The Reign of God

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39 )

[This scripture passage is actually cited as a support for the commentary section of the article on the “Reign of God.” The Mennonite Confession of Faith has commentary sections that expand on some of the ideas found in the articles of faith, and also adds complementary information/theology not explicitly addressed in the article.]

Nations, kingdoms, empires rise and fall. We elect, and sometimes re-elect, presidents every four years. Governments do not last forever – it just seems like it sometimes. But God’s reign endures.

What does that have to do with this scripture passage you say? Well, it connects because God’s reign is the same as the “love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And as the “Reign of God” article’s commentary section says, “we who are in Christ are assured that not even death can separate us from the love of God.” This speaks not only to the power of Christ’s/God’s love, but the durability of God’s reign. While politics may “make strange bedfellows” there is no love lost amongst many politicians. Camaraderie and compassion can turn into partisanship and division very quickly. So how can a “reign” that is based on love and compassion endure?

Well, if the love is perfect, as God’s love is perfect, it can withstand all things – death, life, angels, demons, the present, the future, any other powers, heights, depths, and everything else in creation.

There is no “may you . . . “ because under God’s reign all things will be. So, gentle reader, dwell under God’s reign, because . . . .there is no where else to be. Shalom!

Dining with Christ

“And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 )

In order to understand, in part, how Mennonite view communion, you need to know a little Anabaptist history. Mennonites emerged out of the Anabaptist movement which took issue with the Roman Catholic church over several issues, one of which was the Lord’s Supper or communion. [Another was baptism, but I will say more about that when we look at baptism again.]

Catholicism held that the bread and the wine became the body and blood of Christ, a theology called “transubstantiation” . Anabaptists said this is not so – that it is simply a remembrance of what Christ did and what he stood for and not an actual/literal nor metaphor/image of eating Christ’s body.

The confession of faith says, “The Lord’s Supper points to Jesus Christ, whose body was given for us and whose shed blood established the new covenant .” By re-enacting the Last Supper we are remembering and reliving that moment when Christ told his disciples what his death would mean. And that Christ’s death and resurrection would usher in a new way and a new church. During communion we ask for Christ’s presence – not in the bread and the wine – but with us/amongst us.

A hymn that I remember from communion services both as a child and as an adult is “Be present at our table, Lord.”

Be present at our table Lord,
Be here and everywhere adored.
These mercies bless and grant that we
May live in fellowship with Thee.
[Other last lines: ]
May live in harmony with Thee
May feast in Paradise with Thee.
May strengthened for Thy service be.
May spend our lives in serving Thee.

There is more that can be said about the Mennonite perspective on the Lord’s Supper. But not being sure how often scripture attached to this article of faith will be listed/used, I am inclined to reserve some commentary on this article of faith for another time. However, I invite you to look over this article of faith Article on the Lord's Supper and the other articles of faith in the confession.

May you gentle reader share many meals with our Lord Christ and with fellow believers. Selah!

Continuing the conversation about the Holy Spirit

“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. “ (Micah 3:8)

When the article on the Holy Spirit came up the first time (January 4th) I excerpted part of the confession of faith where it said, “prophets and writers of Scripture were inspired.” Mennonites believe that those who wrote the scripture were prompted to by the Spirit. That is not to say that all of them got it absolutely right, but that each one of them felt that the message they passed on came from God. And we honor that. Using the same Spirit we read scripture and interpret it for ourselves, and share that interpretation with others. We believe that God is always with us, through the Holy Spirit and that Spirit is God’s way of bridging the gap from where our Lord is in heaven and where we are on earth.

The author of Micah voices the same belief that we have, that “the Spirit of the Lord” can and does fill us and that we can declare to others what God says to us. This belief is also the basis for what happened after Jesus was taken into heaven. The confession of faith says, “At Pentecost, God began to pour out the Spirit on all flesh and to gather the church from among many nations. As a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, the church praises and worships God and brings forth the fruit of the Spirit. By the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all Christians are called to carry out their particular ministries. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the church comes to unity in doctrine and action. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the church preaches, teaches, testifies, heals, loves, and suffers, following the example of Jesus its Lord. “ The power of the Holy Spirit is much like the power of God, which I (and the confession of faith) spoke to on January 26th, just a few days ago.

It is no coincidence, gentle reader, that the Holy Spirit’s nature is much like God’s, because the Holy Spirit is from God, and is God. The Spirit helps our faith and our Christian journey evolve and move forward. Ever encouraging us, the Holy Spirit partners with us to grow closer to God – which the Holy Spirit is. This would be confusing if it were not for the fact that God is ever present in all things – which happens because of the Holy Spirit.

But perhaps I have confused you/said enough. May you gentle reader rest in the Holy Spirit this day, and journey with the Spirit all your days. Selah!

The difference between the good, the great, and the Divine

“… as to his human nature [he] was a descendant of David and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 1:3-4 )

There are “good” men and women who obey the laws of the land (mostly), live modest and accountable lives, and are friendly to most of the people they meet. There are “great” men and women who have excelled in their field, have impacted the human race in a positive way, and will be remembered for their extraordinary nature. And then there is Jesus.

The confession of faith says “We believe in Jesus Christ, the Word of God become flesh. He is the Savior of the world, who has delivered us from the dominion of sin and reconciled us to God by humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death on a cross. He was declared to be Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead. He is the head of the church, the exalted Lord, the Lamb who was slain, coming again to reign with God in glory. “No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Starting out by being conceived through the intervention of the Holy Spirit, and growing each day in closer alignment to the nature and mission of God, Jesus was destined for supreme greatness. Then he died and arose again three days later. That kind of cinched it. And what’s more Jesus ascended to heaven and dwells as one with God. You. Just. Can’t. Top. That.

I was driving somewhere the other day, and this song came on the radio. The title was “Let my words be few” and I think the original composer is Matt Redman, but I could be wrong. The lyrics are the following:
“You are God in heaven
And here am I on earth,
So I’ll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You.
And I’ll stand in awe of You,
Yes I’ll stand in awe of You,
And I’ll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You.
The simplest of all love songs
I want to bring to You,
So I’ll let my words be few-
Jesus I am so in love with You. “

And suddenly the concerns and worries I had just dropped away as I realized that loving Jesus and living as God wants me to puts everything else into perspective and orders my priorities.

Good people makes us feel good just by knowing them. Great people inspire us to reach for greatness. But Jesus is our model and inspiration for our lives. You just can’t do better than that.

May you gentle reader look to our Lord Jesus Christ and find in his life your reason to live. Selah!

The “Impossible to Please” God

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. “ (Hebrews 11: 6)

If you wonder about my title, and what God would be impossible to please, let me quote a little bit from the latter part of the article on God from the Mennonite Confession of Faith.

“God’s awesome glory and enduring compassion are perfect in holy love. God’s sovereign power and unending mercy are perfect in almighty love. God’s knowledge of all things and care for creation are perfect in preserving love. God’s abounding grace and wrath against sinfulness are perfect in righteous love. God’s readiness to forgive and power to transform are perfect in redemptive love. God’s unlimited justice and continuing patience with humankind are perfect in suffering love. God’s infinite freedom and constant self-giving are perfect in faithful love. “ God is perfect! How can we hope to be pleasing to God, we who are imperfect!?

But the answer to that is found in God’s nature. Because God is so perfect, the Divine will not look down on or disdain humanity. In fact God worked out a way for us to change from imperfect to perfect – Jesus Christ! So if you look again at the verse from Hebrews, and allow the possibility of Jesus Christ to mediate the verse, this is what you get. “With faith in Christ it is possible to please God, because everyone who comes to him [God] earnestly seeking and believing God and Christ will be rewarded.”

May you gentle reader believe in God and earnestly seek our Lord who is manifested in God and Jesus Christ. Selah!

The Reign of God

“And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
(Mark 1:11 )

What we believe as Mennonites comes from the scriptures as we understand them through the Divine assistance of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament tells us who Jesus was and what Jesus Christ taught and passed on to his followers. It tells through many vignettes the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. The Old Testament tells the story of God’s people being formed and/or the struggle to be formed into a faithful nation. God is in heaven. All instruction and truth comes from heaven where our Lord dwells. When all things have come about as foreseen by God, God will gather again creation to the God-self and we will be returned to our Lord. Until that time, we dwell on earth while God dwells in heaven. What comes from God’s heaven we heed and obey. And we strain to listen for God’s voice that the Lord might say to us, “you are my child, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

May you gentle reader listen from God’s voice and dwell under God’s reign until the end of this age, and into the new age. Selah!

[This is the last article in the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective . Tomorrow we will start again with  the "Sip of Scripture" being a scripture passage from the first article in the confession faith. I will again identify which article each scripture passage is associated with.]

In, But Not Of

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. “ (I Peter 2:9 )

I have often said, “ I don’t do politics . . . I am not political . . . I do not weigh in on political matters” and other such statements. There is a reason for that . . . I am a “traditional” Mennonite. Not Conservative and not Fundamental, but traditional. When I was growing up, there was good bit of discussion around our supper table as to whether Mennonites should vote or take part in other political actions. It was an evolution from being “the quiet in the land” to demonstrating for and on peace issues. But peace issues and politics issues, while having many intersection points, are not the same thing.

The confession of faith says, “We believe that the church is God’s “holy nation,” called to give full allegiance to Christ its head and to witness to all nations about God’s saving love. The church is the spiritual, social, and political body that gives its allegiance to God alone.”

If we speak out on peace issues (which I have done – 2009 being a year that I spoke on peace for nearly 365 days) it is to witness to God’s love and shalom. Within my lifetime, the question as to whether Mennonites should vote was a hot topic – of course, that was in Canada and not in the United States. Let me say that on several issues Canadian Mennonites and United States Mennonites do not use the same perspectives, although we are covered by the same confession of faith.

So what does it mean to be a Mennonite and be a citizen of a nation? The phrase “in but not of” covers a good deal of ground. We live in a nation, that is are born and raised in a country, state/province, town, and are subject to the laws and guidelines of all citizens. But if a law conflicts with God’s law, God’s law takes precedence. Now, Mennonites do not seek to break laws, and for the most part the “laws of the land” and God’s laws both seek to protect and keep the peace. But at times, God’s law calls us to a higher standard and accountability. We respect governments if the government seeks to protect its citizenry, but when governments to not seek the good of all people, we are compelled to raise above that seek the good of all people according to God’s laws.

I have not yet spoken about the “commentary” that accompanies the articles of faith. Perhaps it would be help to excerpt some of that here to help explain what I mean. “We believe that Christ is Lord over all of life. Church and state are separate and often competing structures vying for our loyalty. We understand that governments can preserve order and that we owe honor to people in government. But our “fear” [meaning reverence, awe, and love] belongs to God alone. When the demands of the government conflict with the demands of Christ, Christians are to “obey God rather than any human authority.”

So there you have it . . . I am a Canadian citizen living in the United States but pledge my allegiance first and foremost to God.

May you gentle reader pledge your loyalty to God, and may that pledge guide all your other decisions and actions. Selah!

Unabashed Peace-niks

“Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. “ (Isaiah 2:3-4 )

Back in 2007, the originator of this blog asked the question, “What is a plowshare, anyways?” Being a good Mennonite girl whose formative years were in lived out in a small town that had farms all around, I knew what a plowshare was.

That type of knowledge can be learned best in quiet countrysides, rolling hills, and the undisturbed solitude of being the fields planting and harvesting so that those around you can be fed and nourished.

But if war and violence should come, and break the peace in the land, we should not fight back. We should not take those implements that have allowed us to earn a livelihood and turn them into the means to hurt, maim or kill. If it be the choice of striking down another or being strike down ourselves, we will face the violence and accept its consequences. But we will not wrest the violent tool away and turn it against another.

The confession of faith says, “We believe that peace is the will of God. God created the world in peace, and God’s peace is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ, who is our peace and the peace of the whole world. Led by the Holy Spirit, we follow Christ in the way of peace, doing justice, bringing reconciliation, and practicing nonresistance even in the face of violence and warfare. “

Mennonites do not develop the tools of violence and war, so we have never had to need to remake them. But we seek to remake the aggression and violence that is in the world into peace, compassion, caring, forgiveness, and mercy. It takes time, and it is a task that is passed on from generation to generation.

But gentle reader, it is with great sadness that I must say, that while it is our confession of faith, some Mennonites today do not give it the same weight and authority that others do. Not all peace-niks are Mennonite, and not all Mennonites are peace-niks. Just like so many things, there are people at all points of the spectrum coming from all sorts of places and backgrounds. But the broad identity of Mennonites is that of lovers of peace.

May you gentle reader dwell in peace, and may God’s peace surround you. Selah!

Make do, use it up, wear it out, or go without

“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” (NSRV Luke 12:48b)

The confession of faith says, “We believe that everything belongs to God, who calls us as the church to live as faithful stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. As servants of God, our primary vocation is to be stewards in God’s household.”

I like to think that I started recycling before it was in vogue. My mother had bought a large wicker basket at one of the Mennonite Central Committee’s stores (they sold items made by locals in the countries where Mennonite missionaries were stationed to help the locals of the country earn a living) and declared that we were going to wash all metals cans, plastic containers etc and take them to a recycling center. It was very cutting edge for the time (1974) and somewhat radical. But I quickly became accustomed to it and did the same thing when I set up my own household. Now that EVERYONE does it, its not such a big thing. But as I said, I like to think that way back then, our family set the standard.

Another example of Mennonite stewardship is the More With Less cookbook that celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. While in 1976 I was well into recycling, the idea of making more out of a lessor amount food did not really make sense to me. Soon after it came out I had opportunity to look at some of the recipes. They didn’t appeal to me (I was 17 at the time and was not thrilled about wheatgerm and brown rice) so I stuck with the Mennonite Cookbook that was a compiling of recipes handed down and around for over 50(?) years.

But stewardship is more than just packing materials, consumer byproducts, and food choices. It is taking from society only what one needs, and giving back in whatever ways are possible. It is making all of one’s resources go as far as possible, and not seeking to acquire things for the joy of simply possessing them. And it is living and working to insure that all people have access to what they need to live a safe and equitable life.

May you gentle reader give thanks daily for what you receive in this world, and may you be trustworthy and accountable stewards of what you have been given. Selah!

I swear, so help me . . .

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.” But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. “ ( Matthew 5:33-35 )

“We commit ourselves to tell the truth, to give a simple yes or no, and to avoid swearing of oaths. Jesus told his disciples not to swear oaths at all, but to let their yes be yes, and their no be no. . . . An oath is often sworn as a guarantee that one is telling the truth. This implies that when one has not taken an oath, one may be less careful about telling the truth. Jesus’ followers are always to speak the truth and, in legal matters, simply to affirm that their statements are true.”

From the first time that “Law and Order” was broadcast, I loved it. There was something about it; whether it was the process of gathering information, or the drama in the court room, I loved every aspect of it. Often Jack McCoy (while another actor, Michael Moriarty was on the series the first few years as Ben Stone, Sam Waterston’s performance as ADA McCoy stands out the most for me) discovered that witness, defendants, and others did not tell the truth, or anything close to the truth. Swearing by the Almighty did not seem to deter lying and covering up.

I am not sure if a Mennonite would make a good witness or not. During my growing up years I heard stories of Mennonites trying to explain to the court why they could not take that oath, neither hand on Bible or swearing by God. Let your nay be nay, and your yea be yea. No fudging or trying to hide out between the two. I do not know if it is because that was such a part of my upbringing, or if its just me, but I value truthfulness over a lot of other things.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not the sole and breadth of honesty and truth. I don’t lie, but when it comes to squeaking by on the slippery side of the facts and omitting uncomfortable details or inconvenient truths – if I have to be honest, I have done that. And I feel so terribly guilty about it.

But neither do I believe in brutal honesty. That is not a Mennonite trait. When truth and honesty are used to cut a person, or give license to say horrible, hurtful things – it is as bad as lying. It may be the truth, but truth needs to be tempered by compassion and caring.

The scripture passages attached to this article of faith are very few, so I may not have the opportunity to say a great deal more. But then, may be not a lot more needs to be said.

May you gentle reader dwell in truth and honesty, speaking what is actual and not hiding behind lies and misinformation. But may you also speak with care and kindness so that what you say may be remembered and treasured. Selah!