UMW Sunday

REFLECTIONS
January 30, 2011

Matthew 5:1-7 is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is teaching in the region of the Galilee, and comes to a crowd on the side of a hill where he sits and talks to them about the meaning of faith in a new age. The beatitudes include verses three through twelve, where the word blessed is used at least nine times .

The concept of being blessed, or for that matter cursed, was common during the time of Jesus. So for him to address the crowd in terms of blessings would not have been unusual. The difference was the style and phrasing he chose. For to say the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, or the merciful are blessed seems odd.

A contemporary English translation phrases the beatitudes in this way. “God blesses those who depend on God. They belong to the realm of heaven. God blesses those who grieve, they will find comfort. God blesses those who are humble, the Earth will belong to them. God blesses those who want to obey God more than to eat or drink. They will be given what thy want. God blesses the merciful. They will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, they will see God. God blesses those who make peace, they will be called God’s children. God blesses those who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the realm of heaven. God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.”

Even dressed up in modern language, the ‘Beatitudes’ don’t sound very beatific. The words of Jesus are straight forward, direct perhaps, even a bit harsh. Know your need of God. Know that sorrow comes to all. Know your place in the order of the universe. Know the true meaning of faith. Know the value of mercy. Know the value of a right heart. Know the strength of peace-filled living. Then if you manage to be righteous, sorrowful, humble, meek, humble, true of heart and peaceable, expect to be given a hard time. The words are less an affirmation of faith or an invitation to discipleship, than a warning or a disclaimer one might find in a contract on a product purchased. Jesus was no street corner evangelist looking for converts. He wasn't selling anything, but he was offering something. He offered a new way to relate to the world and to those around us in terms of faith. He spoke boldly in truth and love to open hearts and minds willing to see old truths in light of new stories. So often we wish to make Jesus a salesman or a storyteller. The truth is, before and after any discussion of his deity he remains our teacher. Yes, Jesus was a teacher, and the best teachers don’t tell us what we want to hear. They do however tell us exactly what we need to know.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601

It Aint About Us

REFLECTIONS
January 23, 2011

There is a wonderful story which is set in a football stadium. There are one hundred thousand spectators in the stands. The team with the ball huddles and as the quarterback leans in to speak to the team, a fellow in the stands turns to a friend and says, “I just know they are talking about me.” In a fashion this illustrates what Paul is trying to get at in I Corinthians 1:10-18. He has received word that the Christian community in Corinth is being fractured by different groups claiming their individual beliefs and in some cases individual leadership to all others. In his appeal for unity, he writes pointedly in verses twelve and thirteen, “What I mean is that each of you says, I belong to Paul, or I belong to Apollos, or I belong to Cephas, or I belong to Christ. Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you Baptized in the name of Paul?” Then in the last verse of the passage he writes, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Early childhood development specialists tell us that a certain amount of self centeredness is normal in children. There are even names for difficult stages, hence the terms “the terrible twos, or tyrannical threes.” Even as adults, we are told that an amount of selfishness is necessary to maintain healthy self care. Some people, however, do not outgrow the behavior and narcissism becomes a way of life. These folks use the language of possession as in I, me, and mine. Everything in their lives is seen in relation to themselves. Of course, to a measure at times this is how we may relate to our existence, but not to the extent that the world does not exist without us.

Worse still, all too often, in matters of opinion and practice the margin for debate and civilized discussion is razor thin. This leads to the winners being the ones who shout the longest and loudest. This leads to sad and tragic results in everyday life especially as it relates to politics and religion.

Paul saw the clear answer to religious divisiveness. Follow the teachings of Jesus for they are rooted in scripture and are other directed rather than self centered. There is an old John Fogerty song with the line “Who will take the mountains and move then to the sea? I don’t know but it ain’t you or me.” Our brother Paul knew this two thousand years ago and we’re still playing the fools.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601

Life on the Rocks is Fine

Reflections
Sunday, January16th, 2011

Tomorrow is a memorial holiday honoring the life and legacy of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. As a national holiday, banks will be closed,
mail will not be delivered, and most schools will be closed. One
cannot help but wonder what Dr. King would have thought about this
development in his legacy. After all his life's work was about others
not himself. It does not seem unreasonable to think Dr. King would be
amused. His legacy with regard to Peace and Justice, was about
furthering the cause of those oppressed not singing out individual
contributors. These issues are as old as the text of the Prophet
Isaiah, and as fresh as tomorrow's headline from CNN. He would say
from The Reverend Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez, and
Harriet Tubman, the names of those who worked for justice is long,
with millions of names of people you will never know and whose words
and thoughts will not be reflected upon tomorrow. For Dr, King his
individual name and fame was only important in so much as it may help
further the cause of justice, born in his heart of faith, and built
upon a foundation of faith with eyes able to vision what a fair and
open society might look like.


I have a dear friend who works for a company that honors Dr. Martin
Luther King's memory with a day off. This year for reasons not fully
explained, the company is giving the day off but requesting employees
come in and work, at bonus pay of course, because of the holiday. The
person because of an inherent since of a possibility the wrong message
is being sent, spoke to the head of the company. The head of the
company echoed the same concern, but said the decision came from
'higher up's in the company. Though disappointed, with the seeming no-
decision for awareness, this friend will ask those who desire, to come
in, not penalize those who choose not to, and cover for those who do
not come in, without personal additional compensation.

We expect immediate change, and while at times this may be possible,
more often than not chance moves more like a glacier than the wind.
Is a lack of change a valid reason for not seeking the furtherance of
a fair and just society? "God drew me up from the desolate pit, out
of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock." Dr. King was a solid
biblical scholar and would have recognized those words from psalm
forty. The following quotes are from the heart of Dr. King's
philosophy. The first will be heard tomorrow , the second probably
not. Both are essential. "I have a dream that my four little
children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged
by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
"I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must
spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of nuclear
destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will
have the final word in reality."

I was nineteen years old when Dr. King was assassinated. This
birthday would have been his eighty-second, yet his thoughts, dreams
and hopes seem so young and fresh. Which would seem to mean that the
foundation is still there, but there is much work left to do.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA, 91601

Rest in the Spirit

REFLECTIONS
January 9, 2011

According to Dr. Marion Soards of The Presbyterian Theological Seminary of Kentucky, Matthew 3:13-17 completes the previous twelve verses of the chapter. The professor states that the work and ministry of John the Baptist is completed in these brief four verses which deal with the Baptism of Jesus and end the chapter. John you will remember is out in the desert preaching a faith of repentance. Repentance is a spiritual u-turn, where once we recognize we are lost, the spirit leads us in our return to God.

In this passage we find John preaching and Baptizing in the Jordan River. As Jesus approaches we can assume they greet each other. After all they were cousins. The more profound issue is telling John that He has come to be Baptized by him. After some protest John agrees. As Jesus rose from the water the Spirit descended on Him and a voice from heaven spoke saying, “This is my son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

The description of this event is sometimes referred to as a theophany which is visible manifestation of a deity. Another term often used is Epiphany which refers to spiritual enlightenment. Here both terms would be appropriate. The first twelve verses of Matthew 3 quote Isaiah, Zechariah, and Malachi along with II Kings. The work of John most literally the one of his being “a voice crying in the wilderness,” was fore told in these texts. Here when John protests against Jesus’ request is told, that is part of how the work and word of God is to be proclaimed.

The greater message for us as modern believers is twofold. First that Jesus honored and respected the ministry of others. Here he shows his respect for the ministry of John. In chapter ten of Matthew, Jesus demonstrates his confidence in the disciples when he commissions them for ministry. Then in chapter twenty-six a women led by the spirit anoints his head with expensive oil. When his followers complain of it as wasteful, Jesus calls it a beautiful act. Finally the passage tells us that as spiritual beings, we are called to be attuned to the work of the Holy Spirit; as a source of strength, as a guide, and especially as one who will nudge us in the work and way of our ministry.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601