Rev. Reed Lee Pedersen's
When I Google searched images of the tree of life they usually looked something like this. An interesting thing of the phrase “tree of life” is that it is an idea that exists across many mythologies, religions, and cultures. The tree of life is something that in one way or another connects all of life to a deity, to the rest of life, to the past (evolution), and/or to the entire cosmos (Wikipedia). In many instances the tree of life, world tree, or cosmic tree is considered as the key to unlocking the mysteries of mankind. It is the key to better understanding the world and whichever god one followed. Many people have searched far and wide for this key. The Christian claim and image of the tree of life is not as beautiful as the lovely picture I found on my Google search. The Christian tree of life is the very cross which Christ died on. This tree is commonly used to shame others for the sins they have committed. It is commonly used as something for which we are to feel bad or with which we are to curse our very existence. The old hymn is true that the old rugged cross is a symbol of suffering and shame, but it is important to remember whose suffering and shame took place, Christ’s. We are not called to look at the tree of life and chastise ourselves for its very existence. Instead we are called to reverence it because this tree of life is a tree of love. God so loved us that God brought this instrument of shame, suffering, and death to God’s very self to show each and everyone one of us the love that God has for us. Our God is a one who suffers for us and with us. For that we can give praise. For that we can go to a church service the Friday before Easter and truly call it Good Friday. Points to Ponder:
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I recently had a confirmand tell me that March is his least favorite month. Being in the Midwest, March is a month that never seems to figure out whether it wishes to be spring or winter. The confirmand hated that he never knew if his birthday would be full of snow or if his birthday would be seventy degrees and sunny. As someone who has lived his whole life in Iowa and Illinois I get the frustrations of March. (Also, my birthday is April 7 and I have seen snow on it before. No fun!) Why can’t the month of March just pick a temperature!? Life is a lot like the month of March. Sometimes it is nice and warm. A good breeze in the air refreshes all our senses. Perhaps you have received acknowledgement for your work, or perhaps you have had the chance to relax with friends and family. Whatever makes you happy is like the warm part of March. Then there is that snow that piles on our cars and on our lives: more work, more things to get to and to get done, less appreciation, less time to be with family and friends, no sunshine to brighten up the day, and no matter how much caffeine we possibly consume there is no energy left in our bodies. That is the tiring, cold, and cloudy part of March. Interesting enough, when Jesus commissioned his disciples in Matthew 28 he did not promise them sunshine and rainbows. He did not promise them a nice warm spring breeze at their backs. (There are actually plenty of places in Scripture that promise the opposite for those who follow Christ.) When Christ tells the disciples to go and make disciples and to baptize them in the name of the Triune God he gives them a different promise. “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20b) In the midst of the madness of March (sports pun INTENDED) we can really get caught up in the frustration that it isn’t fully summer yet. When life is hard or not going the way we want it to we can get down and frustrated about the warm breezes that seem to happen in the lives of others instead of our own. Well guess what? Life is a temperate March. You will have good warm spring-feeling moments. You will have bad cold winter-feeling moments. That is life. No matter how cold and grimy or warm and sunny life gets, Christ will be there always, to the end! Sometimes Christ will have a parka for us to keep us warm when life seems cold and bitter. Sometimes Christ will be the one handing us our flip-flops when life is going warm and breezy. Either way, Christ is with you. We may want March to pick a temperature already. We may wish to know whether it will just snow already or if the sun will shine, but Christ has decided to pick both. I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it is said, “When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.” 9 (When it says, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:7-10) Christ descended to death and hell and he ascended into heaven “so that he might fill all things”. Because of this, Christ is with you in your ups and your downs. When life is hell on earth and when it is truly joyful (do not forget the crazy times when it is sometimes both simultaneously), Jesus will be with you. That is a promise. That is the gift of grace which can only be recognized in Christ Jesus. Point to Ponder:
I led a mission trip a few years back to help repair houses for elderly and handicapped people near Lorain, OH. On the first night I asked the simple question, “Why did you come here?” Some of the answers varied, but the main answer that came out was something like this: “I came to help people, because it is the right thing to do.”
I find this to be a nice answer. It is the right thing to do. These were good kids and good adults that wanted to help people in need. I came on the mission trip to help people too, but there was something missing in all of the answers. I did not hear name of God or Jesus in any of the answers. (Please note if you are part of the group I led, you are not alone in your answers.) There was nothing to separate this mission trip from any work trip. As Christians we are called to live in response to the gospel. Jesus Christ gave his life for us. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to show his power over it. This was done for us. We do not have to do anything to deserve it. Instead, out of response of this free grace we are called to follow God’s commands to the best of our abilities and ask for forgiveness when we fall short of it. We are sent to share the love of Jesus Christ through words and actions. As Christians I think it is important that we remember we are called and sent by God to serve others. Helping others is most certainly a good thing to do, but if this is our primary reason for helping others then our actions become secularized. They do not carry the weight of faith and the weight of Christ’s love for the world. An atheist can certainly believe in the common good. They can help others because it is the right thing to do. I find it great that people can help others strictly for the good of humanity. In fact, the majority of the reasons atheist scholars hate religion is because of the hatred and violence committed throughout world history and today in the name of God. If you take a serious look at what the Christian church has done in the name of God you cannot really blame them. Too many times shortsighted Christians have spread hate and judgment which neither serves God or the common good. I want to make a call that we refocus on God’s love shone in Jesus’ death and resurrection. I want to refocus on Christ’s command, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) It is out of this that we go out helping others. It is most certainly for the common good that we serve and help others, but primarily it is because we are full of the love of Christ which is meant to be shared! Grace and peace to you as you find opportunities to share this love with the world. Points to Ponder:
When Lutheran missionaries from Denmark came to Tamil Nadu in the 19th century they started something that went against the religious and societal systems in place in India. They wanted to start a casteless church. The caste system is very old and complicated in India. From a religious perspective, Hinduism has four basic groups within the caste system. You will notice from the figure that there is a fifth group known as Dalits (meaning –distressed, crushed, and downtrodden people[1]). These people are literally outcastes because they exist outside the caste system. This caste system is more than just religious. It is built into the very fabric of Indian Society. From a social perspective there are thousands of sub castes within each caste. Each region of India might treat caste boundaries differently. Christianity is nothing new to India. In fact the body of St. “Doubting” Thomas is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu where he evangelized after Christ’s death and resurrection. These Christian churches were (and some still today are) caste churches. This means those congregations are only made up of a specific caste or that people from different castes do not sit next to each other. Christian missionaries defended keeping churches separated by caste because they saw casteism as a “social” issue and not a religious one. From their perspective they have a motto of, “Let’s worship Jesus as we are[2].” Rev. Christopher Ohks, a German missionary, on behalf of the Danish Mission Society, wanted to start a church that opposed casteism and was built without giving importance to caste. Rev. Ohks made a theological stand against the mistreatment of people since all are equal in the sight of God. This attracted mostly the Dalit people to convert. This church is known today as the Arcot Lutheran Church. As of the 1990’s the Arcot Lutheran Church was approximately 80% Dalit people and I am sure that the numbers are about the same still today. The movement for equality in the name of Jesus has also allowed the Arcot Lutheran Church to fight against the blatant mistreatment of the Dalit people which still exists today. They do not fight just for Dalit Christian rights, but for the rights of all of those who are labeled as untouchable. Rev. Gnanasekaran, a pastor in the ALC, has been a leader of the Dalit Liberation Movement since its inception in 1986. Article 15 of the Indian constitution makes it very clear that discrimination due to caste is illegal. While discrimination of the Dalit people has lessened, the caste system and mistreatment of those on the wrong side of it still exists. Here are two of many articles that speak of this: The love lesson I learned from the people of the Arcot Lutheran Church is Christ’s love does not show favoritism. Christ’s love sees all of God’s children as equals. Therefore, as a church powered by the love of Christ it is called to do no other than to fight for those who are mistreated and oppressed. Being powered by Christ’s love all Christians are called to include and not exclude. We do this not only at a singular level, but also at an institutional level. Where inequality and walls exist Christ’s love calls us to mend the relationships with our fellow human beings. Let us all follow this lesson from the Arcot Lutheran Church inspired by the new command given by Jesus, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) Points to Ponder:
[1] “Dalits of Tamil Nadu and the Emergence of Dalit Theology” by Pr. Daniel Gnanasekaran [2] Ibid. |
AuthorPastor Reed is a first call pastor at Augustana Lutheran Church in Andover, Illinois. Archives
July 2019
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