4/7InkzHVUEQeEdU9vpc1tikzEhChrKmPfvXI-FSDBrBQ

justice

Adult Object Lesson: Luke 18:1-8

mosquitoPersistence, Justice and Faith 

This week’s object is a mosquito. BUZZZZZZZZ!

Have you ever set out to enjoy a summer evening when that buzz around your ear alerts you to danger? SWAT. Did you get it? Lean back and relax. Buzzzzzz. SWAT. The dance of the mosquito and the source of its sustenance continues until the little devil alights on an arm. SWAT!. Justice has prevailed. You hope!

Satisfied, you lean back and lift a cool glass of lemonade to your lips. Buzzzzz.

Mosquitos will have their way. They will keep entering the danger zone over and over. Where one fails, another waits.

The lessons today have a common trait. The widow insists on being heard by the judge in Jesus’ gospel story. In the Old Testament lesson, Jacob, having just wrestled with God, is not about to give up on what he is looking for either.

The parable points to the foundation of persistence. Faith. Although the parable seems to be all about persistence, Jesus’ parting volley is about faith. Will Jesus as the Son of Man find any faithful when he returns?

Faith creates problems for the faithful. It is indeed the quality that gives us backbone as a church and as individuals. Yet, frequently, that quality is unappreciated. Faith and persistence are read as disobedience and resistance, even foolhardiness—qualities that deserve punishment. SWAT!

God, the final arbiter of disputes, is not resentful of the persistent. He expects it and promises to reward it. He shows us this in story after story. He applauds the people who persist in getting his attention, even when they have annoyed him.

Think about the stories.

  • Zaccheus who climbs a tree just to see Jesus
  • The bleeding woman who reaches out to touch Jesus’ robe
  • The centurion who is sure his slave will be healed on Jesus’ command
  • The Samaritan leper, who sent on his way, insists on returning with gratitude
  • The sinful woman who accepts public ridicule to sit at Jesus’ feet
  • and more

Jesus likes the willful. He doesn’t see disobedience. He sees persistence fueled by faith. Exactly what he is looking for in his followers—yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Print out the image of a mosquito and attach it to a dowel. Use it as a puppet to illustrate your talk today.

BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

photo credit: Marcos Teixeira de Freitas via photopin cc

14 Oct 2013

Exploring Justice in the Lutheran Church

shutterstock_339693143

On Sunday, September 9, from 3-5 pm, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod (SEPA) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will hold a discussion of the national body’s proposed social statement on criminal justice.

The Church’s concerns for justice might be more credible coming from people who do not hold themselves out as being immune from laws which apply to everyone else.

When faced with honest disagreements concerning Lutheran polity and interpretation of its constitutions, the ELCA and at least one regional body (SEPA Synod) has used the justice system to bully its members.

Instead of working with congregations as the constitutions define, SEPA made up its own rules, replacing their founding Articles of Incorporation with conflicting bylaws, putting congregations that actually read both documents at disadvantage.

This is counter to normal law. Articles of Incorporation outrank bylaws. The ELCA Articles of Incorporation even state that the regional bodies may not amend their constitutions in violation of the statutes of the founding charter. But that hasn’t stopped SEPA (and a few other synods, too).

SEPA proceeded to violate the statutes, betting that no one would stand in their way. When Redeemer, a member church, objected, their FIRST action was to file a law suit against them. Forget the constitutional grievance process.

Once they had the court’s attention, they argued that the case, which they filed, should not be heard because of separation of church and state.

The national church has watched in silence. They are busy regarding their leaders and disregarding their members.

This issue went to the Pennsylvania Appellate Court which dodged the issue, agreeing to no jurisdiction with an important dissenting opinion. The dissenting judges ruled that if the law is applied, the congregation’s arguments have merit and should be heard. If high-ranking judges disagree, there is room for honest disagreement within the church.

SEPA Synod views itself as above the law.

It would appear that SEPA Synod’s view of the justice system is that it exists as a tool to be used against dissenting members—an alternative to actually working out problems within their polity. It is  a way to bypass the inconvenience of its own constitutions.

The draft statement includes a paragraph advocating responses of love and advocacy for those embroiled in the justice system. Redeemer has seen no such tolerance within the ELCA, SEPA Synod or even within its congregations. Summary of Draft Version of the Justice Statement

We suggest the ELCA and SEPA Synod stay out of this discussion until they can enter it with cleaner hands.

13 Jul 2012