Chip Shots

Journey with Jesus to the Cross (Friday, April 1) Read Luke 15  Once again, Jesus was eating with the wrong crowd. Once again, the religious people around him were offended. Once again, Jesus tells a story which justifies his actions and calls into question the attitudes of his critics. Only now, it’s not just one story — it’s three: a lost sheep is found and the shepherd rejoices with his friends; a lost coin is found and the woman wants to celebrate; a lost son comes home and the father throws a party. Common themes? Lost. Found. Party. And in the first two, the direct application: when lost people are found, heaven throws a party. The implication? Providing a safe place for people to find their way back to God, and celebrating with them when they do, is an activity blessed by heaven itself. (It’s one of the many reasons I’m glad we meet in a saloon.) There is a party in the third story, too. But not everyone is happy about it. In the same way that the Pharisees and scribes grumb...

Journey with Jesus to the Cross -- Thursday, March 31 Read Luke 14  Food is front and center in today’s reading. It opens with Jesus dining in a Pharisee’s home (1), and continues with Jesus telling parables about a wedding feast (7-11) and a dinner banquet (12-15). After this, someone says, “Blessed is everyone who eats bread in the kingdom of God," whereupon Jesus tells another parable about a banquet (12-24). Why is it that food, especially festive food, plays such a big part in Luke’s gospel? After all, in addition to its outsized role in today’s reading, it is a common theme throughout the book. For example, it began with Levi’s scandalous dinner party in chapter five, and continues up through the evening when Jesus celebrated the sacramental meal with his disciple on the night he was betrayed. But it doesn't end there, for food figures prominently in  Jesus’ resurrection appearances on Easter Day. In the first instance, two disciples recognize Jesus when “he took the bre...

Wednesday, March 30 - What Kind of Kingdom is This? Read Luke 13:18-35  What kind of kingdom is this? People wondered in Jesus’ day; we wonder, too. For it is a very strange kingdom Jesus is announcing.  He welcomed the wrong people. He offended the wrong people. He said we were to love our enemies. He said we were to treat everyone as our neighbor. He made cryptic statements about dying in Jerusalem. Surely, he couldn’t be serious? What kind of kingdom is this? Jesus says the kingdom is like a mustard seed in the garden, and like leaven in the bread. What is that supposed to mean? Perhaps this: His kingdom starts small and works from the inside out. A tiny seed planted in the garden becomes a large tree. A small bit of leaven, working from within, leavens the entire loaf. Large trees from small seeds. Transformation from within, not from without. What kind of kingdom is this? And what of his words about narrow doors and gnashing teeth? People who think they’re on the inside m...

Journey with Jesus to the Cross -- Tuesday, March 29 Read Luke 13:1-17 In time, she got used to her situation. But she never got used to the stares. Generally, she forgot about her misshapen body. But when someone’s eyes averted after meeting hers, she remembered. That’s when she realized that her condition was more than just a daily nuisance to her. She was a public eyesore to others. She was someone to be avoided. People viewed her with pity, or revulsion, or both. She was on the outside looking in. She was different. Her crooked back was not just uncomfortable for her; it made others uncomfortable around her. So she learned to cope. She tried not to stick out. She entered late, stayed in the background, and left early. But she longed — oh, how she longed! — to be whole. Word spread that a local preacher was passing through town. The town was electric with anticipation. As anxious to see him as everyone else, she slipped silently into the synagogue. Suddenly he paused, and looked int...

Journey with Jesus to the Cross (Monday, March 28) Read Luke 12:35-59  As Jesus prepared for his final showdown in Jerusalem, he gave clear instruction to his followers – and especially those who lead them. A simplified way to think about this passage is to summarize it thus: Be ready. Be faithful. Be discerning. Be Ready (35-40) The literal reading of this passage’s opening phrase is, “Let your loins stay girded.” It is an overt reference to Exodus 12:11, where, in preparation for the first Passover and the final plague on Egypt, the Israelites are told to eat the meal in haste, with belt fastened, feet sandaled, and staff in hand. Why? Because they were going on a journey and must be ready at a moment’s notice. Back then, the Israelites needed to be ready to flee the slavery of Egypt. In this case Jesus imagines a far less dangerous scene: a master may return home at any moment from a glorious wedding feast. It could be at any time, day or night. They must be ready.  An unex...

Money Talks, Saturday, March 26 Read Luke 12:1-34  Listen to what Jesus said about money: “Be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy.” “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” These words from today’s reading are as timely today as they were when Jesus first spoke them. For if we are honest, we know he is right. So what do we do? Perhaps we fret about our love for money; maybe we eagerly spend it or save it, according to our inclination; or we put a bit extra in the offering box to assuage our guilt, or we support worthwhile cause; or, you get the idea. No doubt, this is better than nothing. But let us not miss the bigger picture Jesus is painting. With regard to money, Jesus wants us to see that the way we approach our resources reveals the kind o...

Journey with Jesus to the Cross — Friday, March 25 Read Luke 11:29-54  As we make our way through this section of Luke’s gospel, we must remember the general arc of the story. Jesus has “set his face toward Jerusalem” (9:51). He will not reach it until the 19th chapter (19:41). Luke is patiently leading us toward the climax of his story, that moment when Jesus will confront the powers of evil, be condemned by them, and ultimately be raised victorious. In the meantime, while the Jesus movement is gaining steam and momentum, so too is the conflict his message elicits. Chief among these are the sharp disagreements between the kingdom as Jesus proclaims it, and the conflicting points of view of the established Jewish religious pressure groups. Most significant among these is the group known as Pharisees. What is especially disturbing about the Pharisees is the fact that they had a lot of great qualities. They held the Scriptures in high esteem. They had a high regard for purity and pie...