What About Mary?

[illustration: Henry Ossawa Tanner, The Annunciation, 1898, Philadelphia Museum of Art]

From the Theologically Fertile Mind of Joseph Ostrander

(WARNING: DEEPER THEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOLLOW…)

“Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!” (TLB)

“Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.”  (MSG)

“Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” (MEV)

“Greetings! You are favored, and the Lord is with you! [Among all women on the earth, you have been blessed.]  (VOICE)

What about this Mary of the Christmas Chronicle???

As a cradle Roman Catholic (a lapsed Catholic that still has his baptismal and confirmation certificates) that had a very dramatic spiritual epiphany at 20-years of age, my uneasiness about the doctrinal confines built up around Mary, the young maiden that I do believe was the mother of Jesus through a supernatural pregnancy by the Holy Spirit, prevented me from developing a deeper devotion to her according to the traditional teachings I was brought up with.  The traditional understanding of original sin and its automatic pox upon all mankind simply because we are human is not something I can trust as the most accurate understanding of the current human condition. It seems to me the attempt to sanitize Mary’s humanity by constructing a doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and Mary's Ever Virgin status actually removes her from the very humanity Jesus came to engage with. If Mary needed to be the only Holy Exception to become a suitable handmaiden of God by some divine exemption as to keep her unsullied from sin or sexual relations (heaven forbid!), then it makes her less of a person we can identify with, places her on an unattainable platform, and reduces the humanity factor of her Son, Jesus. I understand the traditional reasons for the doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption, however, I do feel they are not only theologically unnecessary, but they actually minimize the humanity, and its universal condition, that Jesus unashamedly embraces as Immanuel. Mary doesn't need to be sinless or a perpetual virgin to protect the divinity of her Son. His Father is the source of that unblemished nature and Mary could not have been the source of any biological, or spiritual taint that would mar the nature of Immanuel. In fact, if Mary were sinless then I suspect that Jesus could not have fully identified with sinful humanity (my own armchair theological notion). Yes, Jesus did walk on water, but he didn't hover 3" above the grit and grime of His homeland, nor did Mary His mother. Why would theologians make such an effort to remove both Mary and Jesus from the very humanity God wanted to redeem? Why the effort to remove, or protect Mary and Jesus from the artificial 'ick' factor of our human nature?

Yes, there have been traditional and historical explanations, doctrines, theological extrapolations, etc. that result in what I understand to be a spiritual insulation of what is normally perceived as being holy: set apart for God and His divine purposes. In the case of Mary, looking at her simple act of faith and obedience has generated layers and layers of doctrinal suppositions much like the Medieval drapery of finest cloth that appears on paintings and statues of a European maiden fashionista of those times. Gone were the simple robes of a very young Jewish mother. Her heavenly assumption and status as Co-Redemptrix seems to me to emphasize her 'no earthly good' status. God's favor then translates into divine insulation from the rest of humanity, not something of a blessing to the rest of us. My older relatives that were pious Catholics did have a deep devotion to Mary, the litany of saints, and the religious traditions they too were raised in. My exit from RCC teaching and worship practice was not a theological protest on my part. I do not have an anti-Catholic agenda or need to make some proclamations highlighting my disagreements with traditional doctrines of one sort or another. I feel Mary is to be called blessed because she braved the social stigma and religious scrutiny of close friends and family that also knew of her obvious pregnancy and the awkward stares it caused. But it is these very visceral human responses in her very human condition that such obedience and faith makes her approachable for many of us that do have a real reverence for her unique place in the Christmas story and the redemptive narrative. However, constructing convoluted doctrinal minutia around her very humanity so as to expunge any perceived flaw, taint, corruption, etc. in order to keep her from soiling the Incarnation in any way is simply a misunderstanding of what the Incarnation was intended to be: God with us, not insulated from us in Mary's womb, or the dusty Palestine countryside He trudged through as the most human example of humanity that ever lived, moved and had His being 2,000 years ago...

Think about it…

Amen.

Quotable Christmas Season Quotes:

Coastlanders: post some of your favorite Christmas Season quotes!

I will start the Christmas ornament rolling:

 “God slept with some dirty asses in a stable to save us from ourselves. That’s it.”

~Tanya Runyan from her article How to Win the War on Christmas posted in good letters (WWW.IMAGEJOURNAL.COM)

Should a public school make kids of all religious faiths sing songs about Jesus? That doesn’t seem to be the most loving thing. (I’m guessing most Christians who are concerned about the war on Christmas would not want Ramadan concerts in their kids’ schools!)

Jesus can take care of himself just fine. The world stops every year and always will for a holy moment whether it wants to or not because of his birth. We don’t need to fight any supposed war on Christmas. Nor do we need to force Christmas on people of other faiths or life perspectives.

Christmas is a time to pause, reflect, to be with family, and for those of us who are Christians, to celebrate the birth of Jesus in ways that bring light in the darkness in gracious, not forceful, ways.

~Tim Wright from his blog article on Patheos titled: The Myth of the War on Christmas?

Open Mic: Christmas Nostalgia

Okay Coastlanders...here's your opportunity to share some of your own favorite Christmas memories right here on the blog!

Go ahead...don't be shy.  We would like to hear your stories; funny, sad, blessed, happy...or even the what-not-to-do Christmas anecdotes!

Enjoy!

The Real Meaning of Christmas

THE REAL MEANING of CHRISTMAS

    by Joseph B. Ostrander

Behind the trees glowing with radiant light

  Behind all the festive ornaments bright…

 

Behind strands of tinsel—like angel hair

  Behind oversized stockings hung up with care…

 

Behind presents wrapped up in pleasing array

  Behind seasonal wreaths put out on display…

 

Behind carols sung by a choir so sweet

  Behind mounded platters of holiday treats…

 

Behind countless decorations of red and green

  Behind hand-carved miniature nativity scenes…

 

Behind the cold-nipped cheeks so rosy

  Behind blazing yuletide fires so cozy…

 

Behind all the frenzied hustle-and-bustle

  Behind the sluggish shopping crowd shuffle…

 

Behind the rush of last minute details

  Behind the deadline to get the cards mailed

 

Behind short tempers that sometimes flare up

  Behind angry feelings that suddenly erupt…

 

Behind countless things still left undone

  No wonder this season is not that much fun!

 

How could this season be much of a joy?

  When I can’t assemble this new-fangled toy!

 

I wonder if anyone could honestly find

  A genuine reason to be loving and kind…

 

As I pondered this lack of joy in my soul

  I realized I’d forgotten this season’s true goal…

 

Because the true meaning of Christmas, you see

  Was wrapped up in the Babe of the Nativity…

 

For unto us that night a Son was given

  Who would die for us all and open up heaven…

 

Angels proclaimed the dear Savior’s birth

  Reminding me clearly of this season’s true worth…

 

For God gave the most precious gift He could give

  The gift of His Son so that all men could live…

 

A new life without end and joy so divine

  That Christmas could be a more meaningful time…

 

So when the holiday strain gets too great

  With gifts still unwrapped and the hour growing late…

 

The Prince of Peace wants to calm all the fuss

  And renew the right meaning, of Christmas, in us!

 

Merry Christmas!

ADVENT AWARENESS

By Joseph Ostrander

It’s not about The War on Christmas…It’s all about the Ultimate War that was Declared on Christmas Day two-thousand years ago…

Be it Egg-Fog (shot of Bourbon added to my traditional Egg Nog), holiday cookies of every kind, the lighting of Christmas trees, or the expectant opening of calendar windows to extract the chocolate goodies inside, Advent is both the month of anticipation before the approaching Christmas holiday and the beginning of the western liturgical year.  What’s that you say?  What does the adjective: \lə-ˈtər-ji-kəl\ (looks Greek to me!) really mean anyway?  The season of Advent is largely forgotten, and mostly misunderstood, if the Church’s Liturgical Calendar was not part of your early religious faith tradition and upbringing.

Most adherents of the Christian faith acknowledge Christmas and Easter as being the Alpha and Omega end-posts of the liturgical year, which includes a wide variety of feasts, fasts, and seasons.  And strange as it may seem, the specific dates for Christmas and Easter vary among the different faith traditions.  In the Western tradition (in contrast to Eastern Orthodox tradition), Advent begins four Sundays prior to Christmas (December 25th).  It includes all days until Christmas (or Christmas Eve); it varies in length according to date of the first Sunday, and it’s considered the beginning of the Church year.

Advent’s themes include: Waiting; Growing Anticipation; Hope; Yearning; and the need for a Savior.  Christians can identify with the Jewish people’s longing for the “advent” (from Latin for “coming” or “visit”) of their Messiah.  It also relates to our hope for the Messiah’s Second Advent, which is known as the “Parousia” (just a fancy Greek term for The Second Coming).

St. Anslem of Canterbury wrote a book back in the 12th century called, Cur Deus Homo? (Latin for: Why was God a man?).  Its theme revolved around the incredibly deep theological implications of why God become a man in the person of Jesus (The Incarnation).  Although Anselm’s attempt was to propose a satisfaction view of the atonement, it seems other learned theologians throughout church history have also wrestled with this divine repercussion.  Why the Incarnation?  Hmmm…

Yet it was the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) that made this central theme quite clear from the beginning: when the God of Israel returns to His Temple, He will strike a massive victory against all the forces of evil:

God looked and saw evil looming on the horizon—
    so much evil and no sign of Justice.
He couldn’t believe what he saw:
    not a soul around to correct this awful situation.
So he did it himself, took on the work of Salvation,
    fueled by his own Righteousness.
He dressed in Righteousness, put it on like a suit of armor,
    with Salvation on his head like a helmet,
Put on Judgment like an overcoat,
    and threw a cloak of Passion across his shoulders.
He’ll make everyone pay for what they’ve done:
    fury for his foes, just deserts for his enemies.
    Even the far-off islands will get paid off in full.
In the west they’ll fear the name of God,
    in the east they’ll fear the glory of God,
For he’ll arrive like a river in flood stage,
    whipped to a torrent by the wind of God.

 “I’ll arrive in Zion as Redeemer,
    to those in Jacob who leave their sins.” God’s Decree.  ~Isaiah 59:17-21 – The Message Bible

In keeping with this theme the early church also recognized how The Incarnation partially addressed this very same purpose: Jesus, in part, came to wage battle against the forces of evil and the evil one; evil forces that held creation in bondage, and to whom misguided human participants act as henchmen, “that know not what they do.”  And it was by His cross and resurrection that they were defeated (and continue to be in retreat)…

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.  ~Colossians 2:15

To the readers of Paul’s letter, the imagery of a triumphal Roman procession celebrating a military victory would be vividly understood.

So, what exactly happened in that sleepy, “little town of Bethlehem”???

Luke, in his gospel, describes it as The Royal Birth of The Great King of the Universe, which surpasses all the pomp, power and prestige of every worldly kingdom ever known, including the mighty Roman Empire that was then in power as an oppressive occupational force… 

Mary, in her Magnificat proclaims, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble.”  Just what was Luke implying?  The birth of Jesus takes place in the shadow of Caesar Augustus’ census, but Jesus’ birth is consistently described in royal terms.  And the birth of the Davidic King is greeted by a “heavenly host” of angels, a veritable supernatural army of the highest order!

Why the militaristic trappings and jingoism in both the Hebrew understanding of the Messiah, and those of the New Testament writers?  Do you feel there is a war being waged on Christmas?  C’mon folks, it’s just a plain red Starbucks cup, okay?  Minimalist design.  Distinctive color.  And that’s somehow offensive to the self-appointed Christian War Council and their rank-and-file media precinct Christian Proprietary Police???

Well God bless Dunkin’ Donuts for putting the JOY back into Joyeux Noël on their holiday coffee cups!  Whew!  Take that pagan Starbucks!  Guess you can chock one up for the godly, eh?

No, Virginia, there is no war on Christmas.  However, there is a spiritual war that began on Christmas Day (C-Day) and is being waged even now.  Because that’s what Christmas was: a bold declaration of war.  A divinely sanctioned campaign against all the thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that continue to hold God’s good creation in their evil grasp…

But with all this militaristic imagery that heralded the arrival of a helpless baby boy born in a manger two-thousand years ago, how are we expected to fight in this war?

Well, it’s not by fuming at retail greeters offering you “Happy Holidays!” at the check-out counter.  It’s not even a war against consumerism, although skirmishes resisting the urge-to-splurge can be appropriate this time of year.  Nope, I believe this war should be fought in the same way Jesus fought His… 

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.  ~1John 3:8b

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  ~John: 10:10

Our King did not appear with a helmet on His head and sword in hand.  He was not adorned with camo fatigues or combat boots.  He did not acquire a conquering King’s crown of gold, but was given a crown of thorns instead.  He was born in a manger–offering Himself to those that hunger and thirst for righteousness as divine food—“living bread that came down from heaven.”  This babe of the Nativity, the firstborn of Mary and Joseph, born into a blue-collar family in some podunk town out on the fringes of a vast Roman Empire, is by definition, the most Benevolent Dictator of a grand and glorious kingdom.  He is the Mighty One of Israel, Immanuel, Yeshua; the long hoped-for Messiah.  He is the Savior of the world; the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Jesus confronted every manner of evil causing every manner of harm to the captives He came to set free: 

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.  He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  ~Luke 4:16-21

Let us also fix our eyes upon this selfsame Jesus during this Advent Season…

Think about it…

Amen.

Thanksgiving Thoughtfulness

Reflections by Joseph Ostrander

What an enjoyable, and tasty, Sunday we spent together in celebration of being the Coastland’s eclectic family.  And being thankful did not have to be coerced from those in attendance.  I am not usually prone to affix a supernatural ‘spirit’ to such happenings, or attitudes, as if there were an inexplicable presence conjured up and responsible for such feelings of gratitude.  But there was a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude that could be felt once I stepped into the gym with the festive tables awaiting us in proper Thanksgiving fashion…

Thanks to all the planners, helpers and creative expressions that made the gathering so enjoyable!

{sigh}

I believe the setting aside of Thanksgiving as a national holiday was the closest thing to a federally sanctioned Holy Day that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in 1863 to be a reoccurring permanent holiday.  It was during the Civil War when a federal day of: “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens” became a fixed date to be celebrated annually on the last Thursday in November here in the United States.

And to me, it is the most enjoyable, and highly anticipated holiday I look forward to each year.  What could be more heavenly than gathering together with loved ones while enjoying good food, libations, and football!  Okay, okay, the temptation to watch football is almost irresistible, however, ignoring all electronic distractions while basking in the presence of family and friends is how the day is best celebrated.

Chris mentioned that thankfulness and gratitude refuel his emotional reservoir.  Contentment and appreciation are closely related.  Are there legitimate needs we all have that can be the source of varying degrees of anxiety that results in ardent petitions to the Almighty for His providence?  Of course.  However, I think one way to reverence Thanksgiving is to simply calm all the outside and inner voices clamoring for our attention to indulge in wants.  Thanksgiving is best enjoyed being mindful of the priceless blessings we already enjoy.  It’s the irreplaceable things that are the most precious, right?

Family, friends, and loved ones.  The changing of the seasons.  Natural beauty.  Good food.  Good wine.  The sharing of these good things in community.  Laughter.  Love.  The amazing smells wafting up from the kitchen permeating the entire house.  Cozy fires.  Crisp Autumn air.  Hot apple cider.  Pies of every kind (yes Jesus!).  The next generation of babies, wobbly toddlers and youngsters full of boundless energy.  The noisy cacophony of many excited conversations going on all at once 'round the Thanksgiving Table…

This, for me, is the best picture of what we will be doing on a regular basis in the next life.  Unhurried.  No distractions.  Repeatable.  And the guest list will never have to be amended because those invited were in an accident, or were sick, or had died…or didn’t like your cooking!

Yes indeed.  What a wonderful way to practice what I believe will be the norm in The New Jerusalem and my cozy little farmhouse surrounded by a small vineyard in a bucolic valley nearby…

Come on over anytime you feel like.  The food and wine will be plentiful, simple and delicious, and we can enjoy it together at our leisure…

Okay now, take in a big breath with me...hold it for a few brief seconds...and exhale slowly...

Ahhhhhh......

Have a very blessed Thanksgiving Coastland's saints...

Shalom…

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

[illustration from the Brooklyn Museum - The Lord's Prayer (Le Pater Noster) by James Tissot]

By Joseph Ostrander

“…lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from all manner of evil; the evil one without, and the evil within.”

That’s how I end my version of the Lord’s Prayer.  It was a result of participating in Larry Lea’s Could You Not Tarry One Hour challenge based on his teaching using the Lord’s Prayer many years ago...

Chris’ teaching today focused on the existence of evil in the world via reference to the terrible aftermath of the terrorist attack in Paris, France. 

Living in a raw and wild world is challenging enough when natural disasters claim the lives of innocents.  And then there are the unanswered questions that arise from tragic accidents resulting in death.  Such occurrences are the regular stuff of daily news feeds…

But the carefully plotted-out actions of human beings choosing to attack, maim and kill innocent victims causes a primal reaction unlike any other deep, deep down inside the pit of our being that screams out:

“WHY!?!?”

How could another human being, with the God-given privilege of choice, use that very choice to inflict such terrible suffering on victims and the grieving friends and family that are now forced to live with their loss?  Such senseless pre-meditated actions simply boggles the mind and overwhelms the emotions…

“Why, O Lord…why???”

Events like those that happened in Paris, France, expose our greatest visceral fears: it is a gruesome reminder of our own frailty, vulnerability and mortality.  It reminds us of the evil ‘out there’ that rears its ugly head in vicious acts causing unimaginable carnage.  People, like us, are both the victim and the perpetrator made in the image of God…

“Lord, have mercy…”

I overheard some comments today during service that mentioned how insulated we are here in the good ol’ U.S. of A.  And because of this maybe we are calloused to the incredible amount of suffering going on throughout the world today…

But what of the prayer mentioned earlier?  “Deliver us, O Lord, from all manner of evil…”

Is it merely platitude, or petition answered???

Am I merely lucky to be alive and well in Morro Bay?  Am I the insensitive one living behind the bunker of indifference while many parts of the world are going to hell in the proverbial handbasket???

I do know this: my shoulders were not designed to carry the weight of suffering any tragedy leaves in its wake.  I am not capable of perfectly parsed reactions to the countless examples of tragic deaths occurring daily.  I would be easily undone by tragedy of any kind happening to me.  I know I am not immune to the effects of evil, or unpredictable accidents and natural disasters that happen with impunity.  As Chris said, bullshit happens to the just and unjust alike…

However, there is One whose shoulders are big enough to carry the weight of all manner of human suffering.  They were big enough to carry a rough wooden cross that has now become the symbol of death and evil conquered.  Death and evil had a gruesome stake driven into the ground atop Calvary’s mount.  It was as if Jesus declared: “Death, Devil, Hell, and all manner of evil stops here!”  The resurrection echoed the victory.  And when I am reminded of evil’s last gasps expressed by events like those that recently happened in Paris, France, I will, “mourn with those who mourn” and pray for those affected…

Think about it…

Amen.

Midweek Meditations

Thoughtfully Penned by Joseph Ostrander

As the blog’s moderator and topical provocateur, I want to proffer another glimpse into my personal, and some might say, multifarious theological points-of-reference…

Disclaimer: What I am going to disclose is not the final word, or ‘gospel’, as it pertains to theological considerations.  As a disciple-in-process I do believe the foundational tenets of the Christian faith can be simple enough for a child to comprehend, and yet bottomless in depth when mature saints contemplate the deeper implications of those very same kingdom principles…

These are simply my theological points-of-reference that have been personally accepted, reviewed, rejected, re-reviewed, expanded upon, incorporated, modified, and also contains remnants of some considerations merely relegated to the enlarging recycle bin labeled ‘mystery’…

I hold these perspectives loosely.  I have no soapbox to erect; no agenda to promote.  I do not wish to defend these considerations as an ardent apologist.  I do not wish to convince anyone else of their validity, or their inherent ‘rightness’.  They are simply signposts and milestones I have encountered along the spiritual path I continue to wander/wonder down as a disciple of the One who offered me the invitation to follow Him on a momentous day in the month of October, 1974…

1. In the Beginning: I hold to an Old Earth understanding, and a greater appreciation for the eons and eons of creative fashioning that the Master Craftsman took in forming the physical universe that is studied by scientists and also mesmerizes children in their innocent wonder.  I simply like the idea of God taking His Time (not ours) putting things in place/order; He was not rushed, nor did He resort to magically making it all appear in a very compressed timeline.  Yes, such theological viewpoints do differ.  I get this.  However, it is not the Mt. Ararat I choose to defend as a pre-gospel qualification, nor a doctrinal hill I wish to die upon, and I don’t measure other saint’s orthodoxy by this one perspective…
2. Evolution: I do not have any reservations regarding the concept of ‘crafted’ evolution.  The entire concept violates the very principle of entropy.  And what could be a better indicator of an Unmoved mover that Aristotle conceived of?  Life develops from simple to more complex organisms in contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics.  There is an elegance to the complex process understood as evolutionary progression.  Life itself consists of intricate organic compounds that God designed to support what we understand as life.  For me, evolution = creation; these concepts are not mutually exclusive and not worth the artificial brouhaha some well-known Creationist organizations make it out to be…
3. The Nature of Man:  I do not subscribe to the Augustinian concept of Original Sin and the total depravity of mankind that has been extrapolated to the nth degree by what I term uber-Calvinism.  The interrelated concepts of what is called The Fall, along with its supposed consequences, do not adequately explain for me how the current condition of mankind transpired.  I lean more toward the Eastern Orthodox view of sin that is more conditional (like a disease), than a fixed state (total depravity).  Mankind is spiritually diseased, which can be ascribed to the sin of Adam and Eve, but I believe there is no guilt associated with it.  All mankind is endowed with the Imago Dei (image of God), although it is distorted by the effects of sin.  And while on the topic of Adam and Eve, I do not need to view them as the literal/historical first couple.  As with the general mythos of the early Genesis accounts, I can accept they represent the appearance of modern humans (collectively) along the evolutionary timeline and the definitive separation from our proto-human ancestors (that were not imbued with self-awareness and moral cognition)…

Okay, I think that’s enough for now.  Is there any real practical application that corresponds to these concepts and how they relate to what has been addressed during service these past 2 Sundays???

Well, it could be my personal theological understandings just might run counter to yours.  In fact, I can guarantee we will have differing views about some theological points-of-view.  You could then choose to label me more as Samaritan than orthodox Christian.  And that decision might then constrain the level of neighborliness afforded to me next Sunday when we meet…

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

By Joseph Ostrander

So, what about the noble idea of our ‘neighbor’ being like the woman-at-the-well Mike talked about today in his message?

Who, exactly, is our neighbor?

Do they need to be the ‘Samaritan’ equivalent of the 2 references recently mentioned the past 2 Sundays in The Parable of the Good Samaritan and The Woman at the Well?

I don’t know about you, but I was mildly surprised at the curious explanation provided in the 4th chapter of John’s gospel that adds this little detail after Jesus decided to return to Galilee: “Now He had to go through Samaria.”

Hmmm…

He decided to take the straight route…

Right through the despised Samaritan region filled with the religiously corrupt northern tribes that were considered worse than those pagan Romans occupying the territory known as Palestine…

And I have to admire the disciples that accompanied Jesus.  Whatever thoughts they had about such unseemly travel plans, they did not raise any recorded hesitation regarding the established itinerary…

We cannot fully appreciate the depth of hatred the Jews of that day felt toward Samaritans.  To be Jewish meant to be separate from all other people groups and any form of religious syncretism.  And the fact that such a group of people dwelt right in the midst of the land of Israel was considered the ultimate disgrace.  To the culturally ‘pure’ Jewish people, Samaritans were viewed as dirty, corrupt, and polluted from their intermingling of pagan cultures and foreign religious practices.  And those brazen half-breed Samaritans also claimed to be true worshipers of Yahweh, and they too traced their lineage back to Father Abraham!

We can understand why there would be intense suspicion between the two groups living in such close proximity to one another.  There were probably ugly stories being circulated that stereotyped both groups.  Demeaning and gross generalizations.  Exaggerated stories of inappropriate behaviors and crazy religious practices.  And since there existed such a distinct form of economic, social and religious apartheid, very few Jews and Samaritans had any significant contact with the other to even begin to dispel the mildest of bigoted myths…

And Who is it that simply takes the short-cut through such a tension filled area? 

Yeah.  That counter-cultural Jesus fella…

In this one instance of interacting with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus respectfully and graciously confronts the 4 major social taboos of His day; 1) sexism; 2) cultural/ethnic racism; 3) religious prejudice; and 4) moral elitism.  BIFF!  BANG!  BAM!  BOOM!

These same 4 areas plague the North American Church in varying degrees today just as much as society as a whole.  These same 4 areas are sufficient in their own right to warrant individual messages that address just what it means to being neighborly to those that are different from us (shout out to Mister Rogers and State Farm Insurance)…

True Confession Time: I can be for the most part, friendly; however, there is a greater expectation to being neighborly…

And I know all too well the major obstacle preventing me from being more neighborly: it’s simply fear.

Yeah.  That pesky fear factor.  Fear of the unknown mostly.  Fear of awkward introductions.  Fear of the investment in time and attention it takes to be a good neighbor.  Fear of real differences people from other backgrounds represent and the elements of their lifestyles that I am not comfortable with.  Yeah, real, visceral, panic inducing fear…

{sigh}

Although Christians may acknowledge that perfect love casts out all types of fear (1John 4:18), fear is the greatest obstacle for being the kingdom standard of neighborly.   

Personal Anecdote: I do not often stop for people hitchhiking, or those unfortunate drivers stranded on the roadside.  But many years ago on this one occasion, there was this clunker of a car on the side of the road on an off-ramp I had just taken.  If I remember correctly, it was at the start of this long off-ramp.  It was obviously stalled or broken down.  Up ahead not too far from the inoperative vehicle was a woman and child walking up the off-ramp.  Although I felt compassion and slowed down to help, I hesitated stopping because this woman was a person of color…

I was conflicted.  I wanted to stop and at least offer these 2 a ride to a service station, or the use of my cell phone, but I also feared my gesture would be seen more as threatening than helpful.  It wasn’t the fact that the woman and child were not ethnically ‘white’, but I actually didn’t want to scare her and the child because I was the stranger of different ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic status that would have stopped…

Ouch.

Lord, have mercy…

What a crazy, messed-up world of conflicting elements even those that proclaim Jesus as their Lord must wrestle with, and navigate across, as disciples passing through the Samaria’s of our day-to-day neighborhoods…

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

Reflections by Joseph Ostrander

Sunday, November 01, 2015

Wow.  What an incredible message that has more substance and heft than one can digest in a single sitting…

The Parable of Good Samaritan is very perplexing, or what I categorize as Jesus’ nth degree of exemplary behavior expectations, that along with Chris, causes one to wonder why Jesus fashions such grandiose actions into common parables for us to ponder 2000 years later…

{sigh}

There were a few obvious take-aways for me from Sunday’s message; 1) DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TEST JESUS.  That was the lawyer's first mistake; and 2) DO NOT TRY TO JUSTIFY YOURSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.  Wow.  Two major strikeouts before there was time to actually consider the context of what inheriting eternal life consists of…

However, it’s time to unpack some of my ruminations about Sunday’s message…

First, it is obvious Jesus’ rejoinder was aimed solely at the lawyer—that supposed ‘expert’ of the Law.  Ouch.  I may not be in the majority with my opinion/outlook here, but there are examples of what are known as the ‘red letters’ in my bible (like this one) that were not intended to be universally applied, nor even theologically fixed (as a divine precedent, if you will)…

Let’s get down to some serious theological ruminations okay???

For that unnamed lawyer, as well as the Rich Young Ruler, Jesus was being very individualistic in His responses to their inquiries, regardless of their motivations.  As a general rule, I do believe Jesus errs on the side of mercy and compassion.  But when one tries to justify themself before Jesus, and especially in a public forum, it’s inevitable that the nth degree of Kingdom decorum will be given as the Golden Standard of expected behavior…

Second ouch…

The lawyer should have quit while he was commended for his initial answer citing the 2 greatest commandments that Jesus Himself had quoted on another occasion when questioned what the most important commandments were.

Without any nitty-gritty details, Jesus simply said, “You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.”

But no, the lawyer wanted to wiggle out of those 2 extreme requirements.  He just had to try and find a divine loophole out of the simple, yet profound, requirements of those 2 Greatest Commandments…

Well, not one to pass up an opportunity to paint a parable picture of nth degree behavior, Jesus graciously provides the lawyer with a storyline that exemplifies the neighbor category the lawyer wanted to be exempt from. And I’m convinced it was aimed right at the very prejudice the lawyer secretly harbored…

Third ouch…

For that unfortunate lawyer, the Golden Standard of Exemplary Behavior was established by the only perfect human being to have ever lived.  Jesus simply gave the lawyer this extreme requirement: now you go and do likewise…

Many individuals throughout history have attempted to gain (or inherit) eternal life apart from The Bread of Life: Jesus.  And there will be only 2 choices Jesus will accept as appropriate for the question, “What must I do to gain/inherit/earn eternal life?” 

One either accepts Jesus’ invitation to invest in a personal relationship with Himself, or else try and live up to the nth degree of behavior that Jesus will individually set up for those that wish to justify themselves as the impossible alternative…

Think about it…

Amen.

Homesick for Halloween

Nostalgia of Joseph Ostrander

Many, many, many years ago, I used to participate in the great American tradition of Halloween with impunity.  Jack-O-Lanterns.  Cotton spider webs.  Inexpensive, cheesy costumes.  Hoards of candy.  Sugar induced semi-comas.  Cheesy, Grade-B Scary movies.  Other worldly Trick-or-Treat wanderings in the neighborhoods where my well-to-do relatives lived…

Ah yes, healthy fun from what seems like a bygone era…

What happened to such an innocuous American tradition?

Well, I think Halloween became just another victim of the overly zealous Christian culture war…

But don’t thank Jesus for that…

Regardless of your personal viewpoint about Halloween’s origins or traditions, I think the InternetMonk, a.k.a. Michael Spencer, put it best:

No, this wasn’t “Judgment House” or “Hell House” or whatever else evangelicals have done with a similar skill set today. It was fun. Simple, old-fashioned, fun. No one tried to fly a broom or talk to the dead. Everyone tried to have fun. Innocent play in the name of an American custom.

And then, things changed.

Mike Warnke convinced evangelicals that participating in Halloween was worshiping the devil. Later, when we learned that Warnke may have been one of the most skillful of evangelical con-artists, lying about his entire Satanic high priest schtick, the faithful still believed his stories.

Evangelical media began to latch onto Halloween as some form of Satanism or witchcraft, and good Christians were warned that nothing made the other team happier than all those kids going door to door collecting M&Ms.

Evangelical parents decided that their own harmless and fun Halloween experiences were a fluke, and if their kid dressed up as a vampire, he’d probably try to become one. If there was a pumpkin on the porch, you were inviting demons into your home, just like it says in Hezekiah.

A general fear of the occult, manifesting itself in Satanic ritual abuse mythology, crept into evangelicalism and took a deep hold on many churches.

Occult ministries exploited these fears, and ministries like Bob Larson found it was profitable and powerful to make rock music, drug use, occult worship and Halloween one big package.

Today, if you want to split your church, divide your singles group, get a fight started with parents or see the youth minister fired, just find some way to have an old-fashioned Halloween event in your church.

In the ministry where I serve, we can’t have fall festivals. Putting out a pumpkin is risky. Any costume other than dressing up like Billy Graham is taboo.

Halloween experts have proliferated in evangelicalism. Where did these people learn all this stuff? Oh yes, The Onion. That’s right.

Those great, fun, harmless, safe, nostalgic, exciting, slightly scary and completely un-demonic Halloweens of the past? Gone, gone, gone with the evangelical hot air.

Does it bother me? You bet it does. It bothers me that we fall for such lame, ridiculous manipulators as the crowd that made all of those Halloweens past into satanic events.

It bothers me that any lie, exaggeration or fiction will find thousands of eager believers to pass it along.

It bothers me that the Biblical message about Satan would be co-opted by the fear-mongering and manipulation of the hucksters. (Read The Screwtape Letters for some real Satanism.)

It bothers me that such a wonderful part of my childhood and of American life has been turned into an example of evangelical paranoia and gullibility. We ruined something good, and everyone knows it but us.

I know all about the sophisticated responses thoughtful Christians have about Reformation day and All Saints Day. That’s fine, but it’s not the same. I just want my grandkids to be able to dress up in cute outfits and trick or treat without the local church designating them for exorcism.

Shame on those of us–evangelicals–who allowed Halloween to be taken away from families and many communities, all because we prefer to believe that life is a Frank Peretti novel.

Boo. I hope I scared you.

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

Reflections by Joseph Ostrander

Heaven.

What does that single word invoke in your imagination?  Is there a longing for the expected elements that elicits stirrings for a perfection unimaginable?

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— thethings God has prepared for those who love him— 1Cor 2:9

And then verse 10 adds:

“…these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.”

Was there an element of heaven experienced, or better understood as expressed, this morning during our weekly gathering together?  I think the idea that Chris was communicating to us, “revealed by his Spirit”, was an interactive, living, breathing, hands-on expression of what the kingdom of heaven looks like.  I think we were invited to participate in heaven-on-earth dynamics that are meant to develop in us that “divine curiosity” Chris mentioned last week in his opening prayer before the teaching time.

But the awkward tension we experience in the here-and-now that is an admixture of the now and the not yet, makes for an uneasy element of this faith walk we continue on.  Why would God ask us to pray impossible prayers of healing and leave us in the pregnant pause of…not yet???

The Vineyard Organization, along with most charismatic church expressions, believes in the power of divine healing.  And there is a rite/ritual associated with such praying; the laying on of hands.

I do believe the human touch conveys much more than a simple religious gesture.  It extends ourselves to others that are truly in need of a miraculous touch.  I think we choose to identify with the fragile existence we all share when we identify with the challenges other saints are dealing with.  It can communicate sympathy, but more accurately, support, compassion, encouragement, and even the more elusive element of hope…

But what about the saints that were prayed for this morning?  Was there a miraculous realization for Chris or Sarah, or Larry or Judy?  Did they experience a genuine correction to the complex health issues they suffer from?

In a paper I wrote many years ago about the healing of Jairus’ daughter, I concluded that God is neither indifferent to our sufferings, nor is He obligated to assuage them.  Healings as we understand them seem to be the exception rather than the norm here in the tension of the here and not yet. 

God’s sense of fairness, along with His crazy extravagance, is bestowed upon both the just and the unjust.  Jesus made this point recorded for us in Matthew’s gospel, chapter 5, verse 45b:

“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

It is not a stretch of my faith to actually believe that amazing miracles happen each and every day throughout the world.  I do believe they happen.  But when I timidly pray for the Good Lord to hear my petition for the dear saints I prayed for this morning, there is a nagging sense of futility in trying to experience that explosive collision between heaven and earth in the Del Mar Elementary School gym we gather in.  Haven’t we dedicated that space to experience a God that seems more elusive than available for the divine interventions we ask for???

{sigh}

Mark 9:24 has this very visceral prayer that I wish to repeat as my heartfelt cry:

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Think about it…

Amen.

Book Recommendation

Q&A With Louie Giglio About “Comeback”

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paulcmaxwell/2015/10/20/comeback/

Reviewing the Trinity

Wednesday Ramblings…

By Joseph Ostrander

Today I am going to include quotes from Eugene H. Peterson’s book – Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology.  Excerpts are on the topic of the Trinity…

Trinity is the church’s attempt to understand God’s revelation of Godself in all its parts and relationships. And a most useful work it has been. At a most practical level it provides a way of understanding and responding to God who enters into all the day-to-day issues that we face as persons and churches and communities from the time we get out of bed in the morning until we fall asleep at night, and reaches out to bring us into participation on God’s terms, that is, on Trinitarian terms. It prevents us from getting involved in highly religious but soul-destroying ways of going about living the Christian life.

Trinity understands God as three-personed: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God in community, each “person” in active communion with the others. We are given an understanding of God that is most emphatically personal and interpersonal. God is nothing if not personal. If God is revealed as personal, the only way that God can be known is in personal response. We need to know this. It is the easiest thing in the world to use words as a kind of abstract truth or principle, to deal with the gospel as information. Trinity prevents us from doing this. We can never get away with depersonalizing the gospel or the truth to make it easier, simpler, more convenient. Knowing God through impersonal abstractions is ruled out, knowing God through programmatic projects is abandoned, knowing God in solitary isolation is forbidden. Trinity insists that God is not an idea or a force or a private experience but personal and known only in personal response and engagement.

Trinity also prevents us from reducing God to what we can understand or need at any one time. There is a lot going on in us and in this world, far exceeding what we are capable of taking in. In dealing with God, we are dealing in mystery, in what we do not know, what we cannot control or deal with on our terms. We need to know this, for we live in a world that over-respects the practical. We want God to be “relevant” to our lifestyle. We want what we can, as we say, “get a handle on.” There is immense peer pressure to reduce God to fit immediate needs and expectations. But God is never a commodity to use. In a functionalized world in which we are all trained to understand ourselves in terms of what we can do, we are faced with a reality we cannot control. And so we cultivate reverence.

Trinity keeps pulling us into a far larger world than we can imagine on our own.

And Trinity is a steady call and invitation to participate in the energetically active life of God — the image of the dance [perichoresis] again. It is the participation in the Trinity (God as he has revealed himself to us) that makes things and people particularly and distinctively who they are. We are not spectators to God; there is always a hand reaching out to pull us into the Trinitarian actions of holy creation, holy salvation, and holy community…

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

By Joseph Ostrander

Random thoughts in no particular order…

One of the songs selected today during service contained these words with their associated meaning: “We are here for You…”  Hmmm…are we really here for God, or is it more accurate to consider God is here for us?   I don’t know about you, but I often wonder about how I fit into the Grander Scheme of the eons of time past, the billions of individuals alive today, let alone all those who have died before I was born.  Do you think that there is a divine destiny determined for us?  Or do you think that God simply takes pleasure in the marvelous reality of our uniqueness?  The Trinity is quite content with their creative expression of the very essence of our personalities without an ulterior motive?

I don’t feel like I’m a critical cog in the humongous Wheel-of-Fate, or however it is you imagine God winding up the intricately interwoven elements of space and time and self-awareness and our place in the wonderful workings of the universe…

Another song Aly and Megan included in their worship set contained these words as a petition: “Let Your fire fall down.”  The scriptures contain numerous references to fire, and there are 3 common understandings of fire we may have been taught: 1) fire as a form of torture or torment (e.g. eternal conscious torment in the fire’s of Hell); 2) fire as the final element of annihilation or complete consumption; or 3) fire as a means of purification.  In John’s account of the Revelation(s), chapter 1 verse 14 records this description of One Like the Son of Man: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.”  I suppose the manner which you imagine how such a gaze would impact you relates closely to the 3 viewpoints of what Holy Fire means to you personally…

I don’t know about you, but my self-image is truly distorted.  And Chris’ message about remembering who we are is a timely reminder that the process of having our skewed view of ourselves brought back into focus can only be realized when we choose to gaze deeper into those divine eyes of blazing fire…

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

By Joseph Ostrander

As the volunteer moderator for the church’s blog, I thought it would be a good idea to let you, the reader, get to know how I process Sunday’s service in a way that translates into something encouraging, and provoking, or food-for-thought for this new blog forum.  This is how I experienced Sunday’s corporate gathering:

First: I was the recipient of two amazing words of encouragement that I will need to ruminate on as the Spirit illuminates/expands their implications; 1) I am a pillar to/in the church that meets together as Coastlands Vineyard Church; and 2) I am soon to be in the spotlight—off the bench so-to-speak.  Any further insight from the saints reading this will always be appreciated.

Next: during the music/praise/worship portion of the service, Rachel shared a song that had this phrase or context—God’s love is like a hurricane.  Say what?  I must confess, there are few contemporary Christian worship songs that I find myself singing along with.  And this song was definitely not one of them.  However, the concept of God’s love like a hurricane did resonate with me personally.  During the extremely intense fallout from my divorce and resulting nervous breakdown, I felt God did ‘envelop’ me in a whirlwind—a whirlwind that was both a powerful storm—and a refuge.  The whirlwind vacuumed up all the loose clutter of my flimsy faith (down to the foundation), and it also ‘lifted’ off (painfully) some of the stubborn scabs (or residue) that were covering up the guilt and shame of my sin management efforts.  You see, I had been scratching at the persistent elements of my psyche that I felt were my personal and spiritual disfigurements; my low self-esteem, my lack of confidence, my personality flaws, and my seemingly lack of obvious skills/talents.  God’s whirlwind forced the scabs off those sore spots on my soul and He’s been dealing with them in a greater way these past 6 years than in the first 55-years of my existence.  As I looked in my bible’s concordance, I found these scriptures that I could now better appreciate: Nahum 1:3b, “His way is in the whirlwind and the storm…” and also verse 7, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him…”

The idea of God’s love being like a hurricane was confirmed when Chris mentioned how there is the element of ferocity to God’s love.  God’s ferocious anger is kindled against all the sin, woundedness, brokenness, shame and guilt that would keep us bound up, insulated and blinded to His love and mercy…

Scott’s word FREEDOM resonated with this awesome consideration: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” ~Galatians 5:11

And: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” ~John 8:36

Finally, some additional observations to ruminate on: Chris’ opening prayer included the petition for God to ‘unburden’ us.  It is something that seems to be impossible when the weight of real worries and concerns will not let us rest.  I am reminded of Jesus’ words recorded for us at the end of the 11th chapter of Matthew’s gospel.  Let’s revisit them, shall we?  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Notice this: Jesus does not require us to first take off our current burdens.  To do so would be intellectually dishonest (denial), and something that we cannot do ourselves.  He does offer this curious option though: take upon ourselves another burden, His yoke.  Place His yoke upon our already burdened shoulders and learn from Him (or delight ourselves in Him).  He is humble, gentle, and very patient.  His yoke is easy!  His burden is light!  I always considered this lightness to be more illumination than heft or weightiness.  That’s my perspective anyway. 

Think about it…

Amen.

Food-for-Thought for the Sheep of God to Ruminate on (Luke 4:4)

By Joseph Ostrander

Greetings to the chosen saints living out their faith in community also known as Coastlands Vineyard Church.  This open forum is an invitation to participate in further dialogue about the principles and concepts Chris has been sharing with us during our Sunday gatherings.

The topics presented recently have addressed; 1) Zacchaeus; 2) home; 3) salvation; and 4) eternal life.

I will provide a thought-provoking ‘regurgitation’ of the topics presented, but only as a catalyst for you, the reader, to comment on and engage in the continuing conversation about what you have gleaned from the same message. 

The purpose of this additional Blog element in working through the deep content of Sunday’s hearty theological helpings is twofold; 1) allows the message to be savored and digested slowly during the week; and 2) gives ample opportunity to share any resulting perspectives, ‘ah-ha moments’, more profound reflections, and any practical applications if appropriate.

First consideration: Chris pointed out how Zacchaeus’ very demonstrative public behavior exhibited in the biblical narrative (Luke 19:1-10) was considered shameful and degrading to the Middle-Eastern culture of Jesus’ time.  Furthermore, it seems Zacchaeus had no false image of his short stature or his hated status as a Chief Tax Collector.  This implies he was resistant to his culture’s expectations (Romans 12:2), or how he did not let the way he was marginalized determine his behavior, and how he had accepted his physical height limitations that prompted the necessary climbing up the sycamore tree to get a glimpse of Jesus.

Q: What elements of our false self-images prevent us from seeing Jesus more clearly?  And do we find ourselves conforming more to our culture’s expectations and the way we may marginalize others, instead of being challenged by the topsy-turvy dynamic of the Kingdom of God?

Second consideration: Home.  Jesus seems to immediately reciprocate by also violating cultural protocol and ‘rudely’ invites Himself over to Zacchaeus’ house to be fed and entertained.  But what an amazing Guest!  I envy not being privy to the conversations that transpired. 

Q: Does our spiritual journey begin at ‘home’, or when we leave it until we are finally ‘Home’?  How has this journey been experienced in your life (reference Matthew 19:29)?

Third consideration: Salvation and eternal life.  Chris has been very deliberate about making this one critical statement—salvation and eternal life cannot be isolated from the very person of Jesus.  In other words, neither salvation nor eternal life are sterile theological notions, or definitions, that reduce those two critical concepts into a doctrine or ‘transaction’ apart from a vital relationship with the Christ, the Savior, Immanuel, the risen Lord, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Additional insights?

And finally some closing thoughts regarding this element of eternal life, or abundant life, or life to the full (John 10:10).  What did Jesus really mean?  What is this abundant quality of life Jesus alludes to in this passage?   Rob Grayson, in his Blog Faith Meets World, shares his understanding this way:

“What is it that life is full of? Perhaps we would like life to be full of nothing other than health, wealth and happiness…but this is rarely the reality in which we live. Life is full of contrasts. Thinking back over our rich and varied experience, each of us can no doubt remember both deeply painful events and other events that were sources of abiding joy. We are each of us formed by pain and happiness, grief and joy, light and dark.

I would venture to suggest that, in this present world, ‘life in all its fullness’ includes all of the contrasts of human experience: all of life’s agony and ecstasy, all of the valleys and the mountaintops, all of the storms and the sunshine. Indeed, I would even be so bold as to suggest that one cannot fully experience the glorious joys of life without also experiencing its more troublesome moments. The darkness of the one makes the lightness of the other all the brighter.”

Amen. 

Think about it…and please share your ruminations with the rest of the Coastlands flock…