The Longest Saturday Ever

Luke 23:65b

On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

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Here's something that you're never gonna forget

"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

This snippet of scripture isn't often the subject of great contemplation, but in truth it should.

All of the events of what Christians call Holy Week have come to pass. Like most big events, it takes more time to prepare than it takes to celebrate the event. We have passed through Lent, the Palms, and the Passion. The Passover is now past and the specter of death did not pass over the door where Jesus shared his last supper. Now, all there is to do is celebrate the Sabbath according to the commandment.

What is there to celebrate? The Christ, the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us had died on the cross. God is dead and lays in a tomb. What's to come next. The Sabbath, that's what. The joy of Easter is a pale shelter off in the distance, unknown to the Apostles and Disciples.

Well you ain't seen nothing yet. Tomorrow's gonna come and it's going to come in power and glory. Today we may not be able to see tomorrow on the horizon. Today is just too harsh. But tomorrow will come.

Many people live everyday like it's Easter Saturday, the longest most discouraging day in the history of all creation. People live like God is dead and all hope died with him. It's not a way to live, but without Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday is meaningless. What we must remember is that Easter Sunday does follow.

The wait can be hard. The wait can be long, but Christ is coming. When things are their most desperate, God is coming. We may not see it coming, but God sees us, and that's the point. That is the source of our hope even when we are waiting in the dark.

Love Is

Genesis 3:6-9 (NRSV)

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

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Ours is not to reason why
As we fall from way up high
Into the water (Into the water)
Like a lamb to the slaughter.

"God's Mistake" by Roland Olazabal, Tears for Fears, from Raoul and the Kings of Spain, 1995

The chorus of this song tells us that love is "God's Mistake." Is there a more harsh reading of God's love than this? God makes a mistake and that mistake is love? Not any specific love either, all love, the best love. That's just plain harsh. But there is, even if flawed a logic to this.

Imagine God creating us and placing us in the garden without love. Without love, God would have felt free to, would have been forced to control humanity from the first moment of creation. Without love, God could play with humanity the way a child plays with dolls. Without love we would have simply been playthings for God and we would not known any different. But instead, we were created in love, in the image of God.

We were created to tend to creation and enjoy God. But here's the twist, the only way we could have been guaranteed to be obedient is to be created either without either love or free will. Without the love of God and the freedom to love God that freely given, we would not have been able to sin.

Without God's love, we would just be playthings, puppets, we would be without value. But we would not be able to sin.

Because of God's love, we were able to fall from way on high. Because God created us to love freely in return, we are able to misuse this freely given gift. I suppose God knew this possibility from before the beginning, still God chose to love freely give us the opportunity to return that love just as freely.

Here's the twist, and it may feel like the twist of a dagger. Because we can choose to love, we can choose to sin. We were not given one without the other. To love without giving love's object the option to refuse love is abusive. It's stalking. It's far worse than that.

But if Love is God's Mistake, it is only because it is also God's greatest gift. Love is a risk worth taking.

Tempted by the Fruit

Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

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Tempted by the fruit of another,
Tempted but the truth is discovered

"Tempted" written by Glenn Tilbrook, Chris Difford; recorded by Squeeze

But before we get started, let's get this straight, it's not Eve's fault! The serpent is the trickster. Adam and Eve are dupes. It's not like Eve had to go to the back 40 to get Adam. Look at the passage, he's right there with her. He's just standing there not saying anything. That either makes Adam the strong silent type or big and dumb. You pick, it doesn't matter in the end.

Here's the key point, Eve saw what the serpent was saying, the fruit was a delight to her eyes, to everybody's eyes. They ate the fruit and they discovered the truth, truth they never were intended to know.

It's kind of a layup for this song isn't it. The forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden, the ultimate temptation. Tempted by the fruit of another, tempted but the truth is discovered.

This is the song about someone who is leaving town after a love affair ends badly. Packing up and leaving town, it's telling that one of the places that gets the attention of the singer on the way to the airport is a church.

But the memory of the place, in the place the garden, don't leave the singer alone. The memory of the Garden still are a part of the human experience. We long for paradise, we long to live side by side with God as beloved children, not as rebellious imps. But to this day we are still tempted by the fruit of another, tempted but the truth is discovered.

Like the singer we try to make amends. The singer spends a fortune. We call it "salvation by works." Neither have the desired effect. We are saved by grace through faith. We are saved by the work of God in Christ. We are saved not by what we do, because what we do is forever tainted. We aren't tainted by what happened in the garden, we're tainted because what happened in the garden is what humans do with perfect freedom. Tempted by the fruit of another, tempted but the truth is discovered.

But the one who gives that freedom never turns from us. The one who gives that freedom stays alongside us to welcome us with open arms. It may be too late for the singer and that mythical other, but our lives and our Lord are not mythical.

Wisdom-It's not What We Know It's Who God Is

Thanks to Walt for the tune suggestion.


1Corinthians 1:21b-22, 27-29 (NRSV)

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no onec might boast in the presence of God.

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But he knew, he knew more than me or you
No one could see his view
Oh, where was he going to

And he tried
But before he could tell us he died
When he left us the people cried

Oh, where was he going to?

Portrait (He Knew), by Kerry Livgren, from "Point of Know Return" by Kansas

I am a Presbyterian and traditionally Presbyterians are known for learned clergy. If it were up to my seminary professors alone, this would never change. Seminary teaches scripture, language-Hebrew and Greek, history, liturgy, theology, ministry, mission, evangelism, worship, and a litany of things that would take 2,000 years to learn.

Yet, there is one thing we all leave knowing in one way or another. We really don't know much. When asked how I was feeling, I used to answer, "young and stupid." Now I am almost 30 years older than when I started saying that. Seminary minded new depths of my ignorance. Parish ministry has taught me that I may have every good ministerial tool in my toolbox, but parish ministry can be like trying to being a jet mechanic trying to keep a plane in the air...at 38,000 feet-moving into a thunderstorm.

I long for the days when I thought I was young and stupid.

The joy is I get to remember that I don't need to know all of the answers as long as I know where to seek the answers. He knew, he knew more than me or you, no one could see his view. His wisdom is our folly--and right back at you.

Jesus shared his widsom, the wisdom of God with a creation that could not understand it. He knew we would not be able to get it. Yet he tried, but before he could tell us he died. When he left us the people cried. Do I understand now? Oh no.

Then if we understood, we wouldn't need the Holy Spirit. The Lord knew we would need the Spirit to be with us and show us what we did not understand. Whether it takes one time, seventy-seven times, or seventy-seven plus one times, God is patient and loving and kind.

God knows, and by God's wisdom we can remember it's not what we know, it's who God is.

Lust for Gold

Mark 10:17, 19-22

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’ ” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

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Forget your lust ... for the rich man's gold
All that you need ... oh, Lord, is in your soul
You can do this ... oh, baby ... if you try
All that I want for you my son ... is to be satisfied

And be a simple kind of man
Be somethin' ... you love and understand
Baby, be a simple ... oh, be a simple man
Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can

"Simple Man" by Ronnie VanZandt and Garry Rossington

It's easy to want the good things in life. Who doesn't like a nice house and car? Who doesn't like good food and drink? Who doesn't feel glad when the season of want ends and the season of plenty begins? Well, in America these things are seen as the fruit of labor that is repaid in gold.

So what must I do to inherit eternal life? For this rich man, he didn't have to steal or kill to eat bread every day so breaking those commandments was unnecessary. Since most wealth in the ancient world was inherited, honoring his father and mother would have been a part of walking through his house every day.

As for false witness, defrauding others, and adultery, I'll take him at his word. He's done the minimum required. Good for him.

Ronnie VanZandt sang of a man receiving the word of God at his mother's knee. "All that you need is in your soul. All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied." Everything you need is given to you. Everything else is gravy-and no matter how yummy gravy is-and that's not always good for the soul.

Simplicity, the simplicity that comes with discarding earthly concerns about wealth and power and seeking the nest egg of life in Christ is where life lies. All else is just fancy things that tarnish over time. Life in Christ is the one thing that lasts forever.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Matthew 16:15

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

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I know there's a place you walked
Where love falls from the trees
My heart is like a broken cup
I only feel right on my knees
I spit out like a sewer hole
Yet still receive your kiss
How can I measure up to anyone now
After such a love as this

"Who Are You" by The Who from "Who Are You" (1978)

This may be the first question we ask. As the doctor takes us from the safe and warm place we call home and our mothers call their womb, before language the first question we ask is "Who are you?"

This question repeats itself as we become more aware of the people we see on this earth. We will ask it of parents, siblings, family, classmates, friends, and lovers, "Who are you?"

Even as we begin to wonder about our very existence and start asking questions about life and our place in it, we look to the mirror and ask one more time, "Who are you?"

This may well also be the first question we ask of God. "Who are you?"

There was quite a buzz about Jesus at this point of Matthew's gospel. The 5,000 had just been fed with five loaves and 4,000 more with seven loaves. So as Jesus entered Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

They started giving Jesus the answers to his question, like any good student will respond to the Rabbi. John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets; answers abounded. Sure they were all wrong, but the breadth of their answers showed how wildly the crowd was buzzing.

Jesus then turned the question on them. "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter, the first guy to boldly go where angels feared to tread, responded saying, "You are the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God."

I was once asked if the cup was half-empty or half-full. I said the cup is broken. I said it out of rage, knowing the cost of sin. Sung by The Who, this answer makes a different sound.

My heart is like a broken cup
I only feel right on my knees

Life is broken, but we are reminded of where we can go when there is no where else to go. We are reminded of the grace of being invited to take our broken cups to the throne of God's glory.

I spit out like a sewer hole
Yet still receive your kiss
How can I measure up to anyone now
After such a love as this

In no uncertain terms, our sin-soaked lives are a place where it would seem God wouldn't want to come. Humanity has taken creation, the garden, and turned it into a sewer hole. And still, we receive the kiss of God's grace--not the Judas kiss we more likely deserve.

It's true, if we could only come before God when we are clean enough, we would never ever dare approach. But God doesn't love us despite who we are, God loves us because of who we are, even when who we are is a a mess. We can't measure up to this love, but that doesn't stop God from inviting us. That didn't stop God from sending the Son to invite us. That didn't stop the Holy Spirit from coming and dwelling within us even today.

Such grace, such peace, such love, it makes me ask "Who are you?" And it makes me as glad there is an eternity to lovingly discern the answer.

Dreams I'll Never See?

Acts 2:17 (NRSV)

In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.

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Just one more mornin'
I had to wake up with the blues
Pulled myself outta bed, yeah
Put on my walkin' shoes,
Went up on the mountain,
To see what I could see,
The whole world was fallin',
right down in front of me.

Dreams by Gregg Allman from The Allman Brothers Band (1969)

Joseph's dreams were of a future no one could imagine, a time when Israel would be so large and so strong that Egypt would send them to their own land, and it all began with his brothers bowing before him. Acts speaks of the day the Holy Spirit was given to the church by the Lord. This advocate, the one who walks alongside us, was poured out upon all flesh at Pentecost. Since that time, the Lord has promised sons and daughters shall prophesy, and young men shall see visions, and old men shall dream dreams.

What ever could have been in Gregg Allman's dreams in 1969? Speculation can abound from people who were there at the time, and by those who weren't. Still, climbing the mountain just to see what could be seen, this is what we need to do everyday. But the mountain we are called to climb doesn't always require shoes.

We are called to climb the mountain and see what lies ahead of us. We can climb this mountain in prayer, seeking with the eyes of our souls-as well as our soles-to discern the will of God. We climb the mountain with fellow believers in discipleship, doing as we are called to do. We climb the mountain in service, doing as the Lord calls us to do.

Perhaps a part of our frustration is that we will never see God's work done. The Allman Brothers sang, "'Cause I'm hung up on dreams I'll never see." Still, we can live in confidence that as long as our Lord lives-and our Lord lives-these dreams will come to fulfillment. The reason why is that these are not our dreams; they're God's dreams. God has a way. God will see it through.