April 27, 2020

Good afternoon,

" These are the names of the twelve apostles : first, Simon ( who is called Peter ) and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and                   Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector ; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot,  and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus,"  Matthew 10:2-4

" They cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, and so he was added to the eleven disciples . " Acts 2:26

Jesus had 12 disciples, and when Judas died, they had to replace him with Matthias. For the next few days, I want to look at these 12 men. We know that Jesus had many women who followed him around Galilee, and went with the group to Jerusalem. And, women were the first to announce the Resurrection ! I will explore the women next week.

The disciple most mentioned is Peter. We are told about his calling to follow. He is often the first to respond to events or questions. He gets angry at Jesus. Peter and other disciples fall asleep in the Garden. When Jesus needs him the most, Peter denies him three times in one night. Then, he is one of the first men to acknowledge the raising of Jesus. In the book of Acts, Peter is one of the leaders, preaching and healing. Jesus is going to build his church on " this Rock " .

It is said in the church tradition that Peter was crucified upside down. He was one of the first martyrs of the Church. In the catholic tradition, all the popes follow from St. Peter. At the heart of the church in Rome, there is St. Peter's Square and Basilica. This is where the Pope, Frances, lives today. Peter is the most important  saint of the Church. Even with all of his faults, he is the most revered one of Jesus' disciples.

What story of Peter is important for you and your faith ? Is Peter too human, and commits too many sin/trespasses ? One of my favourite stories is on the Mountain of Transfiguration when Moses, Elijah and Jesus are in dazzling light, Peter wants to build a few tents ( or single family dwellings  ) for them to live in. I want to control life, and tame all the wild things.

We cannot control life the way we would like to right now. Even as the curve flattens here, it seems to be out of our control.  It may/should lead to more dependance on God ?

Song/Prayer for the Day

Cold is water

it freezes your already cold mind

already cold cold mind

And death is at your doorstep

And it will steal your innocence

But it will not steal your substance

But you are not alone in this

And you are not alone in this

As brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand.

Hold your hand  ……                                                       Mumford and Sons      

Fred