The Sermon on the Mount 20

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Jason

1 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. — Matthew 6:1-4

The Kingdom Jesus envisions has no room for stuffy self-righteousness and congratulatory self promotion. We shouldn’t notify the press when we reach out in compassion; to do so is to receive one’s spoils in the flesh. Jesus might as well have said, “Let your light shine before men, but don’t go around patting yourself on the back for it.” Jesus seems to understand the intrinsic pull back from loudmouth proclamations of our own goodness. I’ve found that we do this almost effortlessly when it comes to mission work. I’ve been guilty of it myself, bragging about all the foreign mission points our church sponsors, even down to the exact dollar amount that we spend on expanding the Kingdom’s borders abroad. This work is all well and good, but it’s easy to get so caught up in the work and the (tiny) role we play and wholly neglect God as sustainer and energy-provider and vision-setter at large. As a result, we should resist efforts to market or package the Kingdom in a way that makes much of ourselves.

Compassion for the poor is always near to the heart of God, perhaps for this same reason. The poor have no basis from which to trumpet their spiritual exploits. Poverty is rich in humility. And humility, as we’ve seen, is the first step to entry in the Kingdom of Jesus. In line with the social justice thread of the Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus commissions a campaign of compassion where resources are shared with little fanfare. And why should this garner much attention? Isn’t this the kind of thing we all should be doing? Twice Jesus says When you give, not “If you give.” True discipleship sees no choice here, only command and example. And if we all lived according to this word, would it really be “stop the presses” news? Jesus seems to be stressing that this should be an everyday, ho-hum experience. “Another day of Jesus’ followers doing good things in his name,” the headline might read.

And yet, mustard seed demonstrations of faith become moments rife with eternal import in the economy of Jesus.

As always, Jesus gives what seems to be ordinary counsel for an otherworldly Kingdom.

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Football Time

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Jason

You know it’s football time when the boys get the football helmets out.

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LOST Season Six Rewatch: LA X

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Jason

So I received LOST Season Six as a belated anniversary present (thanks, Sunny). Now I’m going back and re-watching and I’m noticing a lot of things that make more sense now. Thought I’d keep a running journal of these thoughts over the next few weeks / months as I slowly make my way through the discs.

And you only thought I was finished blogging about this show.

  • In the season premiere, Rose tells Jack he can “let go now”. Of course, in the moment, she’s telling the good doctor he can release his death grip on his seat’s armrests after the plane experiences turbulence after passing over the sea-floor-grounded Island. But clearly this phrasing is meant to foreshadow the series finale where Christian speaks those same words to Jack. In hindsight, I’m thinking Rose might already be “enlightened” at this point in the Sideways. In fact, I’m almost certain. She and Bernard are already together, indicating their “sync up” moment has already occurred in Sideways land. And there’s that comment Bernard makes later to Jack (when the doc is looking for Locke’s medical records): “I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Yup, they’re in on it already. Their inclusion in the church pretty much seals the deal on that one.
  • Sayid’s baptism / drowning in the murky pool of doom. Still troubles me a little bit. But I think it has something to do with the Island’s healing power. Sayid “dies” in the pool, presumably because the water has turned brown. Or maybe because he’s a torturing kid-murderer. Either way. Following his “death”, Jack attempts to perform CPR — the same move that miraculously saved Charlie way back in season one. It’s never been explained how Charlie’s salvation occurred exactly; just chalk it up to Island magic and Jack’s fix-it persistence. But this go round, Jack can’t save his friend. Yet, Sayid is reanimated, albeit only to join sides with Smokey for a while, but ultimately his resurrection serves a greater purpose: he must be raised in order to sacrifice himself on behalf of his friends on the sub in the season’s penultimate act. Remember how Charlie died? Same way. I think we’re supposed to be equating Sayid’s experience here with Charlie’s. Both of them were given new life by the Island in order to ultimately lay down that life for the other players. Same thing is true, to a certain degree, of Michael, although his sacrifice isn’t enough to keep him from Whisper-ville. Anywho, according to the paper in the ankh stuffed inside Charlie’s guitar case (yet another allusion to Charlie), Jacob says that if Sayid dies, the Temple folk are in a lot of trouble. This is true in the short term (Sayid will be Locke’s right hand man for most of the season), but ultimately Sayid’s death precipitates his Island resurrection and, ultimately, his redemption. This is either really convoluted or brilliant. I can’t decide.
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15 Essential Albums

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Jason

I was tagged recently on FB to list my 15 “essential” albums. I guess these are the albums that I’d have to have with me on a desert island or something. A desert island with a limitless supply of MP3 listening devices and batteries I suppose. But I digress. This is the kind of thing you’re not supposed to put much thought into (thus, the “essential” component), so here are my 15 Essential Albums off the top of my head and in no particular order.

  1. No Line on the Horizon, U2
  2. Emotionalism, The Avett Brothers
  3. A Collision, David Crowder Band
  4. Michael McDermott, Michael McDermott
  5. Abbey Road, The Beatles
  6. White Ladder, David Gray
  7. If There Was A Way, Dwight Yoakam
  8. At Folsom Prison, Johnny Cash
  9. This, Lost and Found
  10. Viva la Vida, Coldplay
  11. Hold Time, M. Ward
  12. LOST (Original Television Soundtrack), Michael Giacchino
  13. In Rainbows, Radiohead
  14. Is This It?, The Strokes
  15. Bringing Down the Horse, The Wallflowers
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The Sermon on the Mount 19

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Jason

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. — Matthew 5:38-48

The Sermon on on the Mount is set apart by the transformative initiatives Jesus puts forth for his audience. The focus of this particular teaching is the elevation of the new way of Christ above the retaliatory violence commissioned under Mosaic law. Whereas vengeance may at least on some level satisfy our deep longing for justice in the world, Jesus commends a “higher law”, a way marked by peace and restorative action.

Do not resist the one who is evil is somewhat troublesome, at least as it has been popularly rendered. N.T. Wright translates v39 this way: “Don’t use violence to resist evil!” Stassen prefers: “do not retaliate revengefully by evil means.” It makes no sense that Jesus would teach us not to resist evil. In his own ministry, He resisted the evil of those who would oppose God’s work through Him. Contextually, we have a teaching on the systemic nature of vengeance and Jesus’ solution for breaking the cycle of violence. Paul teaches a similar sentiment in Romans 12.17-21: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil….Beloved, never avenge yourselves….If your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink….Do not overcome evil by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

A slap on the right cheek is either a backhanded slap — an insult, the kind of slap you give to a dog — or a slap with one’s left hand, the “dirty” hand used for bodily maintenance, unfit for touching another person. In either case, the way of Christ is clear: nonviolence. As with the civil rights movement in the United States a generation ago, the nonviolent initiative confronts injustice and, as Stassen puts it, “calls our adversary to a new level of consciousness of what he or she is doing.” Such is the intentionality of each of the creative examples Jesus cites.

N.T. Wright says of this text:

Jesus offers a new sort of justice, a creative, healing, restorative justice. The old justice found in the Bible was designed to prevent revenge running away with itself. Better an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth than an escalating feud with each side going one worse than the other. But Jesus goes one better still. Better to have no vengeance at all, but rather a creative way forward, reflecting the astonishingly patient love of God himself, who wants Israel to shine his light into the world so that all people will see that he is the one true God, and that his deepest nature is overflowing love. No other god encourages people to behave in a way like this!

To live in such a way requires courage, resolve, patience, and — not least of all — imagination. Imagination is required to engage the mind to creatively realize new responses to the problem of violence and the deep-seated desire for vengeance, opening up new possibilities for reconciliation rather than drawing on status quo retaliation. The world has seen enough of this. May the imaginative energy of the church be relentlessly focused on the only ministry left to us: the great ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5).

Love without limit…

Kingdom without end…

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Hawg Mollie

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Jason

My son, the offensive lineman for the Mustangs. Who knew? He’s pretty small for a right tackle, but he’s all heart, baby.

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Thoughts on Proverbs: Wisdom vs. Folly

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Jason

I believe Proverbs 1.7 to be thematic for the entire text:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

I’ve already written about the fear of the LORD in a previous post; but the latter part of this foundational passage emphasizes the competing ideologies of wisdom and folly.

The portrait of the fool emerges as a contrast to the one who seeks the wisdom of YHWH. Here are only a few of the references to folly in the Proverbs:

  • He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray. 5.23
  • In everything the prudent acts with knowledge, but a fool flaunts his folly. 13.16
  • Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 14.29
  • The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. 15.14
  • Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly. 17.12
  • The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. 24.9
  • Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. 26.11

The fool is an undisciplined scoffer of God and His wisdom. The fool in his folly is reckless in his anger — worse than a Momma bear on the prowl for her cubs! Even worse, he is proud of his foolishness, wearing it as a badge of honor, unaware that the cycle of folly is destroying him each time he returns to it.

Contrast this with the 60+ references to “the wise” in Proverbs alone. Again, this is far from an exhaustive list, but the character of the wise emerges with even a cursory glance.

  • The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace. 3.35
  • Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 9.9
  • A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. 10.1
  • The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. 10.14
  • The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. 12.15
  • One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. 14.16
  • The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. 16.23
  • A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. 29.11

The wise man exercises discernment and self-control, a distinct alternative to the reckless behavior of the fool. Wisdom is also the measured way of life, guarding against impulsiveness by counting the cost of one’s actions. He who is wise seeks counsel, is quick to listen, and is judicious in his speech.

All of this comes to a head in the personified narrative of Proverbs 9. Two women call out for the attention of a young man: “Come eat at my table!” they cry out to him. The first voice belongs to Lady Wisdom, the female personification of God’s wisdom in the Proverbs. This is the way of life that demonstrates fear of YHWH and obedience to His instruction. The second voice is Woman Folly, whose siren song tempts the young man with stolen water and food eaten in secret (9.17), symbolizing illicit activity and the fleshly appeal of sin. Each of these ladies live at the highest point of the city (9.3; 9.14), often the places of worship in the ancient culture. What at first blush appears to be a squabble between two women for the attention of the young suitor is properly understood as something much more significant: the young man’s decision is primarily a question of worship. Which voice will I heed? The path of folly is the way of excess, of indulgence, of immorality and sin. But the fear of the LORD prompts worshipful obedience to Wisdom’s call on one’s life.

The struggle between Wisdom and Folly defines not only the narrative of the Proverbs, but the narrative of our lives as well.

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Ground Zero

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Jason

This week, I’ve been following the news out of New York regarding the proposed construction of a Muslim mosque in the heart of Manhattan, just blocks away from “Ground Zero”, the site of the 9/11 attacks from 2001. Nearly 10 years after the attack, the wounds are still fresh for many Americans. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released August 11, nationwide opposition to the construction of this mosque is at 68 percent. This is understandable; nearly 3,000 Americans — mostly civilians — died on the morning of September 11th, the darkest moment in the national consciousness of most Americans today. Although there is certainly no law preventing the construction of such a facility, the wisdom of such a move — especially in light of the national attention this story is garnering — is questionable. Most Americans consider this action to be, as Howard Dean has said, “an affront to people who lost their lives.” One leader went so far as to say the construction of this mosque was akin to a Japanese war memorial at Pearl Harbor.

And yet, in moments like these, I’m also struck at how quickly the discourse devolves and unravels into vitriolic distinctions of “us” and “them”. The accusation has been made that some want to interpret freedom of religion as only being applicable to the Christian community. It’s easy to see how such an accusation could have merit. Are American Muslims not guaranteed the same freedom of religion under our Constitution? Do we hold the entire Islamic faith responsible for the actions of a handful of radical extremists? What would happen if the greater Christian community was judged in light of the actions of, say, extremists who attack and destroy abortion clinics, all in the name of Jesus? I understand this is an emotionally charged issue for many Americans, but I believe we’re all too quick to let those emotions cloud our judgment. A recent FoxNews report indicates that an inter-faith chapel at the rebuilt section of the Pentagon opens its doors to practicing Muslims, even allowing weekly periods of time (Monday through Thursday, 2 p.m.) for Muslim prayer. All of this a mere 20 steps from the impact of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. And yet, where is the national outrage? Is the Pentagon less “hallowed ground” than Ground Zero? These and a hundred other questions come swirling out of this controversial issue.

In times such as these, I find myself asking, “What does faithfulness to Christ look like here?” With such heated and passionate dialogue centered around the construction of this mosque, how does the Christ-follower engage in this dialogue faithfully? Thankfully, the New Testament is all kinds of helpful here:

  • Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4.6
  • Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4.12
  • But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 2 Corinthians 8.7

Paul seems to be arguing in favor gracious Christian speech, a nuanced act of truth-speaking and grace. Know how to answer each person; yes. But the path to such dialogue is gracious, seasoned speech, not caustic, spiteful language. Personally, I question the wisdom of the construction of this mosque. But in this situation, as in all others, the Christian community must be mindful of her high and holy calling: to bear the name of Christ in the world with faithfulness and grace, dignity and love. This is the way of Christ.

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The Sermon on the Mount 18

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Jason

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. — Matthew 5.33-37

In Jesus’ day, as in our own, God’s name was invoked in a variety of circumstances, many of which were anything but “hallowed” (as Jesus will pray in the Lord’s Prayer in chapter 6). In particular, it was culturally acceptable to entreat YHWH’s name as validation of truth in the course of an argument, legal or otherwise. We might think today of someone swearing “to God” in an effort to affirm the “truthiness” (as Stephen Colbert would say) of their speech. In the course of His sermon, Jesus confronts this milieu of nonchalance with regard to the name of God and yet again calls His audience to a redemptive standard of living.

Truth-telling emerges here as a hallmark of the in-breaking Kingdom reign of God. Citizens of God’s Kingdom embrace the principles of eternity in the present, speaking truth, the language of heaven. Jesus seems to be saying that His followers should make every effort to not only speak truthfully but to live truthfully as well. It’s fair enough to say that Jesus wanted His followers to hallow the name of the Father more than they did; but that’s not saying enough. Jesus stresses the manner of life that clearly demonstrates integrity and trust. “Be the type of people for whom ‘yes’ and ‘no’ really mean something.” As the living embodiment of truth (John 14.6), Christ is calling His disciples to partake of the Kingdom life in the present. With no room for deception and falsification in the coming Kingdom reign of YHWH, how much more should the citizens of that Kingdom commit themselves to the practice of the eternal principles of that Kingdom in the present?

Letting your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no” is more than a sermonic polemic against fibbing; it is a way of life that reflects the glory of the coming Kingdom, a Kingdom inaugurated in us by Jesus Messiah.

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2010 in Books (So Far)

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Jason

For the past couple of years, I’ve had this goal of reading 52 books in a single year. I know that reading a book a week is pretty ambitious given the frenetic pace of life around the Bybee house, but I keep aiming for this number just the same. When I finish my current read (N.T. Wright’s After You Believe), I’ll be up to 30 books for the year. That’s significant for a couple of reasons: a) it means I might finally have a shot at the 52 mark, and b) that’s the same number of books I read in 2009. I always wish I had more time to read, but it’s at least satisfying to blow past last year’s number so early in 2010.

One of the things that’s helped has been my relationship with a few distribution outlets that send me free copies of books to review. But I’m also enjoying my final summer of “leisure reading” before I hit the books again next summer for my next (and final!) leg of schooling.

Just for kicks, here are some of the best books I’ve read so far in 2010. (For a look at my Year End book lists from 2006-09, click here.)

  • Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos. I reviewed this book a few weeks ago, but it’s stayed with me. Mikalatos writes with humor and depth that I find uncommon in this genre. Imaginary Jesus cuts through the veneer of our projections and assumptions and brings the Nazarene Rabbi back to us in a fresh and living way. Good stuff.
  • The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers. Another review, this one back in March. But this text caught me at just the right time; a good friend and I were in the midst of teaching a class at church exploring God’s mysterious command for Israel and later the Christian church to “be holy as I am holy.” Sayers makes the conversation accessible, relevant, and — best of all — hopeful.
  • The Yankee Years, Tom Verducci & Joe Torre. I always mix in a baseball read or two each summer; this year, I immersed myself in Torre’s autobiographical account of the Yankee dynasty of the late 90’s / early 00’s. I’ve never been a Yankee fan, but Torre’s class and character won me over a long time ago. Even Sox fans can appreciate Torre’s recollection of the bitter postseason showdowns between these rival organizations. A great summer read.
  • Weezer Changes the World, David McPhail. I read this one to my kids at the library the other day. I know, I know…it’s a kid book that took all of five minutes to read, so it’s pretty much a cheap way to pad my numbers. But it’s another one that has stayed with me, which is saying something, especially for a kiddie book. I think there’s much gospel to this little story.
  • Jesus Feast, Joshua Graves. Graves has written a powerful and clear-eyed meditation on the realities of discipleship in an emerging, post-modern culture. Writing with a prophetic yet authentic voice, Graves articulates the challenges of Jesus’ radical call to follow Him into the world and participate in His mission of reconciliation and healing.
  • The Intimate Mystery, Dan Allender & Tremper Longman III. Maybe the best book on marriage I’ve ever read. Outstanding.

Although these books have been really good, I feel as if I’m still waiting for that ONE book that blows me away and speaks to me like Mere Discipleship or The Sunflower or The Road or The Hole in Our Gospel. Here are a few of the books I have queued up; maybe one of these will claim the top spot?

  • The Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch. Several people I respect have recommended this book to me, but they’ve warned me it’ll eat my lunch. But in a good way! Looking forward to it.
  • American Lion, Jon Meachem. Andrew Jackson has always fascinated me. He’s not my favorite President (not by a long shot), but this promises to be a highly readable account of a rather colorful and iconic figure in American history.
  • The Prophets, Abraham Joshua Heschel. Heschel is a stud. And so is this behemoth work (900+ pages). But it looks awesome.
  • Radical, David Platt. Another one that I’ve heard a lot about. I doubt it’ll plow any new ground, but I’ll give it a shot.
  • Who Made God? by Edgar Andrews and Beyond Opinion by Ravi Zacharias. These two texts (I hope) will help equip me for some conversations I’ve been having recently in my ministry with some more “science minded” individuals who are wrestling with various levels of doubt.
  • The Associate, John Grisham. I’m kinda cheating on this one — I have the CDs, so I can listen while I drive to work. But it counts. Right?

What about you? What are you reading right now?

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