Where Next?

Exodus 3:1-2

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.

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Another year has passed me by
Still I look a myself and cry
What kind of man have I become?
All of the years I've spent in search of myself
And I'm still in the dark
'Cause I can't seem to find the light alone

"Man in the Wilderness" by Styx

Before Moses was a man of God, his life was quite different. He was born under Pharaoh's edict of death. He survived because Pharaoh's daughter found him in the bulrushes. He survived because his sister Miriam persuaded Pharaoh's daughter to let her find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. It was no accident that it was the baby's own mother who nursed Moses.

Raised as a son of Pharaoh's daughter, he knew the best of life. He knew justice. It was "justice" and impetuousness that caused Moses to murder an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. It was fear that this same justice could befall him that he left Egypt the next day. It was justice that made him defend the daughters of Jethro against the men at the well. It was justice that pushed Moses.

Moses married Jethro's daughter and settled in Jethro's tent. Moses knew his people, Moses knew his heritage. Moses knew his place in the world. He knew this until the Lord God called him from Mount Horeb. Then everything Moses knew was changed.

Moses was once a very important young man who came to live a life of quiet desperation. Nothing says Moses was unhappy with his lot. He had a family-wife and children. He was a good son-in-law. He was a good man. Perhaps he wondered what kind of man he had become. Son of Pharaoh's daughter becomes a shepherd. To any man, it would seem like a long fall.

Moses was in the dark, but the light showed itself. The light came to life. The light of the bush that blazed but was not burned called Moses to new life. The light that he could not find alone presented itself to Moses when it was time. It seemed a long time coming, but it did come. The son of Pharaoh's daughter becomes the messenger of God, the bringer of the Law.

The light burns and it burns bright. Maybe the lesson is that when we quit looking all over for the light we see that it shines in our own backyard.

The Biggest Renegade of Them All

Tuesday of Holy Week


Matthew 26:20-23

When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.”

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The jig is up the news is out they've finally found me
The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty

"Renegade" by Styx

The Son of God and the Son of Man as the Renegade, it makes a lot more sense than you might think. The subject of the faith, the holiest of the holy, he stayed with tax collectors. He let a woman (that's bad enough) of ill repute (even worse) tend to his feet at dinner. He called as disciples the impetuous, the short tempered, the "Sons of Thunder," a Roman collaborator, and a Zealot. He would even call the one who would betray him. For one who is so holy you'd think he would spend his time in the with a better class of people.

Au contraire...

Jesus had his harshest words for those who were supposed to be taking care of the God's temple and doing God's work. He was gentle with those who were suffering. He stood with and for those on the fringes.

He was a renegade, his teaching, his work, and his faith were a challenge to the leaders, both the temple and civil leaders. Something had to be done, and it was done. The renegade who had it made retrieved for a bounty.

The Good News is that nothing could contain the Christ. Not the expectations of the people, the betrayal of his disciple, the conspiracies of the leaders, or even Pilate washing his hands.

What's better is that if God can defeat this, what can't we do through him? God is doing a new thing in our lives and in all life. This weekend, we may think the jig is up, but by Easter, the old jig is going to be shattered.

Long Arms

Matthew 14:3-12

Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.

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Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Law man has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
oh mamma i can hear you a crying you're so scared and all alone
hang man is comin down from the gallows and i don't have very long

"Renegade" by Styx

The story of Herod and John the Baptist is notorious in scripture. John is arrested not so much for his subversive activities in the name of the coming Messiah, but because he put his nose in the family business. John said that it was unlawful for Herod to marry his brother Philip's wife. Now, Herod feared the crowds since they thought John a prophet, but Herod could take the abuse from John and the crowds. He even liked verbally sparring with John, but Herodias was not amused.

Well, you know the rest of the story, Herodias' daughter dances for Herod who is greatly amused and that sets the wheels of history into motion. Herod is so overwhelmed he offers her anything up to half of all that is his. A good girl, she asks her mother what to request. There it is, the head of John the Baptist.

Well, rather than shame himself in front of a house full of guests, Herod fulfills his vow to his wife's daughter. John's head comes off.

John was imprisoned. The long arm of the law had caught up with him and his time had come.

There are times in this life when you have to do what is not popular. You have to stand up for what is right and just. If you don't, you end up like a diner at Herod's palace. Or it could be worse, you could be Herodias or her daughter who set the wheels of history in motion. Worse yet, you could be as Herod and set the works in motion through a foolish vow. Again with the foolish vow.

Now mamma's cryin', scared and all alone. But John goes with joy because he knows he has gone for all the right reasons. He is not glad to be taken to the executioner, but he knows he has gone in the name of God. How do we go? In the name of God or in our own words? The hangman's coming, it may be tomorrow or it may not be until the twilight of life, but the long arm will still reach each of us.