Works and Words for Lent

Seven Years ago our church created a daily devotional booklet for lent. Today we hear from two former members — Richard Spears and David Hazelwood — and remember them with gratitude. More will come each day during holy week!

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“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?” James 2:14

Merely talking about something is no substitute for actually doing it. That notion is woven into our culture. We see it evident in expressions like “Put your money where your mouth is,” “Pay lip service to something,” “Fine words butter no parsnips,” and “All talk and no action.” Does our faith require more from us?

James is taking us beyond our built-in cultural motivation to help others. He reminds us that we show our faith best by deeds that come from the heart and not as a religious obligation or for show. We long to live and practice our faith with the guidance of loving hearts. When our hearts lead us to respond to the needs of others out of compassion, caring, and respect, we are directing the flow of God’s grace through ourselves to other people.

Will people experience the peace of God’s grace because of my faith? What can I do to create a more loving heart in myself? What do I require to motivate me to do good works?

Lord, instill in me a wholeness of heart, and let me heart nurture compassion, caring, and respect. Lord, make me a channel of Thy grace and an instrument of Thy peace. Amen.

Richard Spears

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“What do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:12-13)

When I read how the crowd demands that Pilate release Barabbas and crucify Jesus, I am first struck by the magnitude of the injustice. It is hard for me to comprehend their choice. Can I relate to that crowd?

The truth is, Jesus didn’t fit their picture of the Messiah. He didn’t look like the king they imagined would free them from their current Roman captivity through political force. He was a disappointment.

I can relate to that crowd.

Often I have a picture of how things should be and it’s not working out — not the way it is supposed to. And I am angry. I don’t want to trust that God knows the best way and has the best picture. I want, in those moments, to make my own way. I don’t want the way of faith, but a way that I think will “work”. I want Barabbas and not Jesus.

In his great mercy, God, through Jesus and the cross, brings his Kingdom and does his will, so that I get his infinitely better picture, and learn to trust him.

Heavenly Father, keep us from our attempts to make our own, fear-driven ways, but rather, teach us to not be afraid and to trust your ways.

David Hazelwood

Works and Words for Lent

Seven Years ago our church created a daily devotional booklet for lent. Today we hear from two former members — Richard Spears and David Hazelwood — and remember them with gratitude. More will come each day during holy week!

---

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works?” James 2:14

Merely talking about something is no substitute for actually doing it. That notion is woven into our culture. We see it evident in expressions like “Put your money where your mouth is,” “Pay lip service to something,” “Fine words butter no parsnips,” and “All talk and no action.” Does our faith require more from us?

James is taking us beyond our built-in cultural motivation to help others. He reminds us that we show our faith best by deeds that come from the heart and not as a religious obligation or for show. We long to live and practice our faith with the guidance of loving hearts. When our hearts lead us to respond to the needs of others out of compassion, caring, and respect, we are directing the flow of God’s grace through ourselves to other people.

Will people experience the peace of God’s grace because of my faith? What can I do to create a more loving heart in myself? What do I require to motivate me to do good works?

Lord, instill in me a wholeness of heart, and let me heart nurture compassion, caring, and respect. Lord, make me a channel of Thy grace and an instrument of Thy peace. Amen.

Richard Spears

---

“What do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:12-13)

When I read how the crowd demands that Pilate release Barabbas and crucify Jesus, I am first struck by the magnitude of the injustice. It is hard for me to comprehend their choice. Can I relate to that crowd?

The truth is, Jesus didn’t fit their picture of the Messiah. He didn’t look like the king they imagined would free them from their current Roman captivity through political force. He was a disappointment.

I can relate to that crowd.

Often I have a picture of how things should be and it’s not working out — not the way it is supposed to. And I am angry. I don’t want to trust that God knows the best way and has the best picture. I want, in those moments, to make my own way. I don’t want the way of faith, but a way that I think will “work”. I want Barabbas and not Jesus.

In his great mercy, God, through Jesus and the cross, brings his Kingdom and does his will, so that I get his infinitely better picture, and learn to trust him.

Heavenly Father, keep us from our attempts to make our own, fear-driven ways, but rather, teach us to not be afraid and to trust your ways.

David Hazelwood

The Things that Make for Peace

Last night, I couldn’t fall asleep.

After a long day on Monday when I intentionally didn’t dive into the news, knowing I couldn’t process yet another mass shooting, I took a deep breath yesterday and started to read.

And my reaction was what I knew it would be: shock. Disbelief. Anger. And pain.

Emotions that sit heavy on my heart, and can’t easily be brushed off by distractions.

So it was no surprise that as I went to bed and tried to quiet my mind, all those feelings came roaring back. And as I laid there, trying to shut down for the night, two passages of Scripture kept running through my head.

They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:4)

As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:41-42)

These passages competed for my attention, along with all the compelling statistics, quotes and images I also saw in my scrolling yesterday:

That the majority of Americans now want to see common-sense gun reforms

That America is the only country in the world to see this level of gun-related violence, and certainly this number of mass shootings

That guns are the leading cause of death for children in the country

That since Congress repealed the assault weapons ban in 2005, the lethality of mass shootings in this country has steadily worsened. (see especially this graph)

And finally, this image, shared by our own Pastor Pete, along with many of my other friends. (I’m unsure of the original creator, but found it on Facebook here.)

The debate over gun rights and gun control and gun violence in our country is so deeply divisive, and has such a long and turbulent history, that it’s hard to feel like any of us has anything new to say.

But here’s a thought, anyway.

As Pastor Pete reflected with me today, it seems like much of our conversations in recent years have taken our politics as a starting point and our theology as what follows. We come to church as Democrats or Republicans and look for a preacher, a bible translation, a denominational affiliation, that reflects how we vote.

But the call of the gospel, as I understand it, is the opposite. That we take the scriptures, and the person of Jesus Christ, the love of God and the work of the Holy Spirit among us and let those things inform our politics.

And those passages that I can’t get out of my head, they tell me that God’s vision for us is one of peace. That we are called to recognize and embrace the things that make for peace.

I cannot for a second imagine that more guns will bring peace. That arming teachers with AR-15s will remove the threat of school shootings.

What I can imagine is turning swords into plowshares. And teaching not about war anymore, but about peace.

To me, that means responsible gun ownership: safe storage, firearm locks, red flag laws and universal background checks. But it also means that weapons of war like assault rifles and high-capacity magazines should have no place in civilian life.

I get a lot of flack sometimes for combining my politics and my preaching. And the response I give, the response I will always give, is this: my religion informs how I think about politics. I cannot possibly separate the two. To do so would be dishonest, because I don’t enter politics as a democrat first, or an Illinois voter first, but as a Christian first.

And Christ tells me to pursue the things that make for peace.

So today, I will weep and I will rage and I will probably make myself get off the couch and go for a run because it’s the best stress relief I know.

But I will also get to work. Calling my representatives, donating to organizations who are working for peace, and speaking aloud what I understand to be the gospel’s message for us in this moment.

I hope you’ll do the same.

-Pastor Jen