Have You Seen Jesus My Lord?

The other day I spoke to the Auxillary, and because people are always asking about my job and the ways I've been surprised by Christ sneaking into my world, I thought I'd post part of what I said to them. Ellen set the theme using a few picnic baskets, and told the story of the Loaves and the Fishes.

One of my first memories involves a picnic blanket I still use, almost two decades later. I remember being at a church retreat at our denomination's camp, and two men, who would later become my youth leaders, were singing a song called "Have you seen Jesus my Lord." I remember being by the lake, flopped on my belly, watching the Sunset. It was a holy time. The only problem was that the song didn't make much sense to me. Its chorus says this, "Have you seen Jesus my Lord? He's here in plain view. Take a look, open your eyes, he'll show it to you." Ok, fine. I got that part. But when it came to one of the verses that said, "Have you ever stood in the family, with the Lord there in your midst; seen the face of Christ on each other? Then I say, You've seen Jesus my Lord". As a four year old, I looked around at all those people who had helped raise me and thought "Dude, I don't know what you're talking about... that's mom and dad, and joe, and greg, and jonathan, and Amy. Jesus isn't on their faces!"

And now here I am, still pondering that song. But now, I can understand the song, and know that I have had the opportunity to see Jesus in some really strange places.

I've seen Jesus covered in flour as we made Christmas cookies, a first experience for several of our youth.

I've seen Jesus wade through the destruction caused by a fire.

I've seen Jesus in the members of the community, as they've prayed for us, and given to us.

I've seen Jesus in a prom dress.

I've seen Jesus in a group of teenagers who do everything they can, often including rearranging their work schedules, to be at a Bible Study.

I've seen Jesus in a young woman (who might want my job?), who kicked me out of the pulpit so that she could preach and lead worship.

I've seen Jesus in a group of Student Council kids who really found out what it meant to be a leader, when they had the opportunity to serve at the Christmas banquet. I've seen Jesus dripping with sweat and smiling through exhaustion.

I've seen Jesus on a day when I was parading around in a Jester's hat. Jesus came to the Fat Tuesday pancake lunch, and I heard him laughing.

I've seen Jesus worshipping and clapping and learning to play the djembee in the chapel.

I've seen Jesus stand in front of the altar, and in the purest voice you've ever heard, sing Silent Night.

I've seen Jesus early Easter morning, as a parter and I went out to spread the news of "He is Risen" in chalk.

And I've even seen Jesus, coloring and playing with Mr. Potato Head in my office.


As I think back to the little blond headed girl, laying on her picnic blanket, pondering the words of what seemed to her, a very strange song, I think I'd tell her: I've seen Jesus my Lord! Indeed. He's here in plain view!"

Reverend Finger Paint

Last night at Da Spot, we did a just for fun activity called "Reverend Finger Paint". They had three minutes to draw their best portrait of me...using Finger paints. Please come check them out on my door--and Vote! I promised the winner a prize next week, so your vote would be greatly appreciated!

Too Busy?

The Story of the Dinner Party
15That triggered a response from one of the guests: "How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God's kingdom!" 16-17Jesus followed up. "Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, 'Come on in; the food's on the table.' 18"Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, 'I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.'
19"Another said, 'I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.' 20"And yet another said, 'I just got married and need to get home to my wife.' 21"The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, 'Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and wretched you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.' 22"The servant reported back, 'Master, I did what you commanded— and there's still room.' 23-24"The master said, 'Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.'"

Truthfully, I've not spent a whole lot of time pondering this passage. I've just finished reading The Other Boleyn Girl and I know from reading that, that when a King orders a banquet everyone shows up, whether they want to or not. But I guess this particular story doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, because who wouldn't want to come to a big affair to which they've been invited? "Not I, said the Fly" I love to get all dressed up and pretend I'm really somebody.

And so, thinking our young folks would feel the same, I embarked on a big undertaking. I made up my mind that they should have a dinner before prom-- a really nice, formal affair, with four forks instead of one. I went over and talked to them, and they told me what they would like served, and how much fun they thought it would be. And so I spent great amounts of time Thursday, Friday and Saturday making this a phenomenal affair. Finally the time rolls around for the dinner, and I learn that I have just given up my whole weekend to make a very lovely, very expensive dinner...for one! That's right, all those girls who wanted me to do this for them, were too busy. We did, however, have a very lovely night, and the young lady who showed up seems to have had a fabulous time. (She was, afterall, the queen of the dinner). We even called around and invited some other folks in, and perhaps, it was the way it was supposed to be (though certainly not the way the evening looked in my mind's eye.)

Though I was disappointed, I certainly don't fault the girls. I remember what it was like to be so excited and so nervous and so just ready for the dang thing to get here already. But the more I ponder the event, the more I wonder if this is somehow the way God might feel when we put other things before God. I think this strange little passage is saying that God hopes we will come to God's banquet not because we have nothing better to do, but because GOd's banquet is the best of our offers. I think that what this passage is saying is that God wants to be Lord not only of our worst agendas, but even over our best ones.

So....Salty!

Last Week, the lectionary text was that funny little passage that goes something like this: 13"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-17, The Message)

What a funny text. Seriously, what's so great about salt? I mean, you can cook with it and preserve food with it. You could even put it on snails and watch them melt (not that I know this, of course!). Its chemical formula is NaCl (sodium chloride). And that, my friends, is all I know about salt.

But Jesus challenges us to be salt of the Earth. I love this translation, because it is put in a way that we can understand. "You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth." Hmmm...That I can relate to. When I cook, I know that just a tiny little bit of salt makes all the flavors I'm using come out. Even when I bake a cake from scratch, the recipe always calls for a pinch of salt, which will bring out the sweet flavors.

In chapel last Sunday, I challenged the kids to be salt of the Earth, and we talked about ways we could do that. And, just for kicks, we tried two experiments.
1. The Chain of Love. We discussed that one way we could be salt of the Earth is by either "Paying it Forward" (confused? You MUST see the movie "Pay it Forward"...we watched the clip in Chapel about the teacher challenging his students to change the world)or by making a "Chain of Love". (Like the country song. You know "If you really wanna pay me back, here's what you do. Don't let the chain of love end with you.") And so we started a chain of love with paper links. (Think back to your elementary school days, and making paper chain garlands for your pitiful classroom tree.) I did a random act of kindness from a young lady, and told her that she was to pass it on. I wrote my deed on a paper link, and when they came to church yesterday, I asked the young lady how she passed the chain of love on. And she did. She passed it to another young lady in her cottage, who passed it on to another young lady, and now the young lady will pass it on to others this week. My goal is to have a long chain by Pentecost (May 11), which will surely have a place in the service.

2. A Salt of the Earth Poster. I told the kids that I knew this is the time of year when they are just trying to "make it", but that the scriptures desire more of us. And so I told them that any time they helped show other people what a relationship with Christ is like that I wanted to know about it. And there is a poster on my door, that they're supposed to sign when they behave like salt of the Earth. (In the sense of "You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth"). And lo and behold, I brought the poster to chapel yesterday, and they remembered and told me about the ways that they had helped to care for other people. I told them it was my hope to see that poster positively full by the end of school.

Maybe they'll change the world. It's possible, you know.