beginning ephesians

On Ash Wednesday (which falls on February 22 this year) we at University Hill Congregation begin a six week lenten study of the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians. We will meet in three groups - on Wednesday mornings over breakfast at a local restaurant, on Thursday evenings over dinner in a member's home and on Sunday mornings prior to worship over coffee, tea and dough-nuts in my office. If you live in Vancouver and would like to participate in one of these groups you would be most welcome. You will find contact information at University Hill Congregation. If you are unable to join us you are welcome to participate via the related posts that I will make to this blog each week. The purpose of such congregational Bible study is, as it says in Ephesians 4:20, "to learn Christ". We will not so much learn about Jesus Christ as we will endeavour to learn the peculiar grammar of a communal life that is lived in Jesus Christ. Eugene Peterson calls this "practicing resurrection".

seeking a cure

II Kings 5:1-14; Mark 1:40-45

Naaman is a commander of the army of Aram and “a great man”. There is just one thing. Naaman has leprosy. There is no cure in Aram for his disease. It is a little Israelite servant, taken captive by the Arameans, who knows that there is a prophet in Samaria who can cure incurable leprosy. So it is that the great Naaman arrives before the king of Israel with a bucket load of cash - ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold - as well as ten of the best designer suits in exchange for the medical treatment that he cannot receive in Aram. The king of Israel has no idea what he is talking about and assumes it is a diplomatic ploy, an attempt to pick a fight with his government. Hearing of the king’s distress, the prophet Elisha sends word that Naaman should be sent to him. So it is that Naaman arrives with his retinue of horses and chariots, a great man with great power but with no cure. Elisha does not even bother to come out to meet the great man. He sends a messenger who tells Naaman “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” It is roughly the equivalent of saying “Take two aspirins and call me in the morning.” Naaman is not impressed. He expects better treatment after travelling all this way at such great expense. Doesn’t Elisha realize that Naaman is “a great man”? He deserves personal treatment. He expects Elisha to wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprosy himself. Besides, the rivers of Damascus are much more impressive than Israel’s piddly Jordan river. If it is a case of washing in a river he can do this at home. But before Naaman can head for home in disgust his advisors suggest a sober second thought. What is the harm in following this doctor’s orders? If Elisha had advised a difficult course of chemotherapy, wouldn’t he have obliged? Just because it seems so simple doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a try. At this Naaman immerses himself seven times in the Jordan as prescribed and he is healed - his skin is as smooth as a baby’s behind. Naaman is cured, healed, restored. It is a miracle. There is no explanation. There is only wonder and amazement and awe. Naaman wants to pay for services rendered. But Elisha will not accept the cash. The cure is the gift of God. Naaman returns home praising the God of Israel for the rest of his life.

a christianity without discipleship

"Discipleship is commitment to Christ. Because Christ exists, he must be followed. An idea about Christ, a doctrinal system, a general religious recognition of grace or forgiveness of sins does not require discipleship. In truth, it even excludes discipleship; it is inimical to it. One enters into a relationship with an idea by way of knowledge, enthusiasm, perhaps even by carrying it out, but never by personal obedient discipleship. Christianity without the living Jesus Christ remains necessarily a Christianity without discipleship; and a Christianity without discipleship is always a Christianity without Jesus Christ. It is an idea, a myth. A Christianity in which there is only God the Father, but not Christ as a living Son actually cancels discipleship. In that case there will be trust in God, but not discipleship."

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer (from "Discipleship", Fortress Press, 2003, p. 59)

epic impact day - feb 8

Wednesday, February 8 is "Epic Impact Day" in the fund-raising for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. The goal on this day is to have every rider receive at least one donation towards funding cancer research. My good friend Janice Love has been training all winter in preparation for the bike ride from Vancouver to Seattle this coming June (a 200 km trip). As of today she has raised $825 towards her goal of $3,200 (26% of her target). Janice is riding on behalf of me and of Simon Higgison (the brother of the school principal of Janice and Jim's son Jameson's school). Because both Simon and I have been diagnosed with multiple myeloma the money donated in support of Janice will go towards researching blood cancers. In the past few years there have been a number of significant breakthroughs in multiple myeloma research which have resulted in new treatments that are proving to be very effective. A number of new drugs are currently in clinical trials and show promise. Money raised now for ongoing research is critical in continuing this recent progress. Every donation, small or large, means a lot to Janice, to Simon and to myself. If you have not done so already please consider contributing online by visiting Janice's Ride to Conquer Cancer page. As it happens Janice will be visiting in Vancouver this coming weekend. I am hoping that we'll have good news to share of donations that move her closer to her goal. If you miss donating on "Epic Impact Day" don't worry - any day is a good day to contribute to the cause. Thank-you!

jack shaver

Just now I was looking for a book on my shelves when I spotted a photocopied booklet that was created in 1982 to mark the retirement of Jack Shaver. "The Jack Word Book" includes a number of stories about Jack's life and ministry along with some of Jack's memorable quotes as well as some of his prayers. I flipped through the pages and, looking back thirty years, realized the connection I have with Jack.

a drop in a bucket

Landing in the midst of the fortieth chapter of Isaiah is like arriving half-way into a great oratorio. The prophetic speech of Isaiah is wondrous, complex, beautiful and terrible poetry. Just now we heard Handel’s famous setting of the verse that precedes today’s text: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; and he shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Is 40:11). And that verse, itself, follows on some of Isaiah’s - if not the Bible’s - most extraordinary promises: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned” (Is. 40:1-2). The prophet sings Israel a lullaby, calming its terror with a daring song of hope.

the night-side of life

"Illness is the night-side of life, a more onerous citizenship. Everyone who is born holds dual citizenship, in the kingdom of the well and in the kingdom of the sick. Although we all prefer to use only the good passport, sooner or later each of us is obliged, at least for a spell, to identify ourselves as citizens of that other place."

- Susan Sontag

(Epigraph of "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" by Siddhartha Mukherjee)