Bad Company

Luke 6:13-16

And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

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Bad company
And I can't deny
Bad company
Till the day I die
Oh, till the day I die
Till the day I die

"Bad Company" recorded by Bad Company written by Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke.

The song begins with a mellow riff and the lyrics "Company, always on the run, Destiny is the rising sun." Yeah, I can imagine this lyric applying to the first Apostles of Christ.

And what a group they are too! There's a zealot, who believed in the radical overthrow of Rome alongside Matthew,the former tax collector thus nominally a Roman collaborator. That couldn't have been comfortable. There were a bunch of fishermen. Until the advent of "The Deadliest Catch" on The Discovery Channel have you ever heard a positive thing said about commercial fishermen? Thomas would eventually be known as "Doubting Thomas" and there's nothing for me to add about Judas Iscariot that scripture doesn't already say.

Frankly, they were bad company! They were a semi-disreputable group behind a Rabbi who stood against what the good people thought the synagogue and temple should stand for.

Here's the tricky part, they were right. As diverse as they were, they followed the right leader. As much as they came from different parts of the nation, temple, and synagogue they came together in the name of Christ to serve the Lord and serve the Lord together.

They didn't always agree with each other, but with Christ at the center, nothing could come between them and the Lord, even betrayal.

We could all learn a lot from this.

The Things of Man, The Things of God

Mark 12:13-17

Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” And they brought one. Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” Jesus said to them, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.

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Let me tell you how it will be;
There's one for you, nineteen for me.

"Taxman" by George Harrison recorded by The Beatles from "Revolver." This version features George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

This song was written about one of the most heinous of progressive taxes. In 1966, a 95% income tax was approved by the British Labour government of Prime Minister Harold Wilson. This happened at the same time The Beatles were beginning to make "real money." When George Harrison found out he went mad, but instead of marching, picketing, or starting a political party--he wrote a song.

Ironic isn't it, with "Taxman" George Harrison created something that created wealth that became an object of the tax he wrote about.

So what does Jesus teach about taxes? The first thing he teaches is that it is legal for the state to collect taxes. When you look at most money you find people of the state pictured on it. Whether it's the President, the Monarch, the Sovereign, or as they are often called in America, Dead Presidents; the people you find on money represent leaders of the place where it's from. So give it back to the state, it doesn't matter to God.

What is right is that we are to give to God what belongs to God. The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it (Psalm 24:1); since everything we have we received from God we owe everything to God. It's as easy as that.

We have been given many great gifts, but none of them are more important than life because life is our opportunity to be a part of the kingdom of God as God intended since the garden. We were created to be in relationship with God, this is the only reason we were given life. It's as easy as that. Because of this, everything that follows is how we live into that relationship. It is how we should raise our families. It is how we should work our jobs. It is how we should pay our taxes.

Yes, a 95% tax is onerous. It is excessive and outrageous. But don't let anyone tell you that American taxes are this high, or that anyone is proposing a tax that high. Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.

Mistaken Identity

John 8:23

He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

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The police in New York City,
they chased a boy right through the park.
And in a case of mistaken identity
they put a bullet through his heart.

"Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" by the Rolling Stones, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

A case of mistaken identity... this song was written in 1972. It begins with the true story of a ten year old boy who was shot and killed after being mistaken for a bank robber.

On the human level, the death of Jesus is a case of mistaken identity. The temple elite thought that Rome would remove them from leadership if the people rioted at Passover, a very real possibility. One of the Chief Priests says it is better for one man to die. Who knew they had picked the wrong man and the right man all at the same time.

It's better for one man to die. And after all, there was a new prophet in town and he is filled with the spirit of God. He performs miracles, he heals, and he teaches that the kingdom of God is come. At the same time, he doesn't teach civil disobedience. He told the people to pay their taxes. He tells the people if they are conscripted to carry a soldier's pack one mile he should carry it for two. In meekness and humility, he has become the most seditious prophet ever. Then again, that part's true.

In this passage from John, Jesus tells the people that he is not like them. Anyone who thinks that Jesus is like them is quite wrong. He's divine in ways we can only dream but really can't imagine. He's even human in ways that our sin soaked lives can't approach. We aren't like him, yet because there are people who think he's just another man he will be crucified.

In a case of mistaken identity, they hung him upon the cross.

The good news for us is that this had to happen. This is what was supposed to happen. Untimely death for unjust causes is always a heartbreaker, but it's the resurrection that follows that brings glory to this life.

You Can't Please Everyone

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Matthew 11:16-19

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

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But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself.

"Garden Party" by Rick Nelson with the Stone Canyon Band from the album of the same name

Jesus gives the word to this generation. He rightly tells the crowd that they expected one thing and got something completely different. This did not please them.

The crowd played the flute, but John did not dance.
The crowd sang a dirge, but Jesus did not mourn.

This isn’t code speech at all. When the holy people got John the Baptist, they didn’t want his harsh words and chilling indictments. John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon.” The people expected one thing and got another. Instead of “shining, happy people” they got the prophet in a leather poncho eating bugs. While the bugs he was eating were within Jewish dietary requirements, they surely weren’t the kind of food the temple leaders ate.

When the holy people got Jesus, they wanted someone who was a more reserved, more reverent. The last thing they wanted was some drunken glutton drawing attention to himself, especially considering the low-life’s he was hanging out with. He’s way too far out on a limb dealing with sinful men and (shocking!) sinful women.

When the holy people met both men, they would have preferred someone who would tell them what they wanted to hear, what they expected to hear.

Isn’t that always the way it is?

As sure as the people were unhappy with the oddball prophet from the wilderness, they weren’t happy with the one who followed him either.

You just can’t please everybody, can you? You act like an Old Testament prophet and the people tell you to lighten up. You lighten up and the people tell you you’ve gone too far and need to reel it back in a notch.

John just doesn’t fit in with what the mainstream establishment considered to be proper. Jesus doesn’t fit in with the mainstreamers either and upsets all worldly wisdom. In the end Jesus reminds the crowd that “wisdom is proved right by her actions.”

As Nelson sang, you can’t please everyone. Jesus says, “You say John had a demon and I’m a glutton and drunkard who hangs out with tax collectors and ‘sinners.’” Rick sings ya got to please yourself. Jesus doesn’t go there though.

Instead of pleasing himself Jesus is concerned with pleasing the Father. “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to the little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”

Jesus sings, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please the Lord.

John prepares the way. Jesus calls the tune. Jesus and John show there are times to mourn and times to dance. It is up to us to follow whatever music or Lord calls.

The Chaos of Water and Life

Matthew 8:23-27

And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

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Riders on the storm
Riders on the storm
Into this house we're born
Into this world we're thrown

"Riders On the Storm" by Jim Morrison on "LA Woman" by The Doors

Sometimes, things are taken out of context, and sometimes we don't know the context because we don't know the history or the culture of the context. In this scripture, there is both missing context and missing history which makes this tougher to interpret.

For example, the middle two verses of Riders on the Storm seems to be the story of a roadside hitchhiker psycho serial killer. But it is wrapped in such a soothing lilting melody that the terror of the lyric is hidden. So when Jim starts singing about a killer on the road whose brain is squirming like a toad, the psychodelic image overrides the dangerous image. Sometimes the scariest things are in our imaginations. Sometimes they are in plain sight and sound.

In Matthew's telling of the calming of the storm, one of the things we don't realize is that first, Matthew wrote for the first Jewish Christians, when we read this Gospel with 21st century eyes, we miss the first century imagry.

For example, the sea holds a special meaning for the Jewish disciples. To them, the sea was a place of danger. Not only did they know the dangers of the sea fishermen knew first hand; they also knew from the creation story that the waters were the place of chaos. The waters were a place of danger and death. Their worst known and unknown fears were before their very eyes in the middle of a small craft advisory.

Through this, Jesus slept, he slept! But when the disciples call upon him, Jesus calms the raging fury. When they ask "what kind of man can calm the storm?" they are also asking "what kind of man can smooth the chaos and defeat the powers of death?"

Indeed, who?

The Doors sing of a people, the house we're born into, the world we're thrown into. It's a dangerous world with the Boogy-Man waiting to get you when you least expect it to happen. Yet in all this danger, there is one who conquers the chaos. There is one who takes our fears and sets them aside. The boat is being swamped, but in Christ we will not perish.

You Silly Little Dreamer

Genesis 37:5-8 (NRSV)

Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream that I dreamed. There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright; then your sheaves gathered around it, and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Are you indeed to have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his words.

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If I could see something
You can see anything you want boy
If I could be someone-
You can be anyone, celebrate boy.
If I could do something-
Well you can do something,
If I could do anything-
Well can you do something out of this world?

Dreamer by Roger Hodgson from Crime of the Century by Supertramp (1974)

Joseph had dreams, oh my did he have dreams. He dreamed of his place in God's creation. He dreamed that his brothers sheaves of grain would bow to his in the field. Then he dreamed that the sun, the moon, and the stars were bowing to him. His father thought enough to remember these dreams. His brothers thought it was time the dreamer be taught what a nightmare would be like.

The story continues, Joseph is held by his brothers, sold as a slave, thought dead by his father. Joseph became a slave to the Captain of the Egyptian Guard, and jailed when framed for a crime he did not commit.

Joseph waits in jail for years, and interprets two more dreams. Years again later, he comes to the attention of Pharaoh as an interpreter of dreams, but Joseph knows that it is God who gives interpretation to dreams.

Joseph becomes what we would call the Prime Minister of Egypt where years again later, Joseph's brothers come, bowing before him, because they need what only he can provide.

In a way, to paraphrase Roger Hodgson, Joseph saw something, Joseph became something, Joseph did something out of this world. Faithful in the light of all that pressed before him, he went from favored son of Jacob to slave to the favored son of all Israel. Through this, Joseph knew what others meant for harm, God could use to redeem his nation.

His life was in danger, and he stood his ground, but only the ground the Lord put before him. He did a difficult job, but only the job the Lord called him to do. He saved many peoples, the peoples of Egypt, Israel, and presumebly a good many Egyptian trading partners.

Dreams can be the things of God which are glimpses of things to come. Roger Hodgson sings "You can see anything you want boy." The road can be tough, but when it is God's road, it is the only road to take. When it is God's road, it is the way to discipleship. The road to discipleship which prepares us not just for the trials of this world, but for something glorious. Again, Roger Hodgson sings, "If I could do anything-Well can you do something out of this world?" He's right, why would we want anything less?

The Butterfly Effect

2Kings 5:1-3

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

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Butterflies are free to fly

"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin from Elton John's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"

This story from 2Kings (which ends at verse 14) has some heavy hitters. There's the kings of Aram and Israel. There's the General Naaman. The prophet Elisha makes an appearance at the end too. But the whole thing gets started with a little girl who tells her mistress if her master the General will see the prophet in Samaria he can be healed.

In Chaos Theory, there is a concept called “the Butterfly Effect.” The general idea behind the effect is that a minor change in circumstances can cause a large change in outcomes. The events have nothing to do with each other, but the effect is based on the supposition that a brief flutter on the other side of the world can cause dramatic consequences thousands of miles away.

What we have here is a young girl, someone with no power at all who tells her mistress, shoot, her owner, about matters of public health. She has no standing in the household and her very speaking can be her death; so it must take huevos as big as all outdoors to insinuate herself on her master's health. But she does and by this, the King of Aram knows there is a prophet in Israel.

Small actions can have great effects. This is the butterfly effect, and in the kingdom of God butterflies are free to fly.