Riotous Living

This Sunday's Gospel lesson is so well known that even Michael Scott knows it!

This past Sunday night I joked with the 5:30 congregation that I thought I was being pranked by my fellow clergy. My first Sunday in the pulpit at All Saints' Church, I got to take on the challenging passage from Luke 4:1-13 in which the Devil tempted Jesus with three tests. Then last Sunday, my second time in the pulpit, I had the "privilege" of preaching on Luke 13:1-9, which can easily be misinterpreted as a "turn or burn" story that personifies God as an angry and impatient landowner in a parable about a fig tree. FUN STUFF (and by that I mean two challenging passages that left me wondering if I was being punked)! These two lessons were hardly cheery stories that described God as a loving and ever pursing presence in our lives, which is precisely who I believe God is. But, turn the page to this week's Gospel lesson from Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32, and you will find just that image of a loving father.

This week's Good News brings us back in touch with one of the most famous and familiar stories of the New Testament. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (also known as the Parable of the Prodigal Sons, the Parable of the Prodigals, or the Parable of the Loving Father) is so well known that even Michael Scott (Steve Carell's character from the Office) knows the gist of it. The quick summary is that the younger of two sons made a request to get his inheritance ahead of his father's death, after shockingly complying with the son's request, the younger son wasted the resources in desolate living, then came home to beg to be his father's servant. Surprisingly the father did not let his son be a servant, but instead welcomed him home as a son once more. The older brother frustrated with the show of love from his father complained, which the father graciously turned into an invitation to celebrate the new life of the younger son after his having come home. Of course, if you are reading this you already knew all of that. And, the challenge (unlike the last two times I was in the pulpit) is not with difficult images from Scripture, but rather an all too familiar story. How will the preacher help the congregation to hear this radical story with new ears? Here are a few ideas!

"I WANT IT NOW!" - We live in a culture that wants everything now. Some call it "Microwave Culture" or blame it on technology, but nowadays people want 2 day shipping, same day pickup, and immediate high speed downloads of everything. Society in this way resembles the younger brother who despite the protocol demanded his portion of his family's wealth NOW! (See Veruca Salt from Willy Wonky) The details of the father having to sell or portion up his property in this way are painful and could be a good jumping off point for a sermon. The latter part of the story (and the father's loving embrace of his once estranged son) often overshadows the first details, but the father's love was so great throughout the story. Early on the father even accepted that his son wanted him dead, so that the son could have the father's property. Still the father kept on loving his son. This is the type of love God has for us... a love worth preaching about this Sunday!

The Liturgical Approach - If you walk into your church on Sunday and your clergy are wearing pink turn around... Okay, I'm just kidding! But, the Fourth Sunday in Lent is called Laetare Sunday. And, it is when Anglo Catholics and other fashion-focused Christians don pink liturgical vestments (okay, it's not about being chic Christians). All joking aside, this Sunday is named such for the first words of the Roman Catholic Mass, which in Latin is Laetare or Rejoice! Why are we rejoicing? Well, historically if you were living in strict observance of your Lenten disciplines then perhaps this day would be a small break from those most rigid of disciplines before the final push through Holy Week and the impending Eastertide. This Sunday's Gospel lesson fits with the lightness of a traditional Laetare Sunday. In what ways do we need to lighten up? How is our Heavenly Father pursuing us like the father from the parable? Can we share with Him all the burdens keeping us from blossoming in this spiritual springtime? These are some questions worth wondering.

Riotous Living - The most surprising thing I have found this week in my study of this Sunday's Gospel has been the way one Greek word was translated into English. On Sunday you will most likely hear the deacon or the priest or the pastor read that the younger son "squandered his property in dissolute living." Dissolute is not all that common a word in our everyday parlance (neither is parlance, mind you). In truth, when I hear the word dissolute I immediately think of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. However, one Greek Interlinear I rely upon gives us Luke 15:13 in this way: "And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living" (italics added)...

RIOTOUS LIVING! The passage opened up in quite a different way for me when I read this translation. Dissolute living has a sad connotation in my mind, as it rightly should, it means an overly indulgent, vice-focused form of living; however, riotous living gives me a different insight into the life of the younger son. The younger prodigal living riotously in that foreign land calls to mind the right desire (to live life abundantly) but wrongly aimed at selfish ends. How many people in the pews are passionate about life, but do not know in what direction to steer that ambition? I would imagine most have felt like they have desire without purpose at one time or another... maybe even right now. This could be the perfect time to tell this story from a new perspective. Instead of simply thinking about how terrible these brothers are could we try to see them as mirrors for us as we grow into the full stature of Christ? How might we utilize our desire for good as we grow? How might we avoid being the overly righteous older prodigal son when we do seem to find our right purpose? Can we become like the loving father who embraces all?

There are so many directions in which a preacher might go this Sunday. While this Gospel lesson might not possess the same challenge as a passage about the devil's temptations or one focused on turning or burning, it does still have its own set of challenges. Namely, that we have heard it all too many times, that its initial surprise ending has become rote, and that we think we already know how to interpret it. However, a faithful preacher will help us to hear these transformational words anew, so that we are again in awe of the grace-filled, abundant love that God shows us through Christ. 

Gum In Your Hair? Peanut Butter On Your Head? Come and See!

Audio for this sermon can be found here: http://s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3202327/011815_Olson_2Epiphany_MP3.MP3

One of my favorite television shows is a sitcom called “The Office.” Strangely enough the show is about an office. Well, actually at the end of the nine season series the viewer discovers this “mockumentary” about the business of a small paper company actually focused upon the workers and not the corporate side. I watch “The Office” so much that I can quote most episodes or at least tell you what is about to happen.

At the start of one of the shows the petulant boss, Michael, who seems to grow more childish by the season walks into the office with gum caught in his hair. He claims that he saw something shiny underneath an employee’s car, so he stooped down to pick it up, and in the process Michael got something sticky stuck in his locks. One of the other office workers asks, “So at best you were going to get a quarter, but instead you have gum stuck in your hair?” In an attempt to calm down their moody boss a few of the employees rush to get peanut butter, an old home remedy for removing gum. The scene ends with Michael’s head covered in peanut butter, as one of his yes men massages his scalp. Michael admits it was just a gum wrapper’s gleam that caught his eye.

How do you tell a quarter from a gum wrapper? Is it worth it to get gum in your hair for potential treasure? Or, are you too afraid to wind up with a peanut buttery mess on your head to mistakenly go in search of something?

“Come and see.”

One day Jesus decided that he would go to a place called Galilee. Galilee in those days felt restless, a place just outside the firm grip of the Roman occupiers. Without adequate ways for people on the fringes of society to receive help Galilee overflowed with those seeking healing and new life.


For Jesus to decide to go here meant that he wanted not just to be known as a teacher, but to begin his transformational ministry. In this place teeming with potential Jesus called Philip saying, “Follow me.” Without hesitation the man from Bethsaida joined Jesus.

Like anyone joining a new ministry, Philip felt a lightning bolt of new energy surge through him. With this new spirit Philip told his friend Nathaniel about Jesus, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Yet, Nathaniel having a less sunny disposition was not so ready to buy into his friend’s excitement. It was as though Nathaniel had gotten gum stuck in his hair many times and did not like the smell of peanut butter on his head. So initially, Nathaniel rebuffs Philip’s hope-infused message responding, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

Chronic optimists, like myself, do not have an easy time hearing these words from the pragmatic friend of Philip, but what an appropriate question for Nathaniel to ask. Can ANYTHING good come out of Nazareth? The prophets did not mention the Son of God coming from there. Moses did not say to his people make sure to keep an eye out in that part of Israel. There is little indication that Nazareth will be the place from which salvation comes. I can call Nathaniel a pessimist because he is not around to defend himself, but he brings to mind a realistic, if somewhat cynical, point: If we know that a place does not have potential or is bad (in our eyes) can something good come from there?

Maybe you have never thought, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (except after reading this passage). Yet, I bet you have thought about other places in this way: Can anything good come from my stubborn neighbor? Can anything good come from that side of Decatur? Can anything good come from Auburn (or Tuscaloosa)? Can anything good come from Montgomery or Washington D.C.? Can anything good come from France? Can anything good come from the Muslim world?
We know the stories and we have made up our minds, so that is that and I am not getting gum stuck in my hair even if there potential treasure. I have been burned before or someone I love has gotten hurt or worse because of this person or that group. We may end up wondering, “Can anything good come from anywhere in this broken down world?”

“Come and see,” Philip says.

The spark that Jesus’ invitation (“Follow me”) lit within Philip’s heart burned brightly so that even the cynical, potentially squelching question from Nathaniel did little to diminish Philip’s flame. “Come and see,” Philip responds. Nathaniel, as skeptical as he may be, still makes the journey to go and see Jesus. We may have made up our minds already about everything under the sun. We may believe that we know others’ intentions, their hearts, and their minds better than they themselves know. We might even be right, but what Nathaniel does by following Philip to Jesus is precisely what we must do with all of our preconceived notions, all our prejudices, and all our fears. We must come and see.

When Nathaniel meets Jesus we discover along with the skeptic that the Messiah knows more about this man than Nathaniel thinks. This little bit of precognition shifts Nathaniel’s view enough to call Jesus “Rabbi,” “Son of God,” and “King of Israel.” Clearly by coming to Jesus and seeing what the Messiah knows shifts Nathaniel’s life. Yet, Nathaniel and we will see much greater signs than Christ simply seeing us and calling us. Jesus the Messiah opens up heaven and is the way God.

Christ has so much in store for each and every one of our lives. Yet, we may let preconceptions, prejudices, and fears paralyze us. The memory of gum stuck in our hair and the smell of the peanut butter on our head might keep us from checking under a car to find a quarter. A scar on our hearts might keep us from seeking new treasure. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” The real question is, “Can anything good come from us?”

Jesus echoes Philip’s words to us, “Come and see!” Let go of what you think will happen. Let go of what has happened. Come to Jesus and he will show you greater things than where you are now. Christ will do more than tell you from where you came. He will show us all that he is the connection that brings heaven to earth and earth to heaven! Come and see!

What Dwight Schrute Taught Me About God's Spirit

Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute

One of my favorite TV shows is The Office, which follows the happenings of a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. While this is the premise of the program, the intrigue builds because of personality conflicts arising between ridiculous characters. Whether it is the complete ineptitude of the boss, the absurd love interests of several office employees, or the anger management issues of working in a dying industry, this show is not really about paper, but about the characters.

The most ridiculous of the ridiculous characters is a particularly quirky paper seller named Dwight Schrute, who runs a beet farm on the side. In one episode Dwight who often falls over himself trying to do good deeds actually acts heroically. He protects his long time office rival Jim Halpert from being beat up by another employee. Dwight springs into action unleashing pepper spray in the eyes of the would-be attacker. Jim proceeds to spend the rest of the episode trying to repay Dwight for his noble deed. Dwight though will not accept any payment for his action. For all his quirkiness Dwight believes that doing the right thing is done because it is the right thing, and not because he will receive a reward for it. Sometimes I can be like Jim in my relationship with God. Once I receive God’s graciousness, I attempt to pay God back by “being good,” “praying harder,” or giving more to charity.

In today’s lesson from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter and John went to Samaria once they heard that the people there received the word of God. The disciples journeyed to this land to pray for the Holy Spirit to come among the Samaritans to fully mark their baptism. During this mission a man named Simon observed the disciples’ work, and he offered them money in exchange for power. Simon essentially wanted to barter with God to receive the ability to pass on the Holy Spirit.

Peter responds quickly and firmly, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money!” Peter tells Simon that he is missing the point. One cannot buy God’s gift with money. God’s love is not about an exchange of money, or praise, nor is it about power. God’s Spirit is a gift to us.

Peter and John did not go to Samaria so that they might make a few extra pieces of silver. We are not expected to do good things so that we will get paid for them, nor are we able to buy more spiritual gifts through some monetary system. We are freely given God’s gifts of the Spirit because our God is a God of Abundance not scarcity. We have no strings attached to God's gifts. We are not required to pay God back. We don’t have to give God a certain amount of praise. Instead, God invites us to turn our hearts over to God to allow for God’s Spirit to free us, to shape us into who God intends us to be, and to give us the gifts that God shares with us. God calls us to freely give to others, to do God's will because that is what we are called to do, and not to exchange money for spiritual gifts. For God is a God of overabundance!