The Grove Charlotte — Podcast

Scripture: Mark 10:32-45

Dear Church,

Jesus turned to his friends and said, ‘We are going to Jerusalem, and when we get there, everyone is going to turn on me. I’m going to be arrested and tortured and humiliated and killed.’ And James & John said, ‘Cool, cool. Hey–give us whatever we ask for!’ And Jesus replied, ‘Nice try–what do you want?’ And they said, ‘We want to sit at your right and left hand when you come into your power.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘You really, really don’t want that. Yet.’ And then all the other disciples got really pissed at James and John, and Jesus tried to teach them about the nature of power and glory in his Kingdom, but nobody was listening.’

That’s my very unofficial paraphrase of Mark 10:32-45.

We still don’t want to listen to Jesus when he teaches us about power, authority and greatness in his Kingdom. ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, Jesus–whatever you say. Hey! Give us whatever we ask for in your name!”

When Jesus shows us his glory and power on the cross, we definitely look away as quickly as possible.

The plain truth is, if we want to be saved by the power of Jesus, we will have to lay down our corrupted desires, and our natural understanding of authority and greatness must be transformed. And like our spiritual cousins, James & John, we fight that transformation every step of the way. Just let us use your name to get where we want to be, Jesus!

We may not yet understand or even desire the new life Jesus has for us, we may be committed to who we think Jesus is instead of who he actually is, we may, like James & John, be following Jesus because we want him to do what appears good to our eyes–but the good news of the gospel is we aren’t saved by our understanding or by the integrity of our faith. Rather, we are being saved by the power and glory of God. And we can trust in that glory and power, even as we struggle to surrender to it.

Peace,
Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-16 (NIV)

Dear Church,

We are spending the 40 days of Lent seeking scripture for wisdom about sacrifice. What kinds of sacrifices are pleasing to the Lord?

So far, we’ve mostly focused on what not to do. You know, don’t kill your brother because your sacrifice is not acceptable. Don’t kill your daughter as a sacrifice. There is absolutely a pattern here–don’t kill people. Period.

So if murder is an unacceptable sacrifice (even dressed up in holy language), then what kinds of sacrifices do please God?

The good news/bad news is–it’s actually quite clear. The preacher in Hebrews lays it out plainly: Love one another, show hospitality to strangers, honor your spouse, don’t use other people’s bodies for your sexual gratification, care for prisoners and those who are being mistreated in practical & costly ways, liberate yourself from the love of money, practice radical contentment, imitate the faith and life of Jesus.

The trouble isn’t that we don’t understand–it’s that the ordinary costly sacrifices God calls us to are not acceptable in our eyes. They are not elite spiritual challenges that only a few can master. They are not ‘one and done.’ The sacrifices God deems acceptable do not titillate or entertain us. They will not give us elevated spiritual status, they will sink us deeper into solidarity with the least, last and lost.

And so we are susceptible to being led astray by ‘all kinds of strange teachings.’

I hope you will join me as we hear once again our daily call to ‘do good’ and ‘share with others.’ Acceptable sacrifices are as simple, possible and beautiful as that.

Peace,
Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Judges 11:1-11, and 11:29-40

Dear Church,

If we don’t know God, we cannot make an acceptable sacrifice. Even if we want to.

In the book of Judges, there is a terrible, tragic and important story about a man named Jephthah and his only daughter. Jephthah was one of the judges of Israel. He was an honorable man, who suffered abuse and exile at the hands of his own brothers and still returned to help them in their hour of need. Even though he was rejected by his people, he bravely and humbly agreed to serve them. He understood the history and covenant of Israel–ironically, more than those who believed they were the only ‘true’ Israelites. And he grounded his life in worship and dedicated his ministry to God.

In short, he desired with all his heart to love and serve God and God’s people.

But in a critical moment, he made a tragic vow, believing it was necessary and pleasing to God. And then, he kept that promise, believing it was faithfulness. He believed God required him to kill his only daughter.

Because he didn’t know the God he loved and served.

If we do not know God, if we do not know our own sacred history, we can be convinced to do all sorts of evil and call it faithful and righteous.

We often assume that everything in scripture is prescriptive–an example for us to follow. But much of scripture is descriptive–showing us the truth of how we can be deceived and twisted by lies and idolatry. We are gathering around the story of Jephthah and his daughter because we must learn to recognize and reject violent and destructive sacrifices as unacceptable to God and God’s people.

When we know God, we will no longer be deceived.

Peace,
Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16

Dear Church,

Along with disciples across the world and generations, we set aside the next forty days before Easter as a season of repentance, spiritual growth and sacrifice.

Sacrifice?

As modern Christians, we are very comfortable thinking about Jesus making a sacrifice for us on the cross. But most of us feel that it is no longer appropriate or necessary for believers to make sacrifices for God. Surely, we protest, we’ve moved far beyond the kind of primitive worship that involves sacrifice. We are saved by grace, not works…and certainly not sacrifices.

But that’s a curious attitude to have considering that Jesus told would-be disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” I don’t know how much clearer he could have made it. Those who are unwilling to deny themselves–to sacrifice–will be unable to follow.

This Lent, we’ll be exploring what a healthy and holy practice of sacrifice looks like. What does God ask of us? We can all tell stories about Christians who have been manipulated and abused in the name of sacrifice, but what does a good sacrifice look like? What kinds of gifts and sacrifices actually please the Lord?

Because, as we learn in the very first story of sacrificial worship, not all of our offerings do please God.

What will our response be if we discover, like our older brother Cain, that what we are willing to offer isn’t acceptable in God’s sight?

Peace,
Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Revelation 1:1-19

Dear Church,

A surprising amount of scripture was penned by prisoners. Paul wrote most of his letters while imprisoned. And Revelation, the fiery apocalyptic poem that concludes the Bible, was written by a pastor named John while he was jailed on the isle of Patmos.

Most people think the key to understanding Revelation is decoding ‘when.’ When will the events described occur? How long now? How much more time do we have?

But ‘when’ is the wrong question.

If you want to understand Revelation, the question you have to answer is ‘where.’ Where was it written? Where is Babylon? Where is New Jerusalem? And, most importantly, where will I pledge my allegiance?

Pastor John was in prison for a reason. His seven churches were small and struggling, situated on the margin of the mighty Roman Empire. He and his churches certainly didn’t seem like a threat. But the gospel he preached absolutely was. It exposed the lies and unrighteousness of the powerful. It demanded that disciples swear absolute allegiance to Christ, not Caesar.

The gospel still makes those demands of us.

Which is why we need Revelation–so that we can see beyond what appears to be real to what is true and eternal. John seemed like a weak, old prisoner, condemned to die in obscurity. But he was not powerless or defeated, and he knew it. He knew he had nothing to fear from the most powerful political regime in the world. He knew he was free, despite his chains. He knew that the one who fought for him was greater than the one who fought against him.

He knew how the story ends. He saw the glory of the living Lord. And then he wrote a poem so we could see it too.

I hope you will join us for worship this Sunday as we hear, rejoice and take courage from John’s glorious vision.

Peace,
Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Joshua 14:5-15

Dear Church,

The Bible is a dangerous book.

The word of God is power (see Romans 1:16) and power is neutral. As my old New Testament professor used to say, ‘the same electricity that toasts your bread can kill you dead!’ Power itself isn’t inherently good or bad. But the power of the word of God can and has been misused to accomplish (and justify!) great evil in the world.

The right response to this grim reality is not denial or to abandon scripture. The right response is to learn how to use the power of God’s word righteously. And we know what that looks like–because we have the witness of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. AND we have the guiding wisdom and continual presence of the Holy Spirit.

All this to say–this Sunday we are going to look at a tiny piece of scripture you may never have heard before. But it has been twisted into a weapon of destruction and is still used to justify genocide and ethnic cleansing to this day.

I don’t want us to hide from this story. I want us to learn together why it doesn’t mean what many Christians have been taught. But I also want us to learn together what it does mean–because I think we desperately need this truth in these days.

Ultimately, this story is about how we carry the promises of God.

Like all of God’s truth–it is outrageously good news. Not just for us, but for all of creation. Because the power of God is God’s unfailing love–and our hope is in God’s full redemption. Unfailing love. Full redemption. These aren’t our naive wishes–this is the testimony of scripture.

And if the power of God’s word can be misused to do great evil, how much more goodness, healing, love and life will flow out of the righteous use of the promises of God? Beloved–it’s unfathomable.

This is a word that will sustain and inspire us in these days.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Dear Church,

There is a lot of controversy about the Bible story we’re going to hear today..

A widow goes to the temple and throws two small coins into the treasury. Jesus is watching and commends her. He explains that while other gifts seem larger, she has given all she possesses.

For generations, preachers have told the story of the widow, celebrating her piety and encouraging believers to ‘go and do likewise.’ Give all you have to the church…err–God.

But in recent years, scholars have begun pushing back. They point out that immediately before Jesus talks about the widow, he excoriates scribes and priests, for hypocrisy in general and specifically for ‘devouring widow’s houses.’ Turns out, temple officials were entrusted with overseeing the assets of widows (because #patriarchy) and were entitled to compensation for their labors.  The overseers did their job so well that many widows ended up penniless and homeless.

Kind of casts a different light on the scene doesn’t it?  Perhaps her gift was less piety and more prophecy. Maybe she was throwing in all they’d left her as if to say, ‘you might as well have this too!’

However you read it, this is the story about a powerless woman who had very little to give. And she gave it all to a temple that had betrayed and exploited her. And Jesus saw. And because he told the story, generations later, we still have the opportunity to watch and wonder–what does this mean? How shall we live?

What does it mean to give all you have to a wounded world as it wounds you?  Is it better to withhold gifts from the unworthy? If the widow is a window… what is she showing us?

What I know for sure is that in these days, we must let Jesus and the widow teach us why we give.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

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Scripture:  Exodus 3:1-15

Dear Church,

Moses was eighty years old the first time he met the Lord.  He was a failed revolutionary, a fugitive with a violent criminal past who was hiding out in the wilderness tending his father-in-law’s sheep. He had given up his dream of liberating his people from slavery in Egypt.

And then, one day, he saw something strange–a thorn bush wrapped in flames, but still green and whole. It was on fire, but it wasn’t consumed by the blaze. He wondered how this could possibly be. So he paused from his labor, turned aside and went to see. And in that moment, he discovered God; and in that moment he was discovered by God.

It was wonder that led Moses–to God, to his calling, to a life formed by the extraordinary promises of God.

And what I want us to see is that Moses, who had so given up hope that he no longer even despaired for the suffering of his people, Moses who was resigned to the oppression of the weak by the powerful, Moses who knew for a fact that nothing he did could make any difference at all–Moses was led into the work of liberation by his wonder.

Church–even when the world threatens to overwhelm you, even when the powers that surround rage and destroy, even when brutality paralyzes your heart with fear and despair–even then, the whole world is not woe.

Especially now, we must wonder.  We must make space, go out of our way, pause in our labor and take time to wonder. We must wonder like our lives depend upon it. Because they do.

Wonder will lead us to the Lord. And the Lord will show us the way that we can flourish as we wait, walk and work in joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of the promises of God.

Because Moses saw a bush on fire that wasn’t burning. He saw it. It couldn’t be–but it was. And when he turned aside to wonder at it–he discovered not a plant, but the God who does wondrous and impossible things. And he discovered that God was calling and equipping him to be part of the glorious, impossibly good redemption of the world. And the wonder of it all is–God is calling and equipping all of us in that way, for that work, as well.

I hope you will join me for a word of wonder and hope, a story that’s about Moses and also about all of us, a Seed of Faith that will astonish us and equip us to continue to trust the Lord and bear fruits of the Kingdom in this season.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

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Scripture:  Genesis 11:30-12:4

Dear Church,

Abram was 75 years old the first time he heard from God.  And that first (tiny) word God said to Abram is a seed out of which the Spirit grew salvation. That word?

GO

Go from your country and your family and your father’s house…to a land that I will show you. Move past all you know, all you understand, toward an unknown future for no other reason than…faith.

We expect our faith to comfort us, soothe us and settle us.  We’ve been told that faith is the way we can ensure that we get what we know we need and deserve.

But faith is what sends us out into the unknown, beyond what we have settled for. We expect faith to make us respected and honored by those around us. But what do you think Abraham’s family and community thought about his choices?

Biblical faith is wild and disruptive. It is God interrupting life, upending comfortable entrenched existence, and leading people beyond their own hopes and dreams. Faith is a seed dropped in our hearts that grows us into the life of Jesus, the living hope through whom God is redeeming and reconciling all creation.

In these tumultuous and uncertain days, we are exploring not the what, but the way faith: how it is like seeds scattered on fertile, fallow ground, how it makes us new in ways we neither seek, nor control, nor comprehend. Faith isn’t doctrine or ritual or assenting to orthodox theology.  Faith is hearing God say ‘go,’ and then deciding how you will respond.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

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Scripture: Psalms 130 & 131

Dear Church,

In 1966, Robert F. Kennedy made a speech citing the ‘ancient Chinese curse’ may you live in interesting times.  As you probably inferred from my punctuation, these words are neither ancient nor of Chinese origin. But the idea that living in interesting times is a curse sure does feel true, doesn’t it?

I’ve spent many hours this week listening. I’ve listened to politicians, historians, to pundits and other pastors–and we certainly are living in interesting times. I’ve listened with love and awe to several members of our community who opened their hearts to me–these days do feel like a curse to many of us. And I’ve sought the Lord on our behalf, searched the scriptures and strained to listen to the Holy Spirit.

Unexpectedly, I find myself tremendously excited to share the word with you this Sunday.  I believe the Lord has given me both our ‘word of the year’ to guide us as a community in 2025 and a word of courage, direction and hope for us through the prayers of our ancestors found in psalm 130 and psalm 131. (You might find it helpful to read them both in the Message paraphrase as well.)

Our faith does not allow us to live in denial or callow optimism. Still, because of Jesus, we can expect to uncover abundant life even and especially in these days. Beloved ones, we may not have asked for these times, but we were made church for times just like these. Because really, the rise and fall of political regimes, the antics and destructive foolishness of powerful leaders just aren’t novel. 

The most interesting–the most earth-shaking, power-filled and new-world-order forming time of all was when the crucifixion and death of the son of God resulted in the most improbable and unexpected outcome of all. The death of the messiah did not trigger the eternal triumph of death, violence and eternal rejection of creation by the Creator. Instead, Christ’s death unleashed a new age of life, mercy and reconciliation with God.

The most interesting thing of all is that the cross, designed by human ego to produce terror, suffering and death, was redeemed by God to become the source of forgiveness, love, life and grace. What should have eternally cursed humanity opened the way to new, abundant, and eternal life. Ever since that first Easter, we’ve been blessed to live in interesting times. The body of Christ has been here before. We have wisdom and purpose for these days. Come and see how we live in triumphant love and joyful resistance now.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

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