I am writing this on my birthday. 53, in case you are wondering. Only 53? To some of my readers. Holy cow, 53!? To others. Incomprehensibly 53 to me, to be honest. It doesn’t seem possible, except that I can do the math. Still, my son Rhys asked me if I felt any older. Actually, he asked me that at midnight last night, so I was feeling older then. But now? Not so much. Really.
But I have been spending most of my time responding to Facebook birthday greetings. I’m not quite sure what the etiquette is for this sort of thing. But the 21st Century method of acknowledging birthdays is a Facebook post. I’ve gotten a few cards in the mail, a couple email “e-cards” but nearly 50 Facebook posts and it isn’t yet noon.
Like I said, I’m not sure what you are supposed to do with these things. Do you just send a general “thanks for all the posts” on your status? Do you “like” each one? Or do you send a note? I don’t send a note back to those who send me a card, but I’ve been responding to each one. It’s kind of fun. But they keep coming and I have to stop writing here to get to them.
I’m not the greatest Facebook person around. We’ve got some folks in the church who are excellent at it, both in posting their own stuff and in commenting on others. I’ve been told something about someone and asked, how did you know that? I checked their Facebook page, is the response. It’s a pretty amazing tool. We even have a Facebook page for the church. Did you know that? You can “friend” Aldersgate, and make comments or get information. La Donna updates it every Sunday after church with the announcements for the bulletins and then with the youth stuff that Amanda has been sending out. It could be useful instrument for the church. We’re not sure who all is looking at it, but you should check it out.
Like I said, however, I don’t know all the rules of Facebook, real or unwritten. I can still embarrass my kids by doing something “not cool” with my Facebook page, or theirs. I don’t always update everyone on my status - partly because I have trouble believing anyone really cares. But some folks obviously think they do, because they’ll tell the whole world anything and everything on Facebook. And I do mean everything. People have gotten into trouble via Facebook, but then apparently regimes have been overthrown in part due to Facebook. At least if you believe the reports, and it is hard not to see something significant happening on the world stage.
That’s quite a range, when you think about it, from “Having a bad hair day!” to “Join the revolution to depose the dictators!” But the same instrument serves both causes. No wonder we want to know the rules. We don’t want to run the risk of misusing this powerful instrument.
Learning the rules is a common exercise. Jesus knew that, which is why he took the time to talk about the rules in the Sermon on the Mount. He knew he was in a rule based society, so he decided to take a look at the rules. And to mess with everyone’s head at the same time. “You thought you knew the rules?” he seems to be saying. “Well, listen to this!”
Matthew 5:21-37 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Oh my. Rules are one thing. But this ... This seems a bit much. Doesn’t it? Extreme rules. Intense rules. Rules only for those who are really into rules. Or something like that. I mean, we’ve evolved as a society, haven’t we? We’ve kinda let most of this stuff slide. No big deal, we say. Live and let live, we believe. To each their own, we believe.
But should we? We don’t want to be stick in the muds, I don’t think. And yet, reading these verses it seems like this higher standard is something more than just adding to the list of rules. It is like Jesus is trying to get us to realize something about ourselves and about our relationships. And that something might be something as simple as “pay attention.” Or “these relationships are precious, treat with care.” Or maybe even “community is a gift from God, don’t waste it, don’t abuse it, don’t ignore it.”
You see, maybe I’m just wired this way, but it seems to me that all these rules, all these higher ways of living are about community. They are about relationships. And Jesus is saying that we ought not take anyone for granted. Ought not run the risk of hurting anyone. Ought not treat anyone as less than the child of God that they are. These aren’t rules so much as a way of creating a community that resembles the kingdom of God.
Hmm, creating a community. I guess that means that Jesus was into Facebook before Facebook was around. And like Facebook, the community of faith can be about the little details of daily living or about revolutions and transformation. And maybe even both at the same time.
The birthday wishes kept coming in all day. Some from folks I haven’t seen for a long time. Others from ones I encounter each week or even more. And yet there is this connection. Woven together by birthday wishes and the body of Christ, we are a community of respect and of joy. A caring community of hope and affirmation. We are a Christ breathed community of transformation and spiritual growth.
I doubt that is what Zuckerberg had in mind. Now Jesus on the other hand ...
Shalom,
Derek
But I have been spending most of my time responding to Facebook birthday greetings. I’m not quite sure what the etiquette is for this sort of thing. But the 21st Century method of acknowledging birthdays is a Facebook post. I’ve gotten a few cards in the mail, a couple email “e-cards” but nearly 50 Facebook posts and it isn’t yet noon.
Like I said, I’m not sure what you are supposed to do with these things. Do you just send a general “thanks for all the posts” on your status? Do you “like” each one? Or do you send a note? I don’t send a note back to those who send me a card, but I’ve been responding to each one. It’s kind of fun. But they keep coming and I have to stop writing here to get to them.
I’m not the greatest Facebook person around. We’ve got some folks in the church who are excellent at it, both in posting their own stuff and in commenting on others. I’ve been told something about someone and asked, how did you know that? I checked their Facebook page, is the response. It’s a pretty amazing tool. We even have a Facebook page for the church. Did you know that? You can “friend” Aldersgate, and make comments or get information. La Donna updates it every Sunday after church with the announcements for the bulletins and then with the youth stuff that Amanda has been sending out. It could be useful instrument for the church. We’re not sure who all is looking at it, but you should check it out.
Like I said, however, I don’t know all the rules of Facebook, real or unwritten. I can still embarrass my kids by doing something “not cool” with my Facebook page, or theirs. I don’t always update everyone on my status - partly because I have trouble believing anyone really cares. But some folks obviously think they do, because they’ll tell the whole world anything and everything on Facebook. And I do mean everything. People have gotten into trouble via Facebook, but then apparently regimes have been overthrown in part due to Facebook. At least if you believe the reports, and it is hard not to see something significant happening on the world stage.
That’s quite a range, when you think about it, from “Having a bad hair day!” to “Join the revolution to depose the dictators!” But the same instrument serves both causes. No wonder we want to know the rules. We don’t want to run the risk of misusing this powerful instrument.
Learning the rules is a common exercise. Jesus knew that, which is why he took the time to talk about the rules in the Sermon on the Mount. He knew he was in a rule based society, so he decided to take a look at the rules. And to mess with everyone’s head at the same time. “You thought you knew the rules?” he seems to be saying. “Well, listen to this!”
Matthew 5:21-37 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' 32 But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or 'No, No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
Oh my. Rules are one thing. But this ... This seems a bit much. Doesn’t it? Extreme rules. Intense rules. Rules only for those who are really into rules. Or something like that. I mean, we’ve evolved as a society, haven’t we? We’ve kinda let most of this stuff slide. No big deal, we say. Live and let live, we believe. To each their own, we believe.
But should we? We don’t want to be stick in the muds, I don’t think. And yet, reading these verses it seems like this higher standard is something more than just adding to the list of rules. It is like Jesus is trying to get us to realize something about ourselves and about our relationships. And that something might be something as simple as “pay attention.” Or “these relationships are precious, treat with care.” Or maybe even “community is a gift from God, don’t waste it, don’t abuse it, don’t ignore it.”
You see, maybe I’m just wired this way, but it seems to me that all these rules, all these higher ways of living are about community. They are about relationships. And Jesus is saying that we ought not take anyone for granted. Ought not run the risk of hurting anyone. Ought not treat anyone as less than the child of God that they are. These aren’t rules so much as a way of creating a community that resembles the kingdom of God.
Hmm, creating a community. I guess that means that Jesus was into Facebook before Facebook was around. And like Facebook, the community of faith can be about the little details of daily living or about revolutions and transformation. And maybe even both at the same time.
The birthday wishes kept coming in all day. Some from folks I haven’t seen for a long time. Others from ones I encounter each week or even more. And yet there is this connection. Woven together by birthday wishes and the body of Christ, we are a community of respect and of joy. A caring community of hope and affirmation. We are a Christ breathed community of transformation and spiritual growth.
I doubt that is what Zuckerberg had in mind. Now Jesus on the other hand ...
Shalom,
Derek
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