Firestarter




Fallen Blossoms, controlled explosion at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cai Guo-Qiang

Luke 12:49-53

 

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Flash! Outside of shiny things, humans seem to have an unstoppable interest in fire. Things that burn and explode. Things that go "Zap!" Things that go "Boom!"
Cai Guo-Qiang is a Contemporary Artist from China that specializes in such things. He has made a successful career of using the ancient Chinese invention of gunpowder to create art. However his work isn't just about the bright lights and loud noises that come with explosions but rather about what fire leaves behind. Fire is only the medium/tool that he uses to create drawings. Often we focus on fire as an agent of destruction but this dangerous medium can also create. It is on that note that we look at today's verse in Luke 12. Christ speaks of strange things: fire baptism and division. In the center of it all is a startling statement that he has not come to bring peace! Could it be that the Prince of Peace is really the Lord of War? Is Jesus denying all of that "turn the other cheek", and "pray for your enemies" stuff that he was saying earlier? No, remember that we must always understand scripture in the context of other scripture...and the testimony of Scripture as a whole. So it appears that Jesus was using hyperbole, however, it was used to a specific end. He indeed is the Prince of Peace but his fire would indeed usher in destruction in order to create beauty.

Cai Guo-Qiang, Gunpowder

Fire is a dual agent of destruction and creation. For some reason we are the most fascinated with destructive qualities. Yet even though it goes unappreciated by most fire leaves a residue behind. It is more than the ashes of destruction. Charcoal that we use for cooking, gunpowder and drawing is made from the residue left after fire. Cai Guo-Qiang recognized that potential in that duality of fire. Many people struggle with the duality of God: He is both a judge and a savior. Yet it is destruction of His judgment that makes room for the creative mercy of salvation. When the Lord saves us from our sin through Christ, it is as a judgment against the system of Sin. When Christ rose from the dead and instituted his body as the new temple of God it was itself a judgment against the condemnation of the Law. If there is no destruction then there is no room for creation: Death allows for new life. This brings us to another good property of fire: it is a purifying agent. In iron working fire is used to form the metal in its raw and unsophisticated form into something stronger, utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing. It is not a "diamond in the rough" but it is the "iron in the rock." Fire is used to burn off the impurities. That is what makes gold pure and what gains Believers long suffering. While going through his own God given test of suffering Job described it as "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." It appears that this is the type of fire that Jesus was about to unleash. It would prove to be tumultuous, but only a temporary tumult that would forge something strong and beautiful. God's most beautiful golden crosses are forged in flames. God's most ornate sketches are drawn with charcoal.

Baptism is a spiritual purifying agent. That is generally understood. We symbolically wash away our old sinful nature in submission to Christ's commands. But I suspect that when Jesus speaks of his own impending baptism that distresses him that he isn't referring to the traditional water baptism. Christ is referring to a "baptism by fire." When I say baptism by fire I am not making an allusion to the baptism of the Holy Spirit...I am referring to baptism through sacrifice. It is a baptism that was reserved specifically for Jesus. Suffering as a spiritual purifying agent, yet it is not one that needs to be willingly sought out. Don't go looking for Trouble. If needs be, Trouble will find you... like Chuck Norris. Even though Christ's baptism of fire on the cross would be prepared for only him, it would still have universal implications. One of these immediate implications would be division.

Cai Guo-Qiang

Just as Fire and Baptism are purifying agents, they are also divisive by nature. In both cases one thing is divided into two parts. Fire divides by separating the parts that are consumed by the flames from the residue which remains. Baptism shows that we have been separated from our sins. As Christ testified his baptism of fire would divide families. Belief in what his crucifixion spiritually achieved caused division amongst brothers. Specifically it caused division within Abraham's children. Belief in Jesus as the Messiah would form two separate factions in Judaism that would form the future of the Abrahamic faith. In the days leading up to his crucifixion, Christ preached about how the temple would be destroyed, foretelling the Romans destruction of the Temple some 40 years later. He also said that if they destroyed "this temple" (meaning his body) that he would raise it in three days. When Christ was executed it is reported in the gospels that the veil in the temple (that showed the area where the spirit of God was thought to dwell) was torn. Christians saw this as a sign that the spirit of God no longer dwelled in the temple at Jerusalem. Christ's cross was not only an agent of salvation but a sign of judgment against sacrificial Judaism. When the actual destruction of the temple occurred and the Jews were eventually banned from Jerusalem by the Romans, it spelled an end to sacrificial Judaism as a whole. Having no place of sacrifice or priesthood to perform it, Judaism became a "religion of the book." The focus of worship became how to live out the commands of God in everyday life: how we express personal holiness and how we treat others. Their are a few Jewish factions that were around then which remain today (like the Karaites, who derive from the remnants of the Sadducees, and the Samaritans) but for the most part the last two millennia have been dominated by the disciples of the Pharisees (who created Rabbinical Judaism) and the disciples of Christ (who created Christianity). I have no desire to simplify or antagonize either group: both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity have several different sects, denominations and subcultural groups with different beliefs. Though there is hope in the recent developments in Messianic Judaism (Jews who believe in Jesus as Christ and worship in a rabbinical structure), the majority of the historic interactions between the Church and the Synagogue have been filled with hurt and animosity. Most of these have been due to the sins and bigotry of Christians. Even though the cross may be an offence to some, we need not be intentionally offensive in our treatment of others.



Cai Guo-Qiang

^"but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
- 1 Corinthians 1:23-24, St. Paul

There is one last quality to the Message of the Cross that burns. Yet it is less like fire and more like indigestion. Any of you who have spent any time in unbelief are familiar with that feeling. Christianity is hard to swallow. It is hard to mentally digest the whole story of Christ's redemption. To St. Paul's Jewish brethren the message of Christ's cross presented a stumbling block: the idea that salvation was not through ethnic identity as a child of Abraham and one of God's chosen people, but rather through faith in one specific rabbi, Jesus, as the Son of God. To the Greek philosophers that St. Paul encountered abroad the message of  Christ's cross was a presentation of foolishness: the idea that amongst all of the religions and people of the world, God would chose the humble Israelites to send his Son through as the only means of salvation. This debate still exists today and is called The Scandal of Particularity. It is a pretty strong argument. I live in a pluralistic culture and I generally believe in compromise: whether it be political, at my job or what have you, usually a suitable answer can be found by cooperating and merging ideas and paths. Yet there is one area where I do not practice or believe in this principal: love. When I married my beautiful wife I chose to love her and forsake all others. Does this mean that I hate everyone else in the world? No, I maintain friendship with many people but the truest and most dedicated love is for my wife. Hopefully we will produce children one day and we can share our intimate love within even more people. People that have been born of our love. God often described his relationship with Israel as a spousal relationship. If the Israelites engaged in idolatry he likened it to adultery. Likewise, Scripture refers to the Church as the Bride of Christ. Truth is singular in its expression when that expression is Love. Truth bears children of faith when that expression is Love. Truth burns like a fire when that expression is Love.

Speaking Truth To Power



Remembering, Ai Weiwei

Jeremiah 38:1-13

 

Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehukal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people when he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives; they will live.’ And this is what the Lord says: ‘This city will certainly be given into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’” Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.” “He is in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered. “The king can do nothing to oppose you.” So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. But Ebed-Melek, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is not any bread in the city.” Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

Ai Weiwei is a trouble maker. Not an Ashton Kutcher "Punk'd" type trouble maker or Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone kind of trouble maker ... scratch that. Ai Weiwei is exactly a Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone kind of trouble maker. He is a contemporary artist from China who is active in almost every type of media but greater than that he is a cultural critique and activist. Just like Macaulay Culkin's character in Home Alone does outlandish things to protect his family's home. By home I mean China in general, or rather the Chinese people. Through his art and activism Ai Weiwei questions the unjust and imprudent actions of the Chinese government. Recently he spent a stint in prison after an arrest for tax issues... it was presumed to be government harassment. It started when Ai Weiwei just disappeared one day and the Chinese government was silent as to his whereabouts. Ai Weiwei is no stranger to arrests and government censorship. After the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.that killed an estimated minimum of 89,000 people, Ai Weiwei called for a citizen's investigation into whether or not shoddy government construction was to blame for the deaths of thousands of school children in this disaster. While collecting names and stories of young students killed in this disaster and testifying in defense of one of his fellow investigators Ai Weiwei was confronted by police officers and beaten severely. He suffered internal bleeding and underwent brain surgery in Germany to address a cerebral hemorrhage that he suffered from the attack. While in Munich, Germany he held an exhibition entitled "So Sorry" that addressed the Chinese government's response to the Sichuan Earthquake. One piece (pictured above) involved placing 9,010 children's backpacks of different colors on the front the museum's exterior front wall. All together they were arranged to spell out a sentence (in Chinese characters) from one of the parent's of a school child who died in the tragedy, "She lived happily for seven years in this world" Ai Weiwei says of the piece,

"The idea to use backpacks came from my visit to Sichuan after the earthquake in May 2008. During the earthquake many schools collapsed. Thousands of young students lost their lives, and you could see bags and study material everywhere. Then you realize individual life, media, and the lives of the students are serving very different purposes. The lives of the students disappeared within the state propaganda, and very soon everybody will forget everything."^[

Punishment and abuse at the hands of authorities was also commonplace for certain biblical prophets. Jeremiah was a troublemaker. He proved to be a thorn in the side of his local government officials. In Jeremiah 38 he is shown suggesting that everyone in town surrender to the power of the invading Babylonian forces without fighting. Of course this is seen as both foolish and treasonous, but being a prophet Jeremiah has foreseen that how the upcoming events will unfold. Jeremiah is punished by being seized and imprisoned in an empty water cistern. He is intentionally left for dead. He is eventually freed but he still maintains a message of disobedience to the powers that be. This is a good place to bring up the discussion of Faith and Civil Disobedience. At it's core civil disobedience is showing disapproval of government policies by intentionally disobeying laws.
Christianity is often viewed as a tool of appeasement that maintains the cultural status quo.
Romans 13 (which is usually cited in religious discussions about government) St. Paul states that Christians should not be troublemakers but stay obedient to the rulers over them. Then later in Ephesians 6:5-9 Paul admonishes slaves to obey their masters. As any self respecting African American would be, this later verse is a hard one to swallow... and as a student of hermeneutics I understand that scripture is to be interpreted in the light of scripture. One cannot understand the mind of God in one verse but must use the whole counsel of God to reason the truth. With this in mind I can turn over a few pages to the epistle to Philemon and see St. Paul urging a Christian slave master to accept his runaway slave (who is also a Christian) back as a brother, or the first chapter of 1 Timothy where St. Paul list slave traffickers as one of the greater sins and immoralities that the Law was made for. Civil disobedience in the later biblical sense could at times be viewed as more subtle and subversive. Civil Disobedience acted out in Christianity is to undermine the system of Sin and erect in its place the system of righteousness.  
Thanks to individuals like Martin Luther King, Jr., civil disobedience mixed with Christianity is usually associated with non-violence. However there is debate over whether civil disobedience is always necessarily peaceful. This is when disobedience to authorities leads to outright Rebellion. There are at least two good examples of just causes that lead to violent rebellions that were lead by Christian preachers: Nat Turner and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Nat Turner was an African American slave and Baptist preacher in Virginia. He believed that he received visions that told him to rebel against his oppressors (much like Joan of Arc story) and in 1831 he lead a slave revolt that went door to door freeing slaves and killing slave owners. Nat Turner was eventually captured and executed. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor In the time of Nazi rule. He was a vocal opponent of the Nazi's persecution of Jews and euthanizing of the mentally handicapped and mentally ill. Dietrich lead an underground seminary and also authored the classic book The Cost of Discipleship. He also became involved with the German Intelligence Office's covert plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He was caught, imprisoned in a concentration camp and hung 23 days before the German surrender in World War II. Even though Nat Turner and Dietrich Bonhoeffer's situations are unique (and their actions even understandable in their immediate context) as Christians we cannot encourage violence. Not just because non violence stands a better chance of winning over the public (or winning over mercy from oppressors in sentencing) but because of Christ's demand that his kingdom be constructed through peaceful means. Even though it is hard Christ commands his followers to "turn the other cheek" when struck by oppressors. This response to violence with spiritual strength is truly a revolutionary move. I cannot personally judge Nat Turner and Dietrich Bonhoeffer because the natural part of me agrees with part of their actions, however, when I take inventory of all that Christ's non-violent approach has brought I am forced to look at the option of violent rebellion and confess that their is yet a better way.

 

Ai Weiwei in front of "Remembering"

Hebrews 12:1-4

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God....

In honoring the precept of using scripture to interpret scripture I combined the Old Testament and New Testament readings for today. It appears that St. Paul in Hebrews 12 may offer a few answers to believers who find themselves in a Jeremiah 38 case of civil disobedience and government oppression. The polar opposite of violent rebellion as an act of civil disobedience seems to be withdrawal. This is not withdrawal in the sense of asceticism but rather withdrawal with the intention of recreating a better society. This is the approach of some groups that are historically known as the "Peace Churches" because of their creedal belief in practicing Jesus' command of non-violence literally. One of these Peace Churches, the Mennonites, started around the time of the Reformation by a former Catholic priest Menno Simons. He  actually rejected asceticism but thought that the Church should create an alternative to the evils that one finds in general society. One of the more popular offshoots of the Mennonites are the Amish. Because the Amish/Mennonites refuse to take up arms in conflict they spent the beginning centuries of their existence being persecuted and rejected from one European state to another. The contemporary Amish still wear the clothing of this era as a testament of their historic persecution and as a commitment to a simple life unaffected by greed and consumerism. Due to their hard work ethic the Amish usually found another European monarch that would accept them into their land for a time. They eventually came to America when they were invited to settle land in the new religiously tolerant colony started by Founding Father William Penn. William Penn was a member of the Quakers (another Peace Church). It is true that many fled to America to exercise their Christian religious convictions freely, however, it is not true that they were always tolerant of others with differing religious convictions. It is due to this original religious intolerance that Roger Williams founded Rhode Island as a safe haven for Baptists and Lord Baltimore founded Maryland as a colony where Catholics could safely practice their beliefs. William Penn's colony was the first to invite religious believers of all types (Quakers, Amish, Jews, etc.) to live and practice their religious convictions in a community of pace. They even peacefully traded with the local Native Americans and bought (not stole) land from them at a fair price. Pennsylvania and its capitol city of Philadelphia (whose name means "city of brotherly love") was designed as a place where people of different beliefs and races could peaceably reside and live out Christ's notion of being a neighbor. It stood as an alternative to every other model of civilization. Later on when the French and Indian War developed Quakers withdrew from politics because of their refusal to take up arms against their Native American neighbors. What the Quaker's established in Pennsylvania and what the Amish and Mennonites maintain in their communities are remarkable historic accomplishments. They are also illustrations of what Christ did in his earthly ministry. St. Paul reminds us that Christ withdrew from Heaven to recreate a better human society here on earth... his kingdom. We as the Church are called to be a city of brotherly love; a new Jerusalem, where God is worshiped in our hearts and in our interactions with our neighbors. 

Hebrews 12:1-4

...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Truth be told our greatest tool in our arsenal to fight injustice is the gift that Christ armed his Apostles with: preaching. It is the gift that changes hearts and minds. It is also the one that oppressive regimes fear as the most subtle and therefore the one that is to be stamped out. Bishop Charles H. Mason was one of the co founders of the Church of God in Christ. This denomination is one of the many that came from the Holiness movement of the late 1800's. By the turn of the century Bishop Mason had aligned his denomination with the Pentecostal movement that had erupted out of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. In the midst of the Segregation Era this revival and the movement that it started was multicultural. Since Bishop Mason (who was African American) led the only established national Pentecostal denomination at that time, all of those that desired to be ordained as ministers went through his church regardless of their race. Bishop Mason also believed that practicing true personal holiness entailed practicing pacifism as Jesus did. This position proved to be unpopular with the U.S. government and lead to an FBI investigation of Bishop Mason during World War I. It is during this time that he was arrested in Mississippi for having a German preaching assistant. he was released but this episode illustrated his belief that God is no respecter of persons and is the first advocate of peace. The Roman Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador, Oscar Romero, also faced government investigation and oppression but his would prove fatal. In the later end of the Cold War El Salvador found itself in the Salvadoran Civil War between the Leftist forces of Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front and the government led Revolutionary Government Junta. Originally many priests who were proponents of Liberation Theology disapproved of his appointment, fearing that he did not focus on the poor and suffering enough. Eventually the government's Right-wing paramilitary execution campaigns led to Archbishop Oscar Romero to speak out. He would preach against the injustice to the poor and execution of priest who worked with them. He would celebrate public Mass and read the names of the governments victims. he wrote letters to the UN documenting War Crimes and to the U.S. President, Jimmy Carter< asking that the U.S. remove its support of the Salvadorian government. On March 24, 1980 Romero led a ass where he called on soldiers (like the Prophet Jeremiah) to lay down their weapons out of Christian conviction and refuse to do the government's evil bidding. Later as he held up the communion chalice while celebrating the Eucharist he was assassinated. The embrace of peace and righteousness in the face of government policies can lead to imprisonment (like Jeremiah and Bishop C.H. Mason) and even martyrdom (like Jesus and Archbishop Oscar Romero). The enforcement of the Kingdom of God's values must be done by the Lord's means. This does not involve committing violence but violence may indeed be committed on us. Just like Jesus and Jeremiah these men were willing to proclaim the will of God under threat. To this Jesus says in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5):

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

So what does it mean to "speak truth to power." In the Christian context it means more than just speaking your mind to authority, it means speaking the mind of God as an Authority. Christian voices against power used for evil run the gamut in their responses. As a rule we must bee less willing to pursue violence, even when violence may come to us. The greatest tool against any form of evil is our greatest art form: the art of preaching, the art of singing, the art of loving, the art of spreading the truth of God's Word by any peaceful means necessary. The proclamation of the truth of God dispels the darkness and the lies Evil. Preaching is the most powerful weapon we have: it cannot be killed and it cannot be silenced or purged because it has gone viral. Jesus was seen as a troublemaker and sometimes it is necessary for Christians to be seen as troublemakers too. Once Jesus left his Disciples/Apostles in Acts they were later arrested by religious authorities for preaching the Gospel in disobedience of authorities. In light of punishment by beating the Apostles answer through Peter “We ought to obey God rather than men." That is the heart of Christian Civil Disobedience: we are called to love all people, we are admonished to act neighborly but when the laws of the land conflict with the Laws of God and the Love of God we must remember that we are beholden to a higher law. The Judge of that higher law is a rewarder of non-violent martyrs, peaceful rebels, utopian dreamers, persecuted prophets... and yes, troublemakers.

 

The Help



Justinian mosaic, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

Luke 12:32-48

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

You may know them as The Help, the Butler, the maid, the domestic worker, etc There are several names that we have given to the servant class. Many are demeaning. Even their depiction on film can be comical at best: Mr. French from Family Affair, Alice the Maid from The Brady Bunch, Florence the Maid from The Jeffersons, Mr. Belvedere, Geoffrey the Butler from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. At the end of the series none of them inherited the riches of their employer... except for Benson! Benson Du Bois was a character who started off as a the butler on the parody series Soap and then rose through the ranks up to Lieutenant Governor. That is exactly what Jesus is talking about in today's verses from Luke 12.

 

So you may be looking at the mosaic of the Byzantine emperor Justinian and his entourage and feel conflicted about my choice of image. Sure, the emperor Justinian is flanked "right hand men" and soldiers on his right side (who can be understood as servants), but what about those guys on the left. They are all priests and include a bishop (Maximianus of Ravenna). Aha! But these ministers are the greatest servants. The word "minister" actually means "servant", hence many countries call their public servants ministers. I do not state this to argue for the superiority of ministers, actually I believe that ministry is something that must be engaged in with great humility. Just like government public servants, Christian ministers are called by Christ to serve the citizens of the Kingdom of God. They administer the spread the Gospel. They are caretakers of the Lord's treasure: the poor. They warriors in the spiritual battle against sin. They are custodians of peace and mercy. They are ambassadors of Christ's kingdom to those who are foreign to the Word of God. Well, at least that's what a good one is. Those are the servants that, like the Disciples/Apostles, the Father desires to give the kingdom to. Do not be distracted by the "shiny things" that this world takes as treasure... they can be taken by man or rust. The true treasures that God desires to give his servants is the ministry of caring for his children.

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Christ commands his servants/disciples to gird up their loins... the equivalent of hiking up your pants. If, like the Disciples and Justinian's servants you were wearing a robe it involved taking the bottom of the back of your robe and tucking it in the front belt... in effect making "Hammer pants" and ensuring better movement for work. Christ asks that we as his servants be prepped for service. Not only should we be physically prepared in our clothing but we must be spiritually and mentally equipped to serve his creation. To ensure that we do not slack in our service we are promised a return of the Master. Not only any return, but a return from his wedding. We must be ready to serve his new wife in her kingdom. Wait, who did Jesus get married to? Is this some new Dan Brow novel? No, Jesus' bride is the Church. Christ has called his servants to minister to the needs of the Souls that he loves. When Christ speaks of his return you can take it as the judgment after his Second Coming, the judgment awaiting each individual post death or the moments of judgment, punishment and reward that we receive while we are still living. With each scenario the conclusion is the same: Christ demands a reckoning of our dealings with each other. Are we being good stewards of his mercy. Are we serving love to his Church?



Theodora mosaic, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy

Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

There is a mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale that pairs with the one of Justinian. It is the mosaic of his bride the Empress Theodora. She too is flanked by servants, assistants and maids of every sort. Yet Theodora, whose name means "gift of God", was not born into the ruling class. She came from humble beginnings and became the most powerful woman in the history of the Roman Empire (remember the Byzantines were a relocated continuance of the Roman Empire). Theodora started off working I the lowest ring of the servant class: she was employed at a brothel. In those days the professions of actress. dancer and prostitute sort of overlapped at time. She would later give up her former career (yet it appears that she maintained some acting) and would capture the heart of Justinian who was the nephew of the sitting emperor. There was a law on the books at the time that prevented royals from marrying actresses and when Justinian came to power he repealed this law and married Theodora. Christ's bride of the Church came from less than desirable origins. Scripture says that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Each and every one of us has our own stories of struggle in sin and shame but Christ embraced us anyway. He took the punishment of the Law on Calvary's cross and took us as his bride. He redeemed us from our shameful past and has given us his empire to rule with him. In 532 A.D. the Nika Riots broke out in response to popular disapproval of Justinian's governmental policies. It is said that things deteriorated so quickly that Justinian was prepared to flee his own kingdom. In that moment Theodora stepped forward and argued that it is better to stay, fight and die an emperor than to flee, saying "royal purple is noblest shroud." Talk about a "Ride or Die chick"! This was enough to inspire Justinian to stay, fight and win back his kingdom against the mobs. She went on to lead municipal reforms in Constantinople and protect religious minorities from oppression. That is the type of bride that Christ is looking for. That is the type of servant that Christ is looking for. The Lord desires Christians that are faithful and wise stewards of his possessions. They are the servants who will not forsake the care of anyone in the kingdom. Those that fight for the poor, preach love of our enemies and possess faith that endures under pressure. These are the servants that He will make ruler over all that he has. These are the servants that have proved themselves trustworthy.

It is said that "Good Help is hard to find." Jesus said "The harvest is ripe but the laborers are few." These statements are true. There are few that are called to minster in the Lord's service and yet even fewer who endure. Yet for those who do there is a great reward for them. Christ will embrace them as his bride, assistants in governing and victors. They will be His Benson. Benson Du Bois started off over few things as a butler but he became ruler over many as the Lieutenant Governor. That is the journey that God wants his servants to make. In return for their journey He will give them the Kingdom.

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing
- 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Hall of Fame

Mighty Josh, Kadir Nelson

Hebrews 11

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for...

Today I will be pitching a change up. You may have noticed that I did not post on an Epistle last week and that I did not post on an Old Testament or Psalm verse this week. This week I changed things up by presenting two epistles. Yes I will post on something from the Gospels on Sunday (that will probably never change) but this week I wanted focus on the theme of heroism that is evident in both Epistle selections. Discussing Hebrews 11 requires  us to make another change up by reading an actual entire chapter and giving minimal illustrative detail. The last change up is the fact that I will actually be discussing baseball in detail. Like Hebrews 11, baseball is known for its cherished heroes of bygone years. Of all the major professional sports, baseball has the most famous Hall of Fame. Over the years I have heard scores of ministers preach sermons that referred to Hebrews 11 as the Hall of Faith. This chapter's retelling of the acts of the heroes of the Faith is where the world of sports and religion meet up (in this chapter and in Tim Tebow). When you look up the definition of Faith in the dictionary you will usually find the text of Hebrews 11 verse 1... but it is usually from the popular and poetic King James translation: "Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." That is both the textbook definition of Faith and the biblical text definition. Faith is Babe Ruth pointing his bat in the direction that he will hit a home run before it is even pitched. There are many types of Faith depending on the object of that Faith. So what about religious faith? What about faith that's object is God? Well that is the type of faith that Hebrews 11:1 is discussing and the rest of the chapter shows faith in action. Faith is one of those things that you don't fully understand the definition of until you see it acted out. The actions of faith of the ancients in the Hall of Faith are reminiscent of a particular set of heroes in the baseball Hall of Fame. A few years back Major League Baseball took a season to honor the achievements of the Negro Leagues of the early 20th century. Sports is a subset of society at large and when Segregation ruled the land it also called the plays in athletics. Kadir Nelson's paintings documenting Negro League Baseball greats are all put together in a wonderful children's book entitled We Are The Ship. Kadir Nelson is probably this generation's Norman Rockwell and he uses this illustrative skill to depict the trials and joys in the journey of these sportsmen. They played in an era before Jackie Robinson fought to integrate the sport. Likewise the Old Testament heroes acted out their faith long before the time that Christ integrated the worlds of Man and God. It is with that hope in the promise of a new era one day that all of these heroes toiled. It is the hope of the future reward of knowing God fully that we fuel our present day faith.




Hilton Smith, Kadir Nelson

Opening Pitch

...By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith...

Like an opening pitch from Hilton Smith, St. Paul (the assumed writer of Hebrews) starts off his catalogue of the faithful with the opening chapters of Genesis. He explains that we understand that understanding the universe is based upon the principle of faith, being that things that we cannot see and do not fully understand crafted those which we do see and comprehend. This is not a refutation of Science but rather assertion that there is someone working behind the curtain. There is more to life than we understand at the moment. That is always the case in spiritual matters and why a relationship with God is important. This faith centered relationship with Him can be understood as the first act of worship. Faith is an act of worship and is the beginning of how we connect with God. before he was murdered Abel worshiped through sacrifice. Before he was translated into Heaven Enoch-worshiped through a holy life. Before the judgment of the Flood Noah- worshiped in belief and obedience. All of these heroes acted in faith and their faith was accepted as suitable worship to a saving God.

Low And Away, Kadir Nelson

The Battery

...By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones...

Baseball is a peculiar sport in that to play the game one team most willingly and repeatedly throw the ball to the direction of the other team. The foundation of defense in baseball is something called the Battery. The members of the battery are the pitcher and the catcher and their communication and effective cooperation is paramount to the team's success. Faith is based on a community: a team. The community of faith has a similar battery. Before the community of Faith was the Church it was Israel and before there was an Israel there was a couple. It was just Abraham and Sarah. These fore parents of Israel were also the fore parents of faith. Through their obedience and growth with God we see faith enacted. When they finally have their son Isaac and Isaac begets Jacob, and Jacob begets the twelve patriarchs which includes Joseph we see the family of faith. Faith is a family, not necessarily a physical one but a spiritual one. We inherit the spiritual strength and teachings of those that have gone on before us. We stand on each other's shoulders in faith and communication and cooperation enable the whole team to grow.

Slide, Kadir Nelson

Calling Balls And Strikes

...By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned...

When U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts sat through his Senate confirmation hearings he was asked what his job was as a judge. He responded that "My job is to call balls and strikes and not to pitch or bat." In stating this he was referencing the job of an Umpire, the on field judge in a baseball game. The umpire stands between both teams and upholds the laws of baseball. Similarly Moses stood between God and his people Israel upholding the divine Law of the Torah (first five legal books of the Old Testament). God not only chose Moses as giver of the Law, but Moses also sat a a judge overseeing the people's concerns. Everyday Moses heard cases and met out judgment according to God's Law. His caseload was so heavy that his father-in law, Jethro, convinced him to appoint other capable men as judges... like a circuit court system. As Hebrews 11 states, Moses was not only a judge and law giver but he was also the leader of the Israelites in all of their struggles from their emancipation until his death. Moses' actions display a faith that perseveres. It is also faith that exercises judgment. In all it is a faith that lasts because it foresees the endgame. It understands the whole council of God and the progressive direction that the object of our faith, God, is leading us to.


Kansas City Dougout, Kadir Nelson

The Dugout

...By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground...

In the majority of sports the bench is seen as a place of shame. It is viewed as the seat of losers and extra unnecessary players. However a team is only as strong as its bench. In baseball it is shaded and called a Dugout. The offensive structure in baseball only allows for one batter at a time, so the dugout is not the place for forgotten players but a reserve of future leaders and scorers. The Kansas City Monarchs were such a strong franchise in Negro League Baseball because their "bench was so deep." Heroes of faith only last for so long and when they die God raises another one. They are a diverse group but God shows a different aspect of faith in each one. Rahab was a Gentile prostitute who ensured the Israelites conquest of the city of Jericho. Rahab shows faith that redeems the imperfect. Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah were all judges in Israel before a monarchy was installed. David and Samuel were kings, however, like Moses and the judges they overheard cases everyday and made decisions based on the counsel of God. Then Paul goes on to mention the unnamed prophets, soldiers, administrators and everyday women that exercised faith while suffering. Faith saves, faith exercises good judgment and faith empowers long suffering. Faith does all of this to show that true faith endures to the end. Faith goes all nine innings and beyond.

Game Bus, Kadir Nelson

...These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Many of these greats of the Negro League jumped on the team bus and ventured off to another game in a segregated league. The would not go on to enjoy the fruits of their labor on a national, integrated stage like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Page and Willie Mays. But their years of struggle in an unjust system that made a way for the Black, Latin, Japanese and scores of other ethnically diverse players that have played in Major League Baseball since integration. None of the ancient believers in the Hall of Faith enjoy what you and I have. They died before seeing the fulfillment of their faith in God: Jesus the Messiah. Yet it is their great work and enduring faith that encourages us today. They surround us like a great cloud of witnesses from heaven. They watch us as if from a stadium in Heaven and when life presents trials to our faith they implore us to play on. They cheer until we see and opening to steal home and join them in Heaven. If we endure, if we can fight back the tears and remain in the game, then we too will be members in the Hall of Faith.

 

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

-Hebrews 12:1



Keep Your Head Up

The Apotheosis of Washington, Constantino Brumidi

Colossians 3:1-11

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

Hey history fans! Remember that time when President George Washington was raised up to the Heavens and exalted as a god? No? Come to think of it I don't remember it either... but next time you are in Washington D.C. take a tour of the Capitol Building and keep your head up. If you do you will see a ceiling mural in the rotunda about the deification of America's first president. Comedy! I doubt that the Italian artist who painted it, Constantino Brumidi, nor any of the members of Congress (past or present) actually believe General Washington to be a god. Brumidi were simply using the artistic theme of the apotheosis. There are scores of paintings where leaders, heroes and rich families are given the apotheosis treatment. It does have a religious background. Both the theological and artistic beginnings of the apotheosis start in Greece as was also practiced by the Romans. Both the Greek and Latin communities had histories of deifying their leaders (like the Egyptians before them). This is literally hero worship. I remember watching Michael Jordan playing Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz back in 1997 while fighting off the flu and thinking that he could probably have started a popular cult the next day. Human beings have always been awed by individuals who stand out in history. The American Founding Fathers were fans of the Greek (and somewhat Roman) notions of democracy and republic. So much so that they built a democratic government that operates as a republic. In recognition of this many artists and architects that honor the Founding Fathers utilize Greek and Roman aesthetic tools. But Greeks, Romans and Americans are not the only cultures that have pondered man's quest for grandeur and immortality. The ancient Hebrews also considered this notion and as a Pharisaic rabbi turned Christian apostle St. Paul allows us to eavesdrop on this dialogue.

Apotheosis of Homer, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres

Is Christ a case of apotheosis? Was Jesus a hero, philosopher or holyman that was exalted by God into godhood? This notion pops up every now and again. It is called adoptionism (the idea that Christ was adopted by God, at some point, into divinity) and was written off as heresy in the 2nd century. While it is true that Jesus is honored by God by being seated at His right hand (the place of honor), Scripture reveals that He was always there, even in creation. The preexistence of Christ is discussed in the opening chapter of the Gospel of John. Whenever there was, there was also Jesus. So when St. Paul points out Christ being at God's right hand it is not to show Christ's new found exaltation but rather shows confirmation of his authority. His authority confirms the validity and completion of his mission. God's placement of Christ at His right hand signifies approval of Christ's sacrificial atonement for our sins. We as followers of Christ draw strength and encouragement from the fact that our Savior has solidified our safekeeping. Keep your head up and you will see Christ sitting in the seat of power and place of approval from God.

Apotheosis of Hercules, by François Le Moyne

Great News: you're dead! Or at least your old identity is. Your new identity is tied in with Christ's. That must sound like amazing news if you have a bad credit score. So St. Paul argues that because of God's acceptance of Christ's propitiation that our life is intertwined with his. He says in Colossians that our life is hidden with Christ and Christ's appearance. Paul is speaking of our own personal spiritual death. The idea is that our old selves, the identity of the sinner and life outside of Christ, has passed away. If we then have aligned our lives with Christ's life, then we await Christ's glorious return as our new birthday celebration. We will be born into eternal life. That Great Day that Scripture ominously refers to will not be a day to fear judgment but a day of celebration. We as the Church are Christ's bride. Like the traditional Western practice of weddings, we await that new day when we will unite our life with our groom (Christ) and receive a new name. But as we wait for that day we are also being changed. That is where different Christians have different opinions. The biggest division is between the Greek and Latin faction of Christianity. The first large scale division in Christianity (hundreds of years before the Protestant Reformation) was the Great Schism of 1054 between the Eastern and Western sections of the Church (one section preferred Tupac while the other supported Biggie). The division was over a few doctrinal and practical governance matters (that I will discuss in greater detail in a later blog entry) but the differences had been brewing for centuries. The rift left the Church split along cultural lines with the Latin speaking (and thinking) Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Greek speaking (and thinking) Orthodox Church in the East. later on the Western Church would have its own divisions with the Renaissance, but there are still some major theological notions that Protestants still inherited fro their Catholic parents. Specifically it is in the subject of sanctification (the part of salvation where we are made into a new and holy person). The Orthodox Churches rely on their Greek background and call it theosis. Wikipedia describes their thoughts on theosis/sanctification as follows:

Eastern Orthodoxy- Orthodox Christianity teaches the doctrine of theosis, whereby humans take on divine properties. A key scripture supporting this is 2 Peter 1:4. In the 4th century, Athanasius taught that God became Man that Man might become God.^[5] Essentially, Man does not become divine, but in Christ can partake of divine nature. This Church's version of salvation restores God's image in man.^[6] One such theme is release from mortality caused by desires of the world.^[7]

Now notice the thread of similarity shared by Roman Catholicism and its Protestant offshoots. Again this is from Wikipedia:

Roman Catholicism- According to the Catholic Encyclopedia "sanctity"^[11] differs for God, individual, and corporate body. For God, it is God's unique absolute moral perfection. For the individual, it is a close union with God and the resulting moral perfection. It is essentially of God, by a divine gift. For a society, it is the ability to produce and secure holiness in its members, who display a real, not merely nominal, holiness. The Church's holiness is beyond human power, beyond natural power. Sanctity is regulated by established conventional standards.

Anglicanism- Anglicans teach that sanctification is a process of changing to become holy. Richard Hooker, an influential Anglican theologian, argued that sanctification is based on works while justification is only by faith.^[2]

Calvinism- Calvinist and Evangelical theologians interpret sanctification as the process of being made holy only through the merits and justification of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification cannot be attained by any works based process, but only through the works and power of the divine.^[3] When a man is unregenerate, it is their essence that sins and does evil. But when a man is justified through Christ, it is no longer the man (in his essence) that sins, but the man is acting outside of his character. In other words, the man is not being himself, he is not being true to who he is.^[4]

Lutheranism- Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism, taught in his Large Catechism that Sanctification is only caused by the Holy Spirit through the powerful Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses churches to gather Christians together for the teaching and preaching of the Word of God.^[8]

The only wild card in the bigger of the protestant groups are the offshoots from Wesleyanism. Wikipedia states:

Methodism- John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught what is known as entire sanctification in the holiness movement churches, such as the Church of the Nazarene, the Salvation Army, or Christian perfection in "mainstream" Methodist denominations, such as the United Methodist Church, the Methodist Church of Great Britain. This is the doctrine that by the power of God's sanctifying grace and attention upon the means of grace may cleanse a Christian of the corrupting influence of original sin in this life. It is explained in depth in the essay, "Entire Sanctification" by Adam Clarke as well as, later, in Articles of Religion in the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church.^[9] "Initial salvation" is sometimes seen as an initial step of acknowledging God's holiness, with sanctification as, through the grace and power of God, entering into it. A key scripture is Hebrews 12:14: "Follow after...holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord."

The position that is probably the closest to my own thoughts (un-ironically) is the one found in my trusty little copy of The New National Baptist Hymnal (it's red with gold trim, like the color of the cheap red carpet in all authentic Baptist churches) in the Articles of Faith (they are like a Creed for denominations that have A.D.D., don't like reading out loud too much and choose have their headquarters in Nashville).

We believe the Scriptures teach that Sanctification is the process by which, according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness; that it is a progressive work; that it is begun in regeneration; and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means especially the word of God, self-examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.

Even though there are divers takes on the particulars of how one becomes holy and sanctified, I believe that they all communicate the same encouraging message to the Christians that believe them: Keep your head up because you are above the sins of your past.

Apotheosis of Nelson, Pierre-Nicolas Legrand de Lérant

Theologically sanctification is like an algebra problem. We must solve for X but different theologians say that X is different things. Different Christians look into Scripture and see different formulas of how sanctification spiritually occurs, however, sanctification adds up to the same thing in most scenarios. In the end you are a holier person and have performed good actions. It is the good actions that combine with your faith to testify that the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you. It is this Holy Spirit that pushes you in living a life free of the sins that ensnared you in the past. Though I greatly admire John Wesley (and my grandfather was a Methodist preacher) I probably lean the furthest away from the Wesleyan formulation of sanctification. It is not because I don't believe that there may be those in history who grew to eliminate much of the sin in their life (sure that sounds like it could happen) but rather because I don't believe that it is the norm for most believers. Most believers (true and actual Children of God) struggle with sin on a daily basis. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't strive toward holiness and complete selfless love, but I fear that the repercussions of being a believer who feels like a total failure for having an angry thought or tapping your toe to a secular tune. Now does that mean that I think that Christians should quit denominations like the Methodists or Church of God and Christ because of their historic ties to the Wesleyan/ Holiness movement? No, never! I personally know of some of the greatest Christian believers and pastors in these groups. Their faith is genuine and more importantly balanced. No matter what our denominational or theological background we must always balance things off with the attitude of Jesus. Jesus was always patient with sinners who were humble and trusting. Humble in their assessment of themselves and trusting in their faith in Jesus. These two factors allow God to work on us daily. Throughout spiritual victories and failures we can keep an upward trajectory if we keep learning and praying. Eventually past sins, practices and proclivities grow more and more distant. St. Paul teaches us in Colossians that as we confess our sins to God, learn what Christian behavior looks like and share with the community of believers our past sinful practices, deceptions and ethnic, cultural, class and societal divisions/predjudices drift away as we all conform to the image of Christ. We elevate in our spiritual journey and leave the old things below us. Keep your head up and forget the things that are below.

The Apotheosis of Washington, amidst the Capitol rotunda

It is no coincidence that the Apotheosis of Washington mural is in the oculus of the rotunda of the Capitol Building. The oculus lets the light in the room and illuminates the building, just like the Founding Fathers illuminated the institution of government by reintroducing the democratic republic to the world. Likewise Christ is the Light that came from above to illuminate the Church... not the building but the people (the Greek and the Latin...and the World). Christ was not an American Founding Father, but he found his Heavenly Father's lost children. As we conclude this entry about Man and his ancient aspirations to be a god, we must consider that true godliness is not pursued trough grandiose actions of heroism but through grave actions of humility. In this type of act that Christ proved himself to be the reverse of an apotheosis: He is the God that came down and became man. In doing so Jesus displays why God is worthy to be praised and honored and why He honors the meek and lowly.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

- Philippians 2:5-8