A Simple Rural Pastor

I've had more than a few people ask how different life is living in a rural village, and pastoring a small church in a small town. Well, frankly it's not a lot of different than pastoring in general. Pastoring is not an art...it's simply acting in love to God and his people. What is different is the pace of life, and the ability to have time for more relational things and less administrative things. That I like enormously.
I just finished speaking at the International Conference for Retrouvaille in Madison this last weekend. I spoke on "Personal Soul Care" and it has become a passion personally that I want so much for us as God's children to become intentional about.
I've been re-reading "Practicing the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence. It's a humbling book to read because of its simplicity coupled with its challenge. Yet, its the simplicity that I embrace.
Here's the beginning: "A Pilgrim's Prayer"

"Lord of all pots and pans and things...
Make me a saint by getting meals
And washing up the plates!

That's it, simple...do all things, however small and insignificant they may seem with nothing more than God in mind.

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To "Pastor"...Again

Ok, so it might seem strange, but I'm going back two-fold:
1. To Pastoring...or should I say, to being a Senior Pastor...better yet, a Teaching Elder at New Life Fellowship...Where you ask?
2. Going back to Randolph, Wi. where pastoral ministry began for me 34 years ago.

I'm genuinely excited...

Keep checking in

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The Dead Sea Scroll Exhibit - Go to See It While You Can

I went with my friend Joel to Milwaukee's Public Museum to see the Dead Sea Scroll's exhibit. It is very much worth the while to see.

Filled with lots of interesting material, it takes one through ancient Israel's history by using material unearthed archeologically through the years, and leads towards the 1947 discovery in Qumran of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The most fascinating artifact is actually a more than real replica reproduction of the 24foot long scroll of the book of Isaiah - the most complete book discovered thus far in the Qumran discoveries.
We also went to the Planetarium to see the IMAX Dead sea scroll portrayal...and I would say spend the extra time in the exhibit and forget the planetarium show.
We spent 3 hours in the exhibit, and I wished we had another hour free - we could have used it. Great show, go see it while you can!

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The danger of living

One of the lesser detailed aspects of the Christmas story is in Matthew's gospel - it is the flight of Joseph, Mary and their infant Jesus to Egypt because of the warning of the angel of the Lord that Herod was going to seek the "king of the Jews" that the Magi had come to seek.

The account is in Matthew 2:13-15 (NASB):

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."

So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt.
He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON."

A contemporary of Martin Luther, a German artist/engraver by the name of Albrecht Durer, engraved with interesting detail the story of their flight into Egypt. The halo surrounding Mary and the baby Jesus are very typical for Renaissance art, but Joseph looks very common. Joseph walks, Mary rides on the donkey with Jesus in her arms...and a bit of wind is blowing her scarf back. It's an interesting piece to reflect on this journey that they undertake so soon after Jesus' birth.

The story in scripture seems to carry us immediately into the life of Jesus. His life is not going to be one of a "King" of royalty who will be served, who will have what he wants when he wants it - the kind of life I often dream "wouldn't it be nice if only...." His life begins with a flight and emphasizes the danger of living. It is not going to be easy, it is filled with spiritual warfare - visible and invisible. It is a reminder that we are to "watch", "be alert", be "awake" all around us for we have (as Luther so eloquently reminded) "one who seeks to do us harm."

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The Journey of the Magi

The journey of the MAGI (it was "wise men" when I was a kid) is one of the most traditional parts of the Christmas story, even though it probably takes place months after Jesus' birth.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him."
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
Matthew 2:1-5 (NASB)

The word "magos" in the text indicates a group of people who were not Jewish - i.e., Gentiles - who came inquiring about the birth of a King.

Up until this point in the Jesus story, little public impact has been made. Some shepherds came in response to the angelic visit, but that would hardly cause the nation to pay much attention. But an entourage of Magi traveling by camels from the east made King Herod sit up and take notice.

It does not say, as our tradition has stated, that there were three, even though we sing "We Three Kings of Orient Are..." There were three gifts given, but that does not mean there were three Magi. The ancient church gave the Magi three names: Gaspar, Melchior and Bathasar. We simply don't know who they were, but at least we have a hint of "what" they were.

The Magi were probably from Persia, and followers of an ancient religion called Zorastrianism which believed in Astrology as a way of foretelling present and future events.

I'll look at the story some more tomorrow, or Monday, but for now, think about this...why? why did Matthew share this account when neither of the other gospel writers include it?

It's a highly symbolic and prophetic story. Jesus came into the world - a Jew, yes, but not just a Jew. He came to demonstrate that God's purposes were world-wide. Jesus came as a Jewish man to demonstrate to the Jewish nation God's purposes for their role among the nations. Jesus came to demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom of God coming not only upon Israel, but also to the nations of the earth. Perhaps it wasn't "we three Kings", but it certainly was prophetic that they came searching for the "King of the Jews".

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Living in Blessing

I come to the end of the year with a profound sense of being "blessed".

Over the last three weeks I have had the opportunity to celebrate three new grandchildren born into this world that I will, however long I have to live, have the opportunity to love and pass along the blessings of God to their lives.

It's not easy to live "blessed".

"On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"),
and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
Luke 2:21-32 (NIV)

I may be a few days early in re-accounting the story of Jesus' presentation at the temple, but I read that passage and discover all over again the word "Blessing". Certainly, I am blessed in life, and even in death, in Jesus. That is one of the clear statements of Simeon to us. But, I am also struck by the power of blessing...of being blessed by other's words, and by blessing others with my own words.

At the end of 2009, I have been reading Henri Nouwen's "Life of the Beloved". It is the type of book that I need to pick up every once in a while and allow the words to bathe over my soul. He talks about this extensively in chapter 2. What struck me today in both scripture and his book was the words he wrote about blessing:

"...the characteristic of the blessed ones is that wherever they go, they always speak words of blessing. It is remarkable how easy it is to bless others, to speak good things to and about them, to call forth their beauty and truth, when you yourself are in touch with your own blessedness. The blessed one always blesses....no one is brought to life through curses, gossip, accusations, or blaming. There is so much of that taking place around us all of the time...The voice that calls us the beloved will give us words to bless others and reveal to them that they are no less blessed than we."

Jesus said "blessed are you..." and reminded us of the many ways we are blessed apart from the way humans around us perceive a life that is blessed.

I am blessed...in more ways than I can possibly recount. Yet, at the end of 2009, I want to live in the knowledge of those "blessed are you" things and give them back as thanksgiving to God.

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Christmas at home

Ok, Pete and Lindsay, Raewyn and Theo, here's a christmas greeting from home...

Dad

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