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The Gospel of Mark Bible Studies
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007 Ordination of Louise Christensen
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
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Time after
Pentecost – #26(c) I found myself thinking of my trip to South Africa this week. I thought about the shanty-houses and the shanty-villages. I thought of a few of the people I met—people who had no opportunity to become educated, no access to transportation, little opportunity to find employment. And I asked myself, for the hundredth time, what would it be like to live like that? How do you manage in a poverty stricken, crime ridden, often-times diseased population like that? Where life is so, so fragile? Brothers and sisters, Abraham – from Jesus’ parable said there was a chasm that people could not climb across in the afterlife—I’m not so sure the chasm isn’t already there. What could possible cross the boundary between poverty and wealth. I read this passage of scripture countless times as well. With mixed emotions I imagined how this parable might come off a little different, depending on the audience. I wonder what this parable might sound like to people whose lives are a bit more similar to Lazarus’, and a little less like the rich man than my own life—the rich man who dressed in fine linen and who feasted sumptuously each day. I thought to myself that the folks I met in Africa, who don’t have very much, probably hear this passage quite differently than we do living in the United States of America. Whereas I might read this and find myself a bit uneasy because of my insulation from extreme poverty, our Christian brothers and sisters over there might just love this passage because of the promise of justice found in the after life. "Yes," they might say together in celebration and in a sense of relief, "our pain will be replaced by great joy!...Our hunger, with fulfillment…we can hardly wait to have our thirst quenched with drinkable water.” Literally. It seems to me that it is, in a sense, complete justice that is described here in the parable–the people who have in this life, become the have-nots of the life to come, and visa versa Complete justice. Complete fairness. Tit for tat. Everything evens out in the end. Yin equals yang. The punishment for selfishness fits the crime precisely. All reparations will be paid in full. In the specter of fairness…It’s perfect. Perfectly fair. But wait a minute..., Hold the phone. What is Jesus saying here? Is total fairness really what we want? Is this parable really satisfying to those Christians who are poor—even our brothers and sisters in Africa? As much as there is something that seems totally right and true about this, something tells me that there is something not right here at all. What this parable of Jesus gives us is a promise of a totally just outcome to the problem of injustice and inequity. But the problem of this scenario is obvious, even if you end up sitting in Father Abraham’s lap in heaven, you still have to look across a chasm and live with the knowledge of those other folks who are suffering in some kind of hell?!"
From a Christian perspective, is this really
satisfying? At all? After studying the Bible and our religion for several years now, I do not believe that this parable is what Christ wants for us or for anyone else. And this is exactly the point of the parable. We do not want God to come and judge—even if he judges with justice. Brothers and sisters, this parable has caused me to have many questions and concerns (as it should for each of us), and in order to better understand the role that this story and its promise plays, I have decided to explore the wider themes with you today-- Three themes from the Gospels, especially Luke—the wider discussion of which this parable is only a part: Three L’s: Light, Listening, and Love. 1) In Chapter 8 of Luke, Jesus is said to have spoke a familiar phrase, “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. Again and again, Jesus reminds his followers that the kingdom is here now. Again and again, Jesus urges us to remember and reminds us that the Kingdom of God is not only something that happens in the future—it is not just an afterlife scenario. So rather than waiting, waiting, waiting for almighty (all-powerful) God to give mercy to those who are suffering in the world, why not act as God’s people here and now? Why not show forth in the world the righteousness of the kingdom of God? If God has given you power, then you have power indeed. Use it to show mercy. That’s what is obviously missing in this parable about judgment. Where’s the mercy in this scenario? Answer: There is none, unless you put it there. Mercy, in the name of Christ is our calling. Cease the moment. Or as you or your parents were told upon your own baptism…”Let your light so shine before others so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” 2) Listening to Christ: Upon realizing his predicament in this parable, the rich man pleads for warnings to go to his brothers. To this Abraham replies, “They have Moses and the prophets, they should listen to him.” a) In Chapter 8 Jesus, upon introducing parables, tells his disciples, "Take care how you listen..." b) Chapter 9:28-36 The transfiguration. God says, "This is my beloved Son, listen to him." Brothers and sisters, Jesus in the Gospels, is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets! In John’s Gospel he is call the eternal Word of God—a communication from God to all humanity—But what is a word that no one listens to? This is the question of Luke and this parable. People will not be changed by him, unless there are those who listen to him. This is an extremely prominent them in Luke. 3) Love. A very wise woman once told me, they will listen to you once they know that you love them. Love: Jesus told us to love God, and to love our neighbors as our selves (or as if they were our own people). Love unites us—love binds us together—love gives us communion with complete strangers. Love makes this totally “just” parable unacceptable, because Jesus teaches us that something is missing. Love does not allow us to be totally satisfied knowing that “they will get what they have coming to them.” Although we do love justice, Christ also teaches us how to have a broken heart. Luke tells us that Jesus does not want to be forced into the role of the righteous judge who rules with supreme justice. Luke 12:13-15 As long as there is any human suffering, how can Christ who loves humanity be at peace? How can we be at peace when we look across the chasm (or at our television set) and see humans/people suffering? 1) Shine your Light—remember the Kingdom of God is now, when you let his Spirit guide your life. Let your light so shine out into the world… 2)Listen—Mary and Marth -- As it turns out the one thing needed to fulfill God’s plan for our life, is not in being busily doing all the time, but in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The promise of the Gospel is that God does not give us lofty commands and then send us out on our own to fail or succeed. Rather, God calls us first to sit at the feet of Christ, and listen…to be with Jesus. When we are with Jesus in a spiritual sense, our actions are no longer self-motivated. In fact, they can’t be. Rather, they are pure, guided by the love of God. They are acts motivated purely by our (faith) relationship with him. 3) Love—Without love, there will be no mercy or justice. Brother and sisters, let us love God and love our neighbor, because Christ first loved us. And may our love be the one thing that can indeed cross the chasms that have been made between people. -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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