Jesus of Nazareth? What good comes out of Nazareth?
An archeological journal last week says that we interbred with so-called pre-humans. The Neanderthals entered the gene-pool of our own ancestors.
At first blush, that seems to be a brand new take on where we came from. On second glance, "so what's new"
Perhaps our immune system became stronger and our looks became better because we bred with others. But those benefits are nothing when we look at what has not changed.
So what if we interbred with the folks on the other side of the mountain?" Nothing wrong with that. In fact, that's all to the good, except...
History tells us our interbreeding happened by way of little wars and rapes, not love at all.
Our CATECHISM, p. 845 in the BCP, states "From the beginning, human beings have misused their freedom and made wrong choices....."Why?"
Because we rebel against God, and we put ouselves in the place of God."
God himself says that's the one constant of the human species! Humans are the one-uppers of the universe!
"I'm smarter, richer, stronger, and blah, blah, blah than you are.
My family's better, my city's bigger, my skin is whiter, my nation is the best, we'll whup your "you know what."
I offer St. Nathaniel the Apostle as chief example today. His little quip, "what good can comefrom Nazareth?" is absolutely Neanderthal, club, spear, brute force and all. He is our ancestor.
Our ugliness comes out in the ways we interact with others.
I won't mention the 4 Marines shaming the bodies of two dead enemies, nor the eight Marines that taunted one Marine into suicide.
The Straits of Hormuz is also a shameless latrine, which many of us want to flush over the Iranian devils.
The 1% has become Public Enemy Number1, perhaps deservedly because they successfully one up 99% of us!
The current Republican race for the nomination has devolved into a "my superpac is more Neanderthal than your superpac."
I will not speak to the politics of this little congregation, but it's plain to all that working with God is not an easy task here, maybe because we've, I've, You've, got all the answers, and don't you disturb them.
Baptists joke among themselves that the seven last words of the church are: WE'VE NEVER DONE IT THAT WAY BEFORE!1
I have to add, there is a priest in our midst who enjoys being Charlie Brown's Lucy, who said, "it's my job to point out the problem, not to solve it." That's not a helpful Neanderthal.
SCHADENFREUDE is a wonderful German word that means " to rejoice in another person's pratfall." Clergy, parents, cops, Judge Judy, folks running for public office and most others absolutely exult in putting other people down and shining the spotlight on their sins and defects. SHADENFREUDE! We make divisions of the House, and ultimately someone wins and someone loses, and we all stay as club wielding Neanderthals.
Jesus of Nazareth? What good comes out of Nazareth?
Well, he came from Jefferson County, what do you expect?
What do you want from E. St. Louis, a good preacher?
Well, he's not even an Episcopalian, what do you want? He's not a priest, or a warden. He's not even a memeber here.
All of which is to say, I, put myself in the place of God, am in rebellion against God, and I don't recognize it, and I can't get out. I am more wretched than I ever expected! "O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of sin?"
Can Nathaniel the Neanderthal change his spots? It happened once in Judea. Can it happen to me?
Jesus turned Nathaniel into a new being. He lit Nathaniels fire and gave Nathaniel a faith and trust that surprised even Nathaniel!
Would to God this Jesus could come directly to me and to you so that we could "see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
This is the promise of the Messiah! You and I Do see this very thing!
How often I have looked into the eyes of a baby being baptized, and the little one gives me such a knowing look, an understanding, and together we see the angels of God ascending and descending in the water.
I can't prove it. The look that passes between baby and me can only be taken as faith communicating to faith, or it is the imagination of a fond old man.
I know, and you know that when Jesus began to die and his body hung on the cross, we believers behold the angels ascending and descending from the Son of man, to us the sons/daughters of God.
At the mere thought of his work, we see angels! God grabs us! Hooks us like a fisherman.
At this Holy Eucharist within our assembly angels of God ascend and descend on the bread and wine and we taste the healing power that changes Neanderthals from rebels, into children of the Most High God, and dear brothers and sisters of one another! And Nathaniel!
An archeological journal last week says that we interbred with so-called pre-humans. The Neanderthals entered the gene-pool of our own ancestors.
At first blush, that seems to be a brand new take on where we came from. On second glance, "so what's new"
Perhaps our immune system became stronger and our looks became better because we bred with others. But those benefits are nothing when we look at what has not changed.
So what if we interbred with the folks on the other side of the mountain?" Nothing wrong with that. In fact, that's all to the good, except...
History tells us our interbreeding happened by way of little wars and rapes, not love at all.
Our CATECHISM, p. 845 in the BCP, states "From the beginning, human beings have misused their freedom and made wrong choices....."Why?"
Because we rebel against God, and we put ouselves in the place of God."
God himself says that's the one constant of the human species! Humans are the one-uppers of the universe!
"I'm smarter, richer, stronger, and blah, blah, blah than you are.
My family's better, my city's bigger, my skin is whiter, my nation is the best, we'll whup your "you know what."
I offer St. Nathaniel the Apostle as chief example today. His little quip, "what good can comefrom Nazareth?" is absolutely Neanderthal, club, spear, brute force and all. He is our ancestor.
Our ugliness comes out in the ways we interact with others.
I won't mention the 4 Marines shaming the bodies of two dead enemies, nor the eight Marines that taunted one Marine into suicide.
The Straits of Hormuz is also a shameless latrine, which many of us want to flush over the Iranian devils.
The 1% has become Public Enemy Number1, perhaps deservedly because they successfully one up 99% of us!
The current Republican race for the nomination has devolved into a "my superpac is more Neanderthal than your superpac."
I will not speak to the politics of this little congregation, but it's plain to all that working with God is not an easy task here, maybe because we've, I've, You've, got all the answers, and don't you disturb them.
Baptists joke among themselves that the seven last words of the church are: WE'VE NEVER DONE IT THAT WAY BEFORE!1
I have to add, there is a priest in our midst who enjoys being Charlie Brown's Lucy, who said, "it's my job to point out the problem, not to solve it." That's not a helpful Neanderthal.
SCHADENFREUDE is a wonderful German word that means " to rejoice in another person's pratfall." Clergy, parents, cops, Judge Judy, folks running for public office and most others absolutely exult in putting other people down and shining the spotlight on their sins and defects. SHADENFREUDE! We make divisions of the House, and ultimately someone wins and someone loses, and we all stay as club wielding Neanderthals.
Jesus of Nazareth? What good comes out of Nazareth?
Well, he came from Jefferson County, what do you expect?
What do you want from E. St. Louis, a good preacher?
Well, he's not even an Episcopalian, what do you want? He's not a priest, or a warden. He's not even a memeber here.
All of which is to say, I, put myself in the place of God, am in rebellion against God, and I don't recognize it, and I can't get out. I am more wretched than I ever expected! "O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of sin?"
Can Nathaniel the Neanderthal change his spots? It happened once in Judea. Can it happen to me?
Jesus turned Nathaniel into a new being. He lit Nathaniels fire and gave Nathaniel a faith and trust that surprised even Nathaniel!
Would to God this Jesus could come directly to me and to you so that we could "see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
This is the promise of the Messiah! You and I Do see this very thing!
How often I have looked into the eyes of a baby being baptized, and the little one gives me such a knowing look, an understanding, and together we see the angels of God ascending and descending in the water.
I can't prove it. The look that passes between baby and me can only be taken as faith communicating to faith, or it is the imagination of a fond old man.
I know, and you know that when Jesus began to die and his body hung on the cross, we believers behold the angels ascending and descending from the Son of man, to us the sons/daughters of God.
At the mere thought of his work, we see angels! God grabs us! Hooks us like a fisherman.
At this Holy Eucharist within our assembly angels of God ascend and descend on the bread and wine and we taste the healing power that changes Neanderthals from rebels, into children of the Most High God, and dear brothers and sisters of one another! And Nathaniel!
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