Leather Swords and Lacy Handbags

Bible as weapon.

October 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Epistle Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

For Sunday, October 14, 2012 Year B—Ordinary 28

Lutherans don’t show up to church carrying their Bibles. At first I thought this was weird because in the fundamentalist church in which I was raised, we brought our Bibles to church, boy howdy!

As a matter of fact, if you were a particularly righteous woman, you might carry your Bible in a quaintly quilted Bible cover with a lacy handle – not unlike a Laura Ingles Wilder handbag. I remember my father’s Bible being clothed in a zippable leather cover complete with an inlay of a sword on the front. When we’d be late for church and my Dad couldn’t find his Bible, he’d yell “Has anyone seen my sword?” [Read more...]

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Inheriting Eternal Life

Shrinking our camel-sized selves down to needle-eye size.

October 7, 2012 By 2 Comments

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Gospel Reading: Mark 10:17-31

For Sunday, October 14, 2012 Year B—Ordinary 28

What must I do to inherit eternal life? asks the rich man.

This text always makes me roll my eyes a little bit. Because isn’t that just like a spoiled rich kid to think that he’s entitled to an awesome inheritance? In this case, eternal life.

“What must I do to inherit eternal life,” he asks. Which is a little weird since in family, anyway, the big thing you have to do regarding inheritance is to basically try to still be alive when the other guy dies. [Read more...]

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The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch

April 30, 2012 By 15 Comments

Or the Conversion of Phillip?

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

New Testament Reading: Acts 8:26-40

For Sunday, May 6, 2012 Year B—Easter 5

In my childhood Bible, this text was titled “The Conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch.” I was always told that the message of this text was that we should tell everyone we meet about Jesus because in doing so we might save them. We might convert them. We might change them into being us.

But today I’m not so sure.

Stuart

One Sunday a few years back, my parishioner Stuart showed up to liturgy wearing slacks and button down shirt rather than his iconic Grease Monkey jacket and jeans.

Earlier that day he had stood as godfather and baptismal sponsor for the child of his friends, a straight couple who have known Stuart for a number of years.

Apparently, after the baptism, there was a little reception back at this couple’s house. To Stuart’s surprise his friends got all of their guest’s attention so they could say a few words about why they had chosen Stuart as their child’s godparent.

[Read more...]

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Vines and Branches?

April 30, 2012 By 3 Comments

I Want To Be a Sunflower For Jesus

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Gospel Reading: John 15:1-8

For Sunday, May 6, 2012 Year B—Easter 5

I’m nothing if not independent. Reportedly my first sentence was “do it self!” Yes, I will do it myself, thank you.

Choices

See, I want choices. And I want independence. But apparently I get neither. What I wish Jesus said is: “I am whatever you want me to be. And you can be whatever you want to be: vine, pruner, branch, soil…knock yourself out.” What Jesus actually says is: “I am the vine. My Father is the vine grower. You are the branches” Dang. The casting has already been finalized.

I guess that even if we don’t get to choose our role—God has determined that we are branches, Jesus is the vine and God is the vine grower; I wish that at least I could choose what kind of plant to be.

A Grape Vine? Really?

Vines, and branches off of vines, are all tangled and messy and it’s just too hard to know what is what. If I’m going to bear fruit I want it attributed to me and my branch. If I’m too tangled up with other vines and branches I might not get credit.

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Go Ahead, Judge a Book By Its Title

November 27, 2011 By 11 Comments

The Beginning of the Good News

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1–8

For Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 Year B—Advent 2

I love that Mark’s gospel starts by saying: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, son of God.”

Look, Ma, no Verb!

Grammar geeks might notice that there is no verb in that sentence. It’s more like it’s the title of the book: The Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, Son of God. If it were titled just The Good News about Jesus Christ, Son of God then the book might be read as the beginning, middle, and end of the good news. If it had been titled The Beginning of the Good Short Story of Jesus Christ, Son of God then it would not be news. What makes it news is that it is something new that is external to us that we have to be told. The idea that it’s also the beginning suggests much more good stuff to come from this Jesus Christ, Son of God.

Raise Your Mug and Say “Yea!”

The term gospel was the term for the news flash that an announcer proclaimed about a victory that the empire or the king had won. It was a pronouncement of Good News. Something big had happened that had changed everything and this sort of announcement was one that elicited a response.

It’s sort of like if the owner of a crowded bar yells, “Drinks are on the house!” Everyone raises their mugs and says, “Yea!” So here, Mark’s account of the Gospel greets us with surprising gusto as we settle into the second week of Advent—the second week of waiting on the coming of God.

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Reminding God That God Used To Be A Lot Nicer

November 27, 2011 By 1 Comment

The implication being: that ain’t happening now.

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Psalm Reading: Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13

For Sunday, Dec. 4, 2011 Year B—Advent 2

You don’t have to be some fancy biblical scholar to realize that things aren’t going so well for God’s people in Psalm 85.

The Psalmist starts out by reminding God that God did Jacob a solid and looked favorably on the land, restored fortune and forgave and pardoned the sinful. The implication being: that ain’t happening now.

Defy the RCL Gods!

I implore you at this point to defy the Revised Common Lectionary gods and include the excised verses 3-6.

Here we can witness the Psalmist at his or her manipulative best. They move effortlessly from reminding God that God used to be forgiving and restorative to saying that, Hey, can’t you do the same for us? You gonna just be angry forever? Of course you won’t God…plus if you revive us we’ll totally rejoice in you.” Seems a bit sycophantic doesn’t it?

The Preacher’s Process

Here’s the thing: in verse 7 the Psalmist goes from speaking to God to speaking about God. I wonder if we can read verses 1-7 as an inner dialog of the Psalmist (or a preacher)? Perhaps this is not unlike what I (and perhaps you) as a modern day preacher experience all the time in which I doubt God, blame God, ignore and dismiss God in the process of trying to listen to God for a Word for God’s people.

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Filed Under: Featured, Old Testament, Psalms, YearB Tagged With: , , , , ,

Kinda Dark in There

September 4, 2011 By 14 Comments

 There are so many disturbing questions to choose from.

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:21-35

For Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 Year A—Ordinary 24

Let’s be honest. The hardest thing about deciding what the hardest question is about Matthew 18:21-35 is that there are so many disturbing questions to choose from.

That’s a Lot!

How many times must I forgive? Peter comes to Jesus with a complaint we’ve all had: someone at church is being an ass. It happens. So, how many times shall we forgive the whiner, the gossip, the embezzler, the adulterer, the woman who doesn’t recycle? Seven seems a lofty number. What do you think Jesus? Seven times? And of course without blinking an eye Jesus says, “Seventy-seven!”

Seventy-seven times we are to forgive. That’s a lot of forgiveness. But the little Kingdom of Heaven parable that follows doesn’t feel like it’s about forgiving seventy-seven times. Which brings us to the…

Candidates for Most Disturbing Question:

#1 If the king represents God then is it true that, like the king, God’s first instinct is to sell us off to another (king?, God?) if we cannot pay God back?

#2 If so, then can we really talk the God of the universe out of this by making some kind of flimsy promise to be good?

#3 If this is a parable about forgiving people ”77″  times, then why is it that the King only forgave the slave once then the next time he slipped up the King sent him off to be tortured? That feels like it’s about “76″ short of what Jesus is telling us to do.

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So Which Is It?

September 4, 2011 By 4 Comments

On what basis do we call an event “good” or “evil”?

 by Nadia Bolz-Weber

 Old Testament Reading: Genesis 50:15–21

 For Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 Year A—Ordinary 24

Daytime television has nothing on the book of Genesis. Reversals of fortune, intrigue, murder, cataclysmic weather, betrayal, ugly sisters—it has it all. And the Old Testament reading for today is the story of how this story of good beginnings ends. It’s the closing chapter of the Genesis.

Good or Evil?

Joseph of “Technicolor Dreamcoat” fame was, as we know, sold into slavery by his jealous older brothers. The treachery and betrayal of such an act would surely deem it unredeemable. After all, evil is evil. So we put it in the box labeled “evil” and rightly so.

While in Egypt Joseph finds favor with the powers that be. “Good!” His master’s randy housewife gets him thrown into jail when he refused her advances. “Evil!” While in jail, Joseph starts a little dream interpretation cottage industry—a service which, when used by Pharaoh, gets Joseph sprung from jail and he becomes Pharaoh’s right hand man. “Good!”

Fast forwarding a bit, Joseph’s family is suffering from a famine and come to Egypt looking for grain which, because Joseph is Pharaoh’s guy, means they unknowingly are having to ask their brother who they sold into slavery for help. In the end Joseph has a forgiving heart and helps them. “Good!”

Which brings us to our text today in which Joseph says to his brothers who are groveling before him asking that he have mercy on them for their betrayal: “You meant evil against me but God meant it for good (ESV).”

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Don’t Worry, Be Happy

February 20, 2011 By 6 Comments

Because There Will Be Plenty of Food and Nice Clothes in Heaven

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:24-34

For Sunday, February 27, 2011 Year A - Epiphany 8

Ever been in a really foul mood and had someone look at you and say “smile!” Or perhaps you’ve been really despondent at some point when a well-meaning, albeit vapid, person says to you “cheer up!” 

When this happens to me it: 1) doesn’t work and 2) makes me feel angry on top of feeling despondent. 

Well it’s easy to read this Sunday’s gospel as a pithy little self-help boost from Jesus. “Don’t worry!” he tells us. Does this feel like the messianic equivalent to Nancy Reagan’s “Just say no?” It does to me (snarl). 

Jesus is not a very good motivational speaker.  

It’s not that I mind him reminding us that worrying is a waste of time and energy, it’s just that I don’t think that he makes a very good case for a worry-free life. 

Are birds and flowers really a convincing way to tell us there’s nothing to worry about? Birds live brief lives which usually end by being hunted and eaten by larger beasts. Their lives end violently. And flowers? While beautiful, they either wither soon after they bloom or are trampled underfoot or are destroyed in a storm. Jesus even admits that the grass of the field is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven. Consider that as you ponder the meaning of Matthew 6:24–34. 

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Of Mystery and Mercy

February 20, 2011 By 3 Comments

The Hidden Darkness of Our Hearts

by Nadia Bolz-Weber

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

For Sunday, February 27, 2011 Year A - Epiphany 8 

The Carnival Lady cries:  Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up and see the fantastical Christ.  Yes, don’t be afraid to walk into the tent of mysteries…right next to the tattooed lady and the sword swallower. Step right up and experience mysteries beyond your comprehension.   

It seems like being a steward of the mysteries can feel perilously close to being a carnival barker.  Mystery is not something we’ve done well in mainline Protestantism, choosing instead to focus on the minutia of doctrine, morality or piety.  But mystery?  Not so much.  So we tend to stick to the knowable, the certain and the explainable.  

A Freudian Slip of the Eye 

Yet when I read this text from 1 Corinthians this week I experienced something that felt like a bit of a mystery to me: I misread a single word 3 or 4 times before realizing it.  I had to read and re-read it to make sure my eyes weren’t playing a trick on me. And that word is commendation.  

Like a visual Freudian slip I read commendation as condemnation.  But given the context in which the word commendation is found this is perhaps not so mysterious at all:  “…do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God.” 

[Read more...]

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