April 22

NT – Luke 21:1-28
One of the byproducts of reading the Bible in the Year is having to read passages that make me very uncomfortable. Some of them I have read before. Some of them I WAS supposed to have read and skipped over. Some, I knew nothing about and have cringed reading them now. We are 1/3 of the way through and I think and I think I can honestly say, I have spent more time with the uncomfortable passages than I have with the ‘love and light’ stuff.
Today’s passage is an uncomfortable one. The Jesus here is not compassionate, not understanding, not a healer. He is a dye in the wool prophet and his prophecy is not a good one. Alfred made the comment a few days ago that Jesus was named for Joshua and that is true. In our OT passage, Joshua makes the statement (vs. 19), ‘You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. ‘ Joshua knew that the Children of Israel would find other gods and worship them. And he prophesies the bad stuff that will happen in generalities. Jesus is graphic. “You will be betrayed even by parents…Jerusalem will be trampled on….men will faint from terror “. Scary stuff. Uncomfortable stuff.
Most commentaries say this passage was meant to prepare the disciples for the destruction of Jerusalem. I am going to take a different tack. I think this passage is meant for us. It costs to follow Jesus. Usually, in our snug little worlds, the cost is low. Maybe some parties are missed because you think things may get a little wild. Maybe some friends drop you because you are ‘too religious’ and spend too much time at church and too little time at the lake.
But I think Jesus is saying that there will come a time when the cost is high. Like your life high. If you choose him, they may kill you for it. Those two kids killed that girl in Columbine for being a Jesus girl. There are missionaries and aid workers who get killed for being Jesus people. But picking Jesus means that he is on your side. They may kill the body but he has your soul.
Let’s hope that when the end comes, we pick right. And that, my fellow Bible readers, is why it makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know that I will.

Proverbs 13:20-23
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Watch your friends. Smart, caring, compassionate. Interesting, funny, loving. Big check. Stupid, self-centered, one dimensional, mean. Not so great.
What about your spouse or partner? Another uncomfortable silence in blog world.
It is prom season here at the McAdam household. Matthew ‘s was last week. Cole’s is tonight. Both of them have lovely young women as their girlfriends.
But lovely fades. Sometimes, it is replaced by true inner and outer beauty. Sometimes it is not. I pray that my sons choose wisely and look deeply at the true attributes of the ones they choose as life partners because if having a bad friend brings harm, what does having a bad wife do???

April 21

OT – Joshua 22:21-23:16
I guess I was taken in just as the rest of the Israelites in terms of what that altar meant! I did believe that they were getting ready to worship Baal or Astarte or whoever the current ‘god de jour’ was. This is cynical of me, but I have to say, I just don’t quite believe their story…. Maybe I just hear too many stories in my ‘real life’ and find it hard to buy into this Bible one.
Joshua, just like Caleb, according to the Midrash I am reading on this section never ‘failed’ or grew elderly. At the time of Moses’ death, he was 80 years old and continued to lead the charge for eradicating the current inhabitants of The Promised Land for 10 years. Then they had a ‘long time’ (Hebrew for several decades according to my old friend Rashi) when Joshua gives this speech. This shows God’s grace to Joshua. It probably hastened God’s plan to conquer the Promised Land too. Joshua seems to have been an extraordinary leader.


NT—Luke 20:27-47
Look at verse 46: “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues. The devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”


The imagery here is intense. This quote immediately follows some of those same teachers trying once again to trip Jesus up. When I read about the flowing robes and the bustling marketplaces, I can almost see the crowded shops in the Suq and smell all the aromatic spices, and see the camels and pack mules that cart belongings about. Sprinkle in a few Roman soldiers in Spartacus getups. What about you?
But that really doesn’t bring it to the 21st century which is where I am. And Jesus is talking to this ‘teacher of the law’ just like he was talking to that Sadduce. And my flowing robes and important seat in the synagogue? Probably would have to be my ‘church clothes’ and the ‘McAdam pew’.
I don’t think I have ever devoured a widow’s home but then again, have I ever saved one?
Walking the Jesus path is tough. It was tough then, too. But we are called to do what we can where we can. And that means not putting on airs and asking for ‘special’ just because we are Jesus walkers.

April 20

NT – Luke 20:1-26
Roman architecture is a marvel. There are buildings that still stand, on major fault lines and volcanic islands 2000+ years later. Here in America, we have none of that. I spent 6 weeks in England as a 16 year old and there were the Roman ruins and then Victorian architecture. Nothing in between.
Why was Roman building so incredible?
The true secrets are the arch and concrete. Romans learned to build an arch rather than post and lintel which allowed them to greatly expand the height and weight the buildings could stand. This weight allowance created the ability to make aqueducts and sewers which allowed the great cities of the Mediterranean to be built, and maintained. Without a water source and a way to remove waste, cities are not possible for any length of time.
Here is a Yale professor with her introductory session on Roman architecture. I learned a lot but it is long. Click here if the Video does not appear in your email.
In our scripture today, Jesus compares himself to the Cornerstone.
What exactly does the cornerstone do? The cornerstone is the ultimate, finishing stone that holds the tension for both sides of the arch.
Why would Jesus compare himself to a cornerstone, and one that is devised by a stone that the interior construction was rejected? The rough cut, often fractured and less than stone, that made up the interior was ugly, weak without the concrete, and dependent on other stones for its rigidity Interior stones are covered with a brick or marble veneer and could be very bad indeed. If a stone was rejected for this, where it wouldn’t even be seen, it must have been bad. And then to be chosen for the Cornerstone, an upside down construction indeed. Another upside down kingdom vision and one that his audience at the time would have easily connected to. The rejection of Jesus came at the hands of the Pharisees, supposedly the great builders of the Jewish law and faith. It brings you to think what the two sides of the 'arch' that Jesus is holding in tension are? Jews and Gentiles?
As an aside, different translations say cornerstone, capstone (which is the top finishing stones of a wall), best stone. I learned this verse as Keystone which is the finishing stone of an arch. I think Jesus meant a very important stone indeed whether it was finishing or the tension point.

OT – Joshua 21:1-22:20
My only comment about this section of Joshua is how long it has taken for someone to be rebellious against God. Joshua must have been a better one to keep the children of Israel firm than Moses!!


Blessings to you and yours.

April 19

Psalm 88
Vs: 9B-12
I call to you, O Lord, every day;
I spread my hands to you.
Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
Selah
Is your love declared in the grave,
Your faithfulness in Destruction?
Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
Or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

At my ecumenical dinners that Don and I went to this winter, we discussed some of the differences between Judaism and Christianity. Most of them I knew. Including that most orthodox Jews do not believe in ‘heaven’ per se. Sandy, one of the most learned of the Jews at my table, said it really was just not the focus. But even he was uncomfortable with the ‘what comes next’. He said that it was a hard one to wrestle with and with all the stuff in movies and books, Jewish parents are always fielding those questions. His stock answers are that now is what matters and the rest is up to God.
The psalmist was Jewish. He was/is concerned with what happens next. *I* am concerned with what happens next.
Most of the time, I buy the heaven stuff lock, stock and barrel.
But there are times…..

One of my heroes of all times is Carl Sagan. I loved his PBS series Cosmos. I loved his view on science, the universe and how incredibly awesome and awestruck he was by all the stuff he was learning, saw and did as a scientist.
Carl Sagan was an atheist. His wife Ann Druyan is a devout Christian. When Carl was dying of cancer, lots of people wrote to him and said they were praying for him. His response was that it sure comforted his wife, and he hoped it comforted them but it really didn’t matter much to him. He was just going back to being “star stuff”.
That such a mind, such an intelligent, living breathing being would just vanish ‘pooff’ hurts.
That I would just vanish, hurts.

Do you wrestle with this question or is it firmly fixed in your mind?

One of my facebook friends sent me the link to this pastor’s blog post.
Go check it out.

April 18

NT – Luke 19:1-27
It is the little details in Luke that make him so readable. And I will add, make Mark so dry. The story of Zacchaeus is a great example of that. We know ‘why’ Z wanted to see him, we know ‘why’ he couldn’t, and we know how he solved his problem. We also know what he did for a living, how well he did it, that he was Jewish and how his neighbors felt about him. We learn all this in 8 verses.
And this is a small story in Luke. But rich, rich, rich in the sort of things people who live in a visual world need.
This is not a fair comparison, but Mark doesn’t even have 19 chapters.
If we use the story of Blind Bartimaeus, basically all we know is that he is blind. No whys, no who or what he is, just his name and his condition. Jesus heals him, just as he healed Zacchaeus, by their faith in who Jesus was. But the story in Mark is stark.
And the climbing of the sycamore/fig tree. Okay, I have 3 fig trees in my yard. There is no climbing of their branches unless you are a very slim kitty cat. My fat Nicky cat would break the branches.

But that brought up all the verses we have read about the figs so far in our study. Adam and Eve with the fig leaves, Moses with the acceptable offerings included figs, the promise that the land would yield fruit, all the fig tree cursing.

Go check out this website and read more about WHY figs were so important in the Bible. And just so you know, having eaten my serious fair share of figs, I can attest to the digestive properties of the fig. May that give me long, healthy life.
Fig Website
Psalm 87
“This one was born in Zion.”
I have friends who are British who go back to England to have their babies even though they now live in America. Why? Because it is complicated to be a British citizen if you weren’t born on British soil. But also, because, they want their kids born in the homeland.
Seems the idea originated 2500 years earlier, at least according to the Psalm. This one was born in Zion, that makes him special. These others, hmmm, they were born during the wandering. Not so special.
Where were you born and was it special or just ho-hum, another baby? Somehow, to the mamas, I have to believe that whether you were born in London or Atlanta, in the desert or across the Jordan, you were special. Maybe not special enough for the pack, but special enough for her.

Grace and peace to you all.

April 17

Psalm 86
Vs. 15 "But you O Lord are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."
That verse sounded so familiar. Turns out it is in Jonah, Joshua, and also in Psalm 103. Which led me to search out other authors who may have commented on those verses. Here is a blog post by a New Zealander about it that was intriguing. I was especially struck by her statement that we live in a time of Grace. Not sure that I agree with her but I will give that some thought.
Click here to go to her blog post.
http://verses10.blogspot.com/2012/02/compassionate-and-gracious-god.html

NT -- Luke 18:18-43
At vs. 35, the blind man asks what is happening as he could not see but heard the hubbub. He was told "Jesus of Nazareth", to which he replied, "Jesus, son of David!" Earlier in our study, I listed out the various names that Jesus is called. Somewhere along the line, I found a site that said 'son of David' was a special tag -- it meant the Messiah. Now, 1st century Jews thought of the Messiah like a liberator. David liberated much of Israel. We read in Joshua today that the clan of Judah was unable to 'dislodge' the Jebusites from Jerusalem. Well, David did and moved himself right in and built the capitol! That is what 1st century Jews expected only they wanted the Romans 'dislodged'.
But back to the blind man. How did he KNOW that Jesus was the Messiah? Maybe someone told him. Maybe his 'demon' knew. But so often, these 'less thans' recognize Jesus right away while the 'religious' don't get it. Even the disciples (vs. 34, just before!!!!) don't get it. Makes me think that we should be hanging out with the 'less thans' a little more often and then we might really 'see' Jesus.
Yesterday, I went to the Session meeting with my confirmand, Sarah N to present her project and be examined in order to join the church. I was absolutely floored by the faith statements of these 8 13 year olds. Okay, some of it I disagreed with, but heck, I disagree with my doctoral candidate pastor almost every Sunday on something! And the way these kids stood up for themselves was remarkable. Now, I have 2 boys -- one is 18 and he went through the confirmation process. I went to the Session examination. I do not remember his group being this sure and this verbal about wanting the church to relax and use media more effectively and to be more open to all people. These were clear calls to action. It will be interesting to see if anything comes out of this. If Mt Vernon knows what is good for them, they will pull these kids in small groups and mine their incredible brains for ideas, thoughts and criticisms. And not all their statements were critical. Some were very positive and quite poignant. But in order to keep this generation, things are going to have to change. These teens are the 'less thans' of our church. I am hanging out with them more often.
By the way, my Sarah kicked butt!! Her project was hymnal markers made from recycled milk cartons. She is amazing!!!!!

Live in the abounding love of God.

April 16

OT – Joshua 13:1-14:15
Just caught myself doing an old habit – skimming the reading since it either
a. Bores me
b. Upsets me
So, I am going back to doing what I agreed to do. Read the scripture. Be back in a few minutes.
I did learn something and as usual, came away with some questions that I had to look up.
The big question was why Joseph’s sons split into two tribes. Here is an explanation from the Midrash about this scripture.
When Jacob was dying, Joseph brought his sons to him to be blessed. Jacob blessed the younger one (Ephraim) with his right hand even though he had to cross his arms to do so. Joseph objected but Jacob refused to change saying ‘he too will become a people’. Gen 48:17-19
Sylvia’s response – Jacob, you have done it again. He split those boys so that no one could be the leader and the other the follower and eventually the tribe split. The sins of the father, visited again, and again and again.
My other question was really a why one – why was it so important to know which tribes got what place? We know that by the time Jesus was alive, people had moved from place to place and while they knew which tribe they were from, they didn’t necessarily live in the ‘allotment’. This one I am still researching. One possible idea is from James Michener’ s The Source. The Land means everything. Everything is about the land. Who holds it, who wants it, who is willing to die for it.
I have to say, reading two articles in the paper today, one was about a millionaire funding 54 poor children’s college and the other was about people dying in Israel over the land.

Proverbs 13:7-8
‘A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat. ‘
I remember reading a story about Andrew Young when he had moved back to the West End of Atlanta after his tour as Ambassador to the United Nations. The reporter commented on the disheveled appearance of the front yard. Young said that was deliberate since he had talked his wife into moving into the West End but he couldn’t talk her into being robbed. She had scruples about that, he said. I thought it was very funny at the time. But it wasn’t until one of my Bible study friends’ husband moved her, 6 months pregnant with a toddler already into a house in East Atlanta, squashed between two houses of ill repute (her terms not mine), that I understood what these two families were trying to do. They were trying to take back their neighborhoods but they weren’t willing to put their families in harm’s way by advertising their money and positions.
I am not that brave.

Psalm 85
Do you know Matthew Henry? Here is his commentary on Psalm 85:
“Sooner or later, God will speak peace to his people. If he do not command outward peace, yet he will suggest inward peace; speaking to their hearts by his Spirit. Peace is spoken only to those who turn from sin. All sin is folly, especially backsliding; it is the greatest folly to return to sin. Surely God's salvation is nigh, whatever our difficulties and distresses are. Also, his honour is secured, that glory may dwell in our land. And the truth of the promises is shown by the Divine mercy in sending the Redeemer. The Divine justice is now satisfied by the great atonement. Christ, the way, truth, and life, sprang out of the earth when he took our nature upon him, and Divine justice looked upon him well pleased and satisfied. For his sake all good things, especially his Holy Spirit, are given to those who ask him. Through Christ, the pardoned sinner becomes fruitful in good works, and by looking to and trusting in the Saviour's righteousness, finds his feet set in the way of his steps. Righteousness is a sure guide, both in meeting God, and in following him.”
Matthew Henry (1662-1714) was an English Presbyterian minister who wrote an exhaustive commentary on the Old and New Testaments scriptures. He was a careful and ‘sensible’ writer and the commentary was for devotional purposes. I’ve ordered one from Amazon.

Prayer Concerns:
This time of year is so busy for so many people, myself included. I hope you will join me in praying that we put God first. Even if all you have time to do is read the scripture, do that. Even if it is like my first go round on the OT. Better that, than none at all. Let’s all stay in the Word together, of one accord.
Peace and blessings to you.