entertaining Angels

 Entertaining Angels?

It’s been said, by more than one person, that humility and hospitality are basic Christian virtues.  Luke tells us Jesus spoke about humility and hospitality while eating with a Pharisee one Sabbath day.  (look up Luke 14:1-14)

The meal started with what feels like an interruption.  A man showed up with legs swollen by edema.  Jesus asked the Pharisees, who watched him closely, if it was right to heal on the sabbath.  The Pharisees sat silent.  Jesus healed the man.  He sent him on his way.  Now with all eyes Jesus he told a parable about a feast.  He encouraged people to take the lowest seat—that they might be honored later  Next He told the people they should give banquets for people who could never repay.

Jesus words about being humble and serving those who can’t echo with other parts of scripture.  Jesus talked about the least of these.  Prophets like Moses, Isaiah, Malachi called for care the widows, orphans, and aliens.  Jesus tells us to care for the least of these and to welcomes strangers.  Hospitality is deeply spiritual—because we are caring for Jesus when we care for the least of these.  The writer to the Hebrews says We may be even entertaining angels when we welcome in strangers.  Luke up Hebrews 13:2.

Babel’s reflection Genesis 11:1-9

In the ancient book of Genesis there's an account of a city in which everything made sense and then nothing made sense at all Genesis 11:1-9. The city was called Babel.

The human population of the whole earth, it was said, had just one language and the people all understood each other. And they came together in one place on earth. That really sounds good on the outside. Yes we want people to be united, but these people were not united for good purposes. They came together with big plans all their own—not plans that came from God. Now they had their chance. Now they would make a name for themselves. They planned to build a great city. But having a great city wasn't enough. They wanted a great tower to be at the heart of this great city that would reach right up to heaven.

The people believed that they'd be scattered all across the earth if it weren't for this great tower that they were going to build. They had to build it—it became their purpose—their obsession—their very reason for living. They had to build it otherwise they could never be one.

What's funny (to me) is that they missed the fact that they already were one and that they had a great and wonderful purpose from day one. They were God's own and they were made to live in the joy of knowing God's constant presence and abiding love. They were made to live in great joy. But joy wasn't enough for them.

The people of Babel thought that this tower, this man made structure, would unite and unify them as a people. They thought the glory of this tower would make them happy satisfying the deepest needs of their souls.

But in God's great and grand design they already had a common identity and an even greater purpose. In God's great and grand design they already had all that they needed. They were made in the very image and likeness of God. In God's great and grand design was greater joy than could be found in making an even bigger name for themselves on the earth. In God is found our great hope and joy. It's not in the stuff that we can get or the things that we can build. It's in knowing and loving God that we find true joy.

I've watched over the years as people live to acquire more stuff and bigger things. I've watched people in power step on and exploit others for their own selfish gain. And the one thing that surprises me the most is that somehow that identity that stuff that amount of money is never enough. The people of Babel were absolutely convinced that they needed more than just what God had given them. They thought that they needed to prove once and for all that they were great and that they were the ones who made themselves into one great and powerful people.

And God stepped in among the people of Babel. Imagine God coming, maybe in the company of angels and nobody noticed. They were so busy. Their eyes fixed on this project, this tower, and they missed God's presence in their midst. And God brought confusion. The words that once formed their common bond no longer united them. In a moment their common language and earth bound purpose were gone. And they lost any need or ability to keep on building that great tower. They'd forgotten their real treasure is not in what they can build or acquire—their real joy is found in God.

And in the moment of confusion and consternation everything that they thought had mattered just stopped mattering. And in God even after everything has lost meaning we find peace.
Peace, and thanks for reading, John

can you show me God John 14:8-17

There's a beautiful request that people can make, “Can you show me God?” It's a question that can be asked at so many junctures. In the best days and in the deepest pains, “Can you show me God?”

Jesus' friend Philip made this kind of request when we he asked Jesus,

“Lord, show us the Father.”

Jesus responded with surprise.

Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?

Jesus and Philip—and all of his friends had been through so much together. They'd traveled for 3 years together. They'd seen daemon's cast out, Lazarus come out of a tomb and heard Jesus teach with power and wisdom that clearly didn't come from any earthly source. After all they'd seen together Philip still didn't recognize Jesus as one with the Father

So when Philip asked to see the Father Jesus told him plainly

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.

For Jesus it's simple as his nature. When a person sees God the Son they are seeing God the Father too. So often humans. like Philip don't see God even when God's at work all around every day. People ask sometimes even out loud, “show yourself God” But so often humans don't see God at all.

And Jesus invited his friends to look through faith and see God at work. Deep down seeing God is a great need of every person. And here's the promise of God's presence. The one who created all thing, the same one who died to redeem still breathes life today. When God's Word is heard or a neighbor is served Jesus comes into our midst. In the bread and wine God's very heart is seen. He is the one who made heaven and earth and died to redeem it. And this same Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit it still coming. An advocate is coming to speak in God's name—on God's behalf to teach and reveal God's promises and to bring us peace. Today we trust that Holy Spirit comes to show us the heart of the Father.

Peace and thanks for reading.