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Intimate Sonship I had the privilege of preaching Good Friday this year in Houstson. Chris Tomlin and I co-led Good Friday at the Pavilion in The Woodlands, the Church where we served together in ministry some years ago. It was such a blessing to be part of this.
The Gospel is getting simpler and simpler for me. This is interesting in that I work in a place where theology gets ever more complex. For me it comes down to two basic realities: Intimate Sonship and Extravagant Friendship. Intimate sonship (or daughterhood) provides identity. Extravagant friendship is the mission. Authentic identity comes from being related to God as a son or daughter. Authentic ministry comes only through self-giving relationships with others. To attempt ministry without authentic identity is to unwittingly serve yourself.
To receive identity as a gift-- this is grace. When Jesus was baptized, the Father spoke over him these words, "This is my Son, my beloved, with him I am well pleased." It's interesting that this word came before Jesus did anything; at the beginning of his ministry. That's where it must begin with us. This is what I am learning. The way of the cross is the journey from slavery to sonship to friendship. More on this to come.
At the Good Friday service, Chris and I launched a brand new song-- one we wrote together back in January. The song is called Uncreated One. I'll offer the lyrics here soon. I think it will be a real fruit of our friendship.
Labels: theology
posted by John David Walt | at 3/29/2005 09:20:00 PM | 3 comments
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Feasting and Fasting I've been meeting with a group of students each Wednesday through the noon hour (following our Communion Chapel) for a time of teaching, fasting and prayer. We've been conferencing about the practice of fasting and it's been really illuminating. One of the students, Jason, responded to one of my questions with the following insight which has really helped me.
"A second thing that I've noticed through participating in the fasting group and in my "feasting" on Scripture is that the gospel writers seem to connect Jesus' baptism with his time of fasting. Through my understanding, baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection, and it seems as if this story is connecting this life of God with fasting. Jesus hears the voice of his Father that his Father is pleased with Him, then he goes into the wilderness to live on the words of this voice. The life that we have "is not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Fasting is a time of living on the voice of God."
I had never connected this word-- "This is my beloved son, whom I love," with living on "every word that comes from the mouth of God." Fasting becomes the means of knowing the affirming love of the Father-- which is true sustenance. Something I'm learning in a whole new way these days. I've realized how dependent I am on the fickle opinions of people.
Here's the battle--- My worth = How well I do + What you think of me VS. My worth = Abba, Father, I belong to you. posted by John David Walt | at 3/15/2005 11:09:00 PM | 2 comments
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Resurrection Eggs We've been rehearsing the Easter Story with our children through these 40 days of Passion through the use of "Resurrection Eggs." A pretty creative idea, Resurrection Eggs, are a dozen plastic colored eggs in an egg carton; each containing a small trinket (i.e. plastic donkey, leather whip strip, white linen cloth, small rock, etc.) to help narrate through the Story. It's a lot of fun because it gives the children (really the parents!) something to hold onto as the Story unfolds. The final egg--you guessed it-- is empty. We have a lot of fun saying "And on the Third Day the women came to the tomb and it was EMPTY!!!
Last night Mary Kathryn (2.75) asked for "two more minutes" with the eggs after we shared it together. So far she's been pretty quiet through the telling. David (4.75) is the more vocal participant and serves as a co-commentator; doing "color" so to speak. With her little chubby hands, Mary Kathryn began to open each of the eggs again, taking out the trinket and then carefully putting it back in and closing the egg. She had them completely out of order as she tried to capture the essence of what they stood for with passioned inflection in her voice. But interestingly she made a consistent refrain prior to opening each egg-- she said, "And On the Third Day"
It's nice theology, really. We can't talk about the donkey ride or the Upper Room or the soldiers gambling or the spear in His side or the cross or any of it on the Egypt side of Easter. (get what I mean?) In other words-- the journey of Lent happens in the Light of "And on the Third Day." He is Risen--already-- though in us not yet completely. That's what the journey of Lent is about.
Labels: passion year, theology
posted by John David Walt | at 3/09/2005 10:19:00 AM | 5 comments
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
I build her a cake or something. . . Following is a poem I keep pondering through-- can't decide why I like it-- but I do and was thinking about it this morning. We had Chris & Phileena Heuertz in town from Word Made Flesh www.wordmadeflesh.org The poem also reminds me of something Jason Upton shared with us while he was here last week-- about God always showing up in fire and never in forms. ponderous. . . . .
Why Not Be Totally Changed into Fire?
(after the Verba Seniorum)
Why not abstain from words?
Why not become what is hidden?
Why not rain into an ocean?
Dogs are leaping from windows,
Swimming in the lake and trotting
Across the lawn, their heads held high.
Why not dine on ashes?
Why not pluck out an eye?
Why not send gifts to one who dislikes you?
Why not forsake clothing in the noonday sun?
Leaves of grass neither spin nor reap.
Why not become all eye?
Why not give away your books?
Why not walk through cities
As through the outer precincts of hell,
Alone to tell what you have to tell?
Will our eyes become a dialogue in grass?
A raven flew into a lighted room, perched
On a table, and flew outside into a storm.
Even the emperor fell silent.
Jerry Harp-- taken from Monkscript: Literature, Art and Spirituality
Labels: quotes
posted by John David Walt | at 3/02/2005 10:10:00 PM | 1 comments
Today...