Pictures!

Here are the pictures from our hike rim to rim.

The Cost of Division

“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. Matthew 12:25

This statement of Jesus is made after he is accused of casting out demons by the authority of Satan.  Jesus responds by showing the impossibility of such a claim.  Following this comparison, Jesus demonstrates the unity of the Triune God.  "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."  In Scripture, the Father was preparing the people for their Savior. In Jesus' ministry, he constantly points the people to the Father.  The Holy Spirit reminds us of the Father's and Jesus' teachings.  No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Unfortunately, accusations to the unity of God's work still occurs today.  It happens by well intended Christians. Like the Pharisees in Jesus' day, we do not always understand God's Word.  We do not always understand God's mission.  Sometimes we mistakenly put these two in opposition to one another.  Sometimes we forget to submit ourselves to one another and to the Word of God.  Sometimes the Church seems to be a kingdom divided against itself.

This Divine Unity is to be a mark of the church as well.  Praise God when this happens in the church.  Unfortunately, this is not a reality in many Christian churches.  God gives the Church what it needs: Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.  God gives the church these gifts to unite us in His grace, mercy, and mission.  God gives us these gifts to be a witness in the community.  God gives us these gifts so that the people in the church and around the church may know that the Kingdom of God has come to them.

Jesus came to the city - Matthew 9:1-8

When Jesus came to the city, he made an impact.  First, people came to him with a need.  They had a paralytic friend and they hoped that Jesus could help.  When confronted with this need, Jesus pointed out that the paralytic had a greater need- the forgiveness of sins.  The scribes had their own need that they did not yet understand, unbelief in God's revealed plan of salvation.  To meet both of these needs, Jesus healed the paralytic.  What an impact this made to the people of the city.
Jesus is still coming to the city.  He does that through the ministry of His Church.  The church in the city is Christ in the city.  Many times people come to the church with their need.  This is a gift of God.  We may not always see it like that but that person has come through your doors because of what the church represents- God's representatives here and now.  Whatever need that persons comes with, he comes with the need of the forgiveness of sins.  Both needs must be addressed.  Sometimes we are not able to provide their need which brought them through the door.  We can always provide their need of forgiveness of sin for that ministry has been entrusted to us.
As the church, we can never lose sight of nor undermine the authority that God has given to men.  We can never forget that God has placed His church where He has placed it because there are sheep without a shepherd, who wander through life hungry, hurt, and lost.  We can never forget that the Lord has given us the message that alone brings the healing all people need.  We can never forget that these people will go back into the community and tell others how we ministered to them.  Hopefully the reaction will be similar to that of the people in Jesus' time.  They will praise God because such authority had been given to men.

A change of mind Matthew 8:33, 34

The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.  And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.  Matthew 8:33, 34

Sometimes people's reactions to the situation may be entirely different from what you would think.  There were two men who were possessed by demons who terrorized the people in the area.  Jesus came and healed them.  Granted the local pig farmers were a little upsest because their pigs died as an after effect of Jesus' ministry.  When the people of the city came to meet Jesus it was to say leave our city.  You would have thought they would have been happy that these men were no longer going to be a problem.  The concern of the herdsmen was all they heard and so they asked Jesus to leave.  But the two men who were healed stayed behind.
Over time, these healed men made an impact of the people of the city.  Their lives had changed because of their contact with Jesus.  Over time, these men had the opportunity to share with the people of that city what Jesus had done for them and what he had taught them.  Over time, the people's opinion of Jesus changed.  In fact in Matthew 14:34-36, we are told the next time Jesus came, they did not send out a delegation to send Jesus away.  Instead, they brought people to Jesus because they came to believe that Jesus could do something for them.
I do not know which reaction is more amazing.  First, the people of the city asked Jesus to leave because of the miracle he had performed.  Or second, these very same people received Jesus so warmly when he returned.  We do not know how people will react to the Gospel that we share, but we do know that they will react.  Sometimes it is not what we say or do that impacts others.  Sometimes it is the other person who was positively impacted by us who will minister to them in a way that we cannot.  We pray that when people's lives are impacted by the ministry of Jesus in their lives that their minds will change.

Lights in our communities

Jesus said, "you are the Light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."  Matthew 5:14

There is an important truth that Jesus makes in this verse which often goes overlooked.  God has lifted up His Church and set His people so that they can be seen.  The Lord has build the Church and lifted it up on the hill.  Why did God do this?  He did it so that the Church and the local congregation can be seen.  He did it so that the congregation can live in God's grace and mercy and be an example to the community.
In the verse that follows, Jesus talks about an historical truth that happened with God's chosen people, past and present.  Instead of shining the light, the Church hides the Gospel under a bushel.  The people of God keep God's riches to themselves.  Afraid of the darkness around them, the people of God build walls around them so that they may be kept safe.
But remember who we are.  We are the light of the world.  We are that light because we walk in the footsteps of Jesus who is the light of the world, and whoever follows him will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.  Darkness is not something that needs to paralyze the people of God with fear.  Light by its very nature overcomes darkness.  Light gives security, warmth, and life.  It is something this dark world needs. 
Take off your sunglasses and bask in the glory of God's marvellous light.  Remove the bushel and shine the Light of the Gospel.  The Lord has lifted up His people.  He has called us to be the people of God.  We are to be Christ in this world and all because that is who God made us to be.

Seen to be a blessing Deuteronomy 28:1-3

When I was growing up, my parents showed their pride in my siblings and me by putting our good grades up on the refridgerator.  Nowadays, you see the parents demonstrate their pride by posting bumperstickes.  My child is an honor student.  My child is a student of the month.  My child goes to college.  My child is in the Armed Forces.

That's exactly what God wants to do with us.  God wants us to live in his blessing here on Earth.  The way that we receive that blessing is by living according to God's commands.  God also wants the people around us to see what a blessed life it is when we live according to God's commands.  He wants to show us off.

The trouble that the Israelites had and and that we have is that we many times prefer to be like everybody else.  Rather than doing what the Bible tells us we should do or rather than listening to our conscience, we do "what everybody else is doing".  We prefer to be conformed to the world rather than be transformed by God.  God's call is for His people to be a holy people, a people set apart.  People should be able to see that there is something different about us Christians.  We believe that there is one true God.  We believe that there is an absolute truth.  We believe that we are to conform to God's Law and be subject to the governing authorities.  We live our life as a life of love- loving God with all our being and loving our neighbors as ourselves.  We do this not so that we can be saved, but so that we can avoid a lot of the traps and landmines that can harm us if we do not obey God's Law.

The result of living according to God's Law is that we will be blessed and the people will see it.  As tired as I sometimes get of people calling the church to ask for money for food, gas, rent, utilities..., I know that there is a reason that they are asking the church.  We stand out as a people who want to help and who are motivated by the love of God to help God's people.  We may have our own difficulties.  But we are always a people blessed by God to be a blessing.  As God's people in the city, God put a bumpersticker on us that says Blessed by God to be a blessing to others.

reflections from the hike- baggage

Part of my training for the hike was hiking with weights in the backpack.  I would put 30 pounds in the pack and then walk up and down a 50 foot hill.  The interensting thing about the weight was how I became used to walking with it.  I appreciated what I was walking with when I put it on and when I took it off.  But while I was carrying it, I got used to it.
We carry a lot of baggage with us every day.  This baggage weighs us down.  Peter gives us a wonderful invitation- get rid of your baggage, cast your cares on God because He cares for you.  Besides that, Jesus took care of much of the baggage that we carry around.
On the day of the hike, there were things that I needed to take- water, food, a map, compass, and first aid.  There are things that we need in our pilgramage here on Earth.  These are the things that God has given us- the Bible, Word and Sacrament ministry (church service), a family of faith (church memebers), faith, prayer ...
I also needed to be selective in what I took with me.  That which I put in my backpack I had to carry for 24 miles, up and down over 8000 feet.  If I packed too heavily, it would weigh me down.  In our pursuits of daily life, we forget to keep it simple.  That which is necessary for this life is that which prepares us and others for the next life.  We need to remember Jesus' words- do not store up your treasure on Earth but in Heaven.
Finally, remember Jesus' gracious invitation, with a slight modification.
Come to me you who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my backpack and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my backpack is easy and my burden is light.