" The Cosmic Christ "

"Who's Do You Say I Am"

How many Christian denominations do you think are there in the world?  

                                   What in your opinion makes a person Christian?     
                           Do you think that non-Christians can and do follow Jesus too?    

Sept 27 2015,  James 5: 13-20, Psalm 124  Mark 9: 38-50 

Anyone have any idea of how many Christian denomination there are around the world, research claims somewhere between 9000 and 12000.  Because many are independent with no connections to a main stream denominations, there are considerable disagreements about which of these independents can be recognized as Christian.   Disagreements arise primarily from doctrine, dogma and scriptural interpretation within the Christian Religion.  Doctrine is a belief or a set of beliefs taught by a church.   Dogma on the other hand is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority within the church as the truth.   These things formulate the way denominations of the Christian church experiences salvation, the judgement of God, how creation began, who Jesus was or is for them and what or who is the Holy Spirit.   When I reflect on the words of scripture and offer my scriptural interpretation, it is most always of a personal nature rather than that of the collective universal Christian Church.  This is generally the practice from most pulpits unless the clergy has been brain washed by their own religious dogma or denomination.    Therefore a question that seems to come up in discussions with church attendees or the non-churched, is this:   Can any religion make an exclusive claim to know the truth, or claim that their way is the true way of salvation and a right relationship with God.   For the purpose of simplicity, we often refer to Jesus as Lord of all, Lord or all creation,  light to all the world.   Each denomination as a collective reflects their own understanding of scripture through their ritual, worship, and their works of charity but you would be hard pressed to find all their perishers accepting of the full doctrine and dogma of their religion or denomination.   There is a deeper question that could be asked here:  Knowing that Christianity did not yet exist in Jesus time and that Jesus himself was a Jew, can Christianity as a religion claim exclusive rights to Jesus and his way?    This question can lead us into some deep discussion around the reading from Mark today.   I believe Jesus is always trying to take us deeper in our understandings of the Gospel. 

 The reading from the Gospel of Mark today can possibly offer us a deeper insight here.  Let us refresh our memory of verses 38 - 41 and I quote:  ³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw a man who was driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group.” ³⁹ “Do not try to stop him,” Jesus told them, “because no one who performs a miracle in my name will be able soon afterwards to say evil things about me.⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us. ⁴¹ I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will certainly receive a reward.

My interpretation seems to suggest to me in these verses that you do not need to belong to a certain group or religion to have access to Jesus, his power or the authority from where his power comes.  That his way and power are available to all who believe and call upon his name.  This must have been shocking to the disciples and the Jewish people who were following Jesus.   Here he is telling his disciples that you do not have to be Jewish, that you can be of no religious affiliation and still have access to the healing power of God found in Christ.  This must not only have been heretical to the Jews in Jesus' time but think of the implication it has for the Christian Church today.  How might this interpretation sound to those of us in Christian communities who have tried to maintain exclusive ownership of Jesus and His way?     So then it seems to me that we might interrupt this scripture to say that Jesus is telling his disciples that religion on its own doesn't guarantee you access to God, but coupled with your belief in Jesus who is also the universal Christ, it does.   In other words I am suggesting no religious group can claim exclusive rights to Jesus, his power, or His way.  Jesus as the word made flesh was a free spirit who walked among us and left us the spirit of the risen Christ who is with us today and is also a free spirit available to all who call upon and believe in him.  Religion then can be seen as a teaching ground that points us towards the ways of God.  The writer of this passage quotes Jesus as saying that if anyone were to cause one of God’s children to fall into sin, leading him or her away from Jesus, it would be better for that person to have a heavy weight tied around his or her neck and throw themselves into the sea.   Harsh words for those who do not conform to the ways of God. 

This perspective or interpretation may sound heretical to the religious of our world but it seems to me that Jesus’ way, which is the call to respond to the GREAT commandment.   This truly is the only way to live, otherwise we can end up living a religious life, which is still being taught from many a pulpit today and is misunderstood as “the way.”   Religion on its own, cannot be the way, but can point towards the ways of God and ultimately to the way of the Christ.   Jesus’ way will never take us into war or justify the killing of others to maintain order or bring about peace.   Unfortunately the religions of our world often create conflict, poverty and discrimination which lead us into war.   Their are those who will always find was to justify violence through scripture and they have been doing so for centuries, but it is not the way of the Christ.   On the contrary, to follow Jesus, we are told we must become one with the other, we must work for peace through non-violence, serve one another, to love your enemies and do good to those who hate, hurt and persecute you.  To love as we are loved.  This is radical thinking for a modern world that thrives on control, fear, security, wealth and power.

 Jesus pleads on our behalf as we truly do not understand the things we do.  No one has a full understanding of what their behaviour will bring upon those around them, the next generation or their way of life.   YET no one is beyond forgiveness in the eyes of Jesus. Now Isn’t that incredible!  His way is still foreign to many religions and religious people in our world today.  In the final verses of Mark, Jesus repeats his formula for right living, which by the way fulfills all of the 10 commandments, the Laws of Moses.   Love the Lord you God with all your heart, mind and strength and love you neighbour as yourself.  

                                                      "Come Lord Jesus"

                                                   

                          If you want to know more about the "A Universal Christ"
may I suggest you listen to this interview at by Father Richard Rohr : just copy the link, paste and listen       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LYQQO5uFtA
                                                       

                      "
 

"How Much Do I Owe You"

People may not remember what you did, or what you said

but they will always remember how you made them feel.

Question for Today 

                                             "How Do You Make Others Feel"

Sept 6, 2015  Readings:  Romans 12: 1-3  Matthew 13: 24-30

The story is told of city cab driver Aaban Kaiser, who described his occupation as career for someone who wanted no boss.  What he didn't realize was that it was also a life with ministry.  Because Aaban drove the night shift, his cab became a moving confessional.  Passengers climbed in, sat behind him in total anonymity, and told him about their lives. He encountered people of all walks of life and their life stories would sometimes amaze him, make him laugh and sometimes even weep.  But none touched him more than a woman He picked up late one August night.   The hour made him assume he was being sent to pick up some parters, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early morning shift .  When he arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.  Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, then drive away.  But Aaban had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation.  Unless a situation smelled of danger, Aaban always went to the door.  He thought to himself this passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, so he walked to the door and knocked.   "Just a minute", answered a frail, elderly voice.  Aaban could hear something being dragged across the floor.  After a long pause, the door opened.   A small woman in her 80s he thought, stood before him.  She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.  By her side was a small nylon suitcase.  The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years.  All the furniture was covered with sheets, and the wall were bear.   "Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said.  he took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.  She took his arm and they walked slowly toward the curb.  She kept thanking him for his kindness.  "It's nothing", he told her.  "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would like to be treated".  "Oh, you're such a good boy", she said.  When they got in the cab, she gave him and address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"  "It's not the shortest way," he answered quickly.  "Oh, I don't mind," she said.  "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice care facility".   "I don't have any family left," she continued.  "The doctor says I don't have very long."   He quietly reached over and shut off the meter.  "What route would you like me to take?" he asked.  For the next two hours, the cabbie drove through out the down town.  She showed him the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.  They drove through the neighbourhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newly-weds.  She had him pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.  Sometimes she'd ask him to stop in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.  With the first hint of morning on the horizon, she suddenly said, "It’s time now,   let's go."  We drove in silence to the address she had given him.   Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up.  They were kind and gentle, watching her every move, and appeared to be expecting her.  He opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.  The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.  "How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse. "Nothing," he said.  "You have to make a living," she answered."  There are other passengers," he responded.  Almost without thinking, he bent and gave her a hug.  She held onto him tightly.  "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said." Thank you." He squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light.  Behind him, a door shut.   For him it was the sound of the closing of a life.   He didn't pick up any more passengers that shift.  He drove aimlessly, lost in thought.  For the rest of that day, he could hardly talk.  What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift?  What if he had refused to take the call, or had honked once, then driven away?  On a quick review, Aaban didn't think that he have done anything more important in my life.  Something I found interesting was that the name Aaban is a Muslim name meaning, that of an Angle.  
We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments aren't we.  But great moments often catch us unaware -beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.  You have heard it said before - but hear it again.... People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.  Here in lay a great opportunity for us to reflect upon these good questions.

What kind of love do we Christians show to self and to others?  How do I personally make people feel?  Do I treat and accept people of all walks of life.   And if I don’t, why?   Is my reason one that will hold up in the light of eternity?  We all have a calling, a ministry just like the cabbie, and it is to minister to one another as brothers and sisters regardless of race, colour, religion or sexual orientation.   We are also called to form a community of faith where all may sit at the table together. 
You all recall King Arthur and his knights, they had a round table, do you know why?    So that no one might be seen as at the head or the foot, and so it should be in our lives.  The only head we have is Jesus, and as our relationship grows with and in him as we will learn to love and care for one another unconditionally.  

The test of our faith - the test of our community lies in how we respond to one another.    Here in lies the message from today readings.    Let us enter into prayer together as we read: 

Dear Anointed One help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go.  Flood our souls with your spirit and life.  Penetrate and possess our whole being so our lives may become a radiance of yours. Shine through us, so that every soul we come in contact with, may feel your presence within us.  Let them look up and see no longer us, but see your light, the light you gave to us.  Stay with us - and strengthen us so we shall begin to shine as you shine.   

                                                       "Children of The Light "

"The Majesty Of Creation"

"An AHA Moment"

The Majesty Of Nature:  Anyone here ever have an Aha moment with nature?  To give you an example of one I had when sailing across the Northumberland Straight.  We left Pugwash Harbor late in the afternoon with a good stiff wind on the sails heading for PEI.  At sunset we hit what sailors call the doldrums.  The doldrums are spots in the ocean where the wind ceases to exist and the ocean is completely calm and flat.   With not a cloud in the sky, the sun was slowly sinking into the ocean and just above its glory was the lone gull softly souring by?   At that moment for all of us who were there to experience it the world stood still and the presence of creations spender fill our souls.  I would like you to reflect upon an aha moment in your life.    

                                           NATIONAL BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY 

Sept 13, 2015  Readings  Psalm 19  Mark 8: 27-38

C.S. Lewis describes Psalm 19 as one of his most beloved psalm because for him it is all encompassing.   In the first 6 verses we hear creation as a witness of God’s glory, its nature’s poem and in the remaining verses the writer David gives us a receipt for right living, through God’s will for humankind.

Many committed Christians including those who have entered ministry report having had formative religious experiences at church outings or summer camps during their youth.   Has that been the experience of anyone here today?  May be you can recall a special church outing, or summer camp experience where nature in all its glory brought you closer to the Holy.  

Nature is especially relevant to the spiritual development both for children and adults.  Early and ongoing positive exposure to nature benefits children intellectually, physically and spiritually.  A Journalist by the name Richard Louv wrote a book called   “ Last child in the Woods”.  In it he demonstrates how the sharp decline in nature play, among today’s children and youth is leaving a major hole in the development of both body and soul and is taking a toll on our society today, especially in fields of medicine and the cost of health care.
Nature’s ongoing witness to God’s glory constitutes a sacred text.  There is a sacredness to nature that cannot be found anywhere else.  There is no speech or language audible to the human ear, yet somehow in nature we can perceive the magnificence of the created order and its Creator.   We just sense that God is here, God is there, we see the results of Creation, and we are in Awe!!!!   Have you ever wondered how God put the apple tree in that tiny seed, only to be revealed in its season, now isn't that amazing?

When this poem was penned by David it was meant as a hymn, sung to bring God’s people into worship, to worship God in all God’s fullness.

A good question we might ask ourselves here could be this: if creation could talk to us, what do you think it would say?  What would nature, the ocean, a river or the forest say to us?   More importantly what is our Creator trying to say to us today.         

In CS Lewis description of this psalm I believe he understood that David didn't just leave it all there in the hands of Nature.  No Lewis and the psalm writer point us towards something richer, something more fulfilling more sustainable;  the wisdom and grace that can be found only within our sacred text, the Bible. 

In verses 7-14 David also brings to light the Jewish Torah’s call to faithfulness. As glorious as natures testimony may be, God has provided something even better and more useful to guide and direct humankind.   The revelation of Gods glorious will and way and;  it can only be found, for the Christian, within the teachings of our Lord Jesus.  As the Apostle John so beautifully puts it, the word was made flesh to dwells among us and teach us the way of God's unconditional love.

Nature displays for us the power and beauty of our God’s creative glory, but our scriptures speak specifically of a God of history who loves and calls us one by one, into the beloved community of the faithful.  Folks: we are meant to gather as a people of God in community, Church is important.  Our hope was included with our invitations to come back to church this Sunday.  Our hope is that you too would want to become a regular part of a community of faith once again.   God reveals himself personally in the first 5 books of the Old Testament knows as the Law or the “Torah”   Let us not forget that faithfulness to the Torah, is not about conformity or adherence to set of rules.   It is rather, a way of being in the world that holds God near and dear.  This is what Jesus meant when He said live in the world but not of the world.  In other words enjoy life to the fullest, enjoy nature, material things, each other. Use your giftedness to better the world, but we were not meant to worship or to give our whole lives to these things.  Seeking the knowledge and wisdom of the scriptures can be more profitable than Gold, sweeter than honey.  

Patricia Polanco who writes children’s books tells this story in her book  “ THE BEE TREE”   a large swarm of bees came into a village, villagers drop everything they are doing to pursue the bees to their nest.  Honey to the villagers was like Gold to us.  They hit the jackpot the largest hive they had ever seen.  A short time after returning the grandfather of a young girl, drops a spoon full of honey onto the cover of a book and gives it to her.   Taste”  he whispers, “the book I mean, there you will find the sweetness of life.  In the book there is adventure, knowledge, and wisdom, but these things do not come easily.  You have to pursue them through the pages.”  
Folks,  nature and the things of this world alone, cannot give you the fullness of faith.  They alone will not allow you to hold God near and dear, as we are called to do.  We are meant to join together in community to grow and learn, we are called into community to support one another and we are called into community to encourage and love one another.    
So I leave you with a challenge this morning.  Make a commitment to be in a church community once again, with the church of your choice.     May the Lord bless our time here today.

"Bread of Life"

                                      

"The Only Way To Get Close "

                                           

 Sept 6^th 2015  Psalm 213 James 2- 1-17  Mark 7: 24-37

We Human beings have a great thrust for the word favourite.   How many of us here today have a favourite story, book, movie TV show, desert , who is your favourite person, sibling, or relative.     I don’t know about you but with I was growing up I wanted to be the favoured kid in my family.  It made you feel important, and my parents, teachers, and co-workers all taught me well, favourites have status.   You were not only handled differently but you received differently.   But what they didn't teach you was, that favouritism is always short lived.  No one gets to hold that position forever and sometimes it is not even for very long.  How many of us here today have felt the accolades of others one day, then turn into scorn and rejection the next.  What they, parents and teachers, and coaches, didn't tell me was that hatred, and jealously are the side effects of being favoured.    I know people who literally nearly kill themselves trying to be the favoured one, any names come to mind!   It is a fact of live people, we love favourites and favouritism, but only for a short time.  We either want to be one or we want to be best friends with one. And some people will do anything to become part of the pack.    We all want to be associated with the winners, or the successful people of our world.  We do not want to seen with or have close ties to the losers in life do we? 

The illustration from today’s reading from James is a good example of how Jesus teaching goes contrary to the ways and the teachings of the world.   By following our own human standards, those which are set outside the will of God, we become like lost sheep.  Loneness, and depression do not come from God and they are not part of God’s plan for you.   They come because we don’t understand how precious we are to our heavenly parent.  The negative image you carry of yourself does not come from God.  The truth is that when we fall away from God’s intended plan for us, when we make up our own natural laws, and rules to live by, we generally have to face the circumstances of our own free will.  This great wisdom and truth can be found in the original garden story from Genesis.    When we ignore God and the natural flow of nature and began to follow our own standards for living and creating, we will pay a price as we are seeing in today’s society.   We don’t have to look far to see how humanity is doing controlling our world, our environment and we don’t have to look far to see how the world is handling what man creates. 

James condemns acts of favouritism.   The irony of this worldly teaching is this folks;  the supposed winners in our world, those who accumulate wealth, positions power, or an impressive life style, these things come at great cost, and it usually is at the expense or the cost of others.  We cannot claim to be good, generous and rich while others suffers in the world.  This is not God’s plan.   In addition, those who win, find it difficult to identify themselves with the lost, and with God’s humble servant, Jesus. 

We are faced with a difficult teaching here as we have been conditioned from very young by parent, teachers and employers that life is measured in our successes, not our failures.  The paradox here is that successes comes not from successes but from learned mistakes, that which fails us in the beginning.  No one wants to be left behind in this aggressive, materialistic world.  We all want to be successful to some degree in a worldly way.  So I ask you to seriously, in the week to come, take a look at what impresses you.  Check out your motives for doing and how it effects your neighbour, our environment and those on the margins of life. 

How do you feel about the Syrian crises.   God views all people as equal, but Gods heart goes out to the poor and powerless.  We should and our country should too follow the example of Christ if we claim to be Christian. 

One of the big mistakes we find in looking at people in this manner is that we often judge a person by their color, geographical location, sexual orientation, race or economic status.   Winners and wealth especially in the West indicate to us intelligence, wise decisions and hard work we think.   On the other hand it may mean only that a person had the good fortune of being born in the right place at the right time and into a wealthy family.  But it can also be a sign of greed, dishonesty, and selfishness.  By honouring someone in this way we make appearance more important than character.  The women in the story from Mark today is from Syria a Greek Gentile who worships many Gods in statue form.   Yet that does not stop Jesus from offering his healing touch and presence.  This is the hardest lesion that any Christian must learn.  We accept all no matter what.  There are no strings attached to our love an acceptance or our forgiveness. 

I have a couple question for you think about in the coming week.  Does poverty, race, sexuality or religious denomination make you uncomfortable?   How do you respond to those who are less fortunate or are in a minority in your community? 

Often people tell me that poverty, religious denomination or sexual orientation makes them feel uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to feel empathy for their condition or responsible to do anything to help understand of ease their anxiety.     James tells us that this kind of thinking insults the minority and the poor.   Is there not enough love to go around for everyone?  No one should be without this necessity in life, the necessity of feeling loved.  God loves us all equally as we should love one another.  I go back to the theme of the last few weeks.   There is only one commandment that will bring justice to all.   LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, MIND, SOUL, and STRENGTH AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. 

Thank be to God Let us Pray.