Thursday, February 17, 2011
The End
This blog is discontinued effective immediately. Its idea lives on in my consolidated lifestream danielhaas.org All posts are replicated over there.
Monday, February 14, 2011
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Today's Reading is 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Since today happens to be Valentine's Day it is tempting to read "love" as "eros" as in the Song of Songs. Here the Greek word is ἀγάπη (agápē). King James even tried to moralize it but translating it as charity.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Today's Reading is 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
Two brief observations: "Christ Has No Hands But Ours".
And: "In the church God has put all in place."
Oh, and then there is the Cartman Song Lyrics as well.
Two brief observations: "Christ Has No Hands But Ours".
And: "In the church God has put all in place."
Oh, and then there is the Cartman Song Lyrics as well.
Sermon Podcast: Yin Yang
Listen to a sermon by the Rev. Daniel Haas titled “Yin Yang” based on Matthew 5:17-26,43-48. It was delivered at Provo Community United Church of Christ on February 13th 2011.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Hosea 14:1-9
Today's Reading is Hosea 14:1-9.
Hosea once again uses strong imagery to get his message across. Today's passage is full of botanical references.
Verse 6a: "They will be alive with new growth, and beautiful like olive trees."
Verse 6b: "They will be fragrant like the cedars of Lebanon. "
Verse 7b: "They will grow crops of grain and be fruitful like a vineyard.
They will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon."
Hosea once again uses strong imagery to get his message across. Today's passage is full of botanical references.
Verse 6a: "They will be alive with new growth, and beautiful like olive trees."
Verse 6b: "They will be fragrant like the cedars of Lebanon. "
Verse 7b: "They will grow crops of grain and be fruitful like a vineyard.
They will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon."
Friday, February 11, 2011
Hosea 2:2-23
Today's Reading is Hosea 2:2-23.
Hosea is not shy in any way. Today he revolutionizes gender perceptions of God portraying YHWH as a concerned father and a protective lion mother. Male God, female Goddess? In yesterday's reading Hosea wrote about God being a betrayed husband and in 13:8 God is a mother bear - an animal!
What does your God look like?
Hosea is not shy in any way. Today he revolutionizes gender perceptions of God portraying YHWH as a concerned father and a protective lion mother. Male God, female Goddess? In yesterday's reading Hosea wrote about God being a betrayed husband and in 13:8 God is a mother bear - an animal!
What does your God look like?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Hosea 2:2-23
Today's Reading is Hosea 2:2-23.The prophet tells the story of Israel being unfaithful toward God and their relationship being happily restored. They cheated on God with Baal, a local deity which was popular at the time. Hosea reminds them remember the Exodus and how painful the desert experience was and will be: Love hurts!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Hosea 1:1-2:1
Today's Reading is Hosea 1:1-2:1.
In addition to writing and speaking messages from God, Hebrew prophets often acted out prophetic parables:
Ahijah from Shiloh
Isaiah
Jeremiah (shorts, clay jar, yoke)
Ezekiel (acts out the siege of Jerusalem, cuts his hair, as a refugee, trembling, wooden stick)
Hosea has to create difficult family situations for himself to depict the unfaithfulness of king Jerobeam II of Israel.
In addition to writing and speaking messages from God, Hebrew prophets often acted out prophetic parables:Ahijah from Shiloh
Isaiah
Jeremiah (shorts, clay jar, yoke)
Ezekiel (acts out the siege of Jerusalem, cuts his hair, as a refugee, trembling, wooden stick)
Hosea has to create difficult family situations for himself to depict the unfaithfulness of king Jerobeam II of Israel.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
John 13:21-35
Today's Reading is John 13:21-35.
During this joyous meal Jesus drops the bomb: “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. In the other gospels they don't learn who he is talking about, but ask helplessly: "Is it I, Lord?" without Jesus giving an answer.The gospel of John has a super-special disciple: "One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus."
Now it gets weird: Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.” So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?” Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Why all that ado? Why not straight-talk? Peter is the Head Apostle at the time. John is what seems to be Jesus' lover. The ultimate result is the same as in the other gospels: None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him.
Even being the first of all Christians, even being super close to Jesus, does not prevent us from betraying him. When the Lord cleansed us disciples through his foot-washing that didn't last too long: Tonight's supper reminds us of our need for forgiveness over and over again.
During this joyous meal Jesus drops the bomb: “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. In the other gospels they don't learn who he is talking about, but ask helplessly: "Is it I, Lord?" without Jesus giving an answer.The gospel of John has a super-special disciple: "One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus."
Now it gets weird: Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.” So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?” Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Why all that ado? Why not straight-talk? Peter is the Head Apostle at the time. John is what seems to be Jesus' lover. The ultimate result is the same as in the other gospels: None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him.
Even being the first of all Christians, even being super close to Jesus, does not prevent us from betraying him. When the Lord cleansed us disciples through his foot-washing that didn't last too long: Tonight's supper reminds us of our need for forgiveness over and over again.
Monday, February 7, 2011
John 13:1-20
Today's Reading is John 13:1-20.
Afraid of germs we teach to wash your hands before a meal, afraid of coming to God unclean a few cultures teach to wash your feet before a meal.
That is an act of purification, not cleanliness.
The entirety of his disciples is not clean, because Judas is part of them.
Each individual is not entirely clean, because we are all partly Judas.
You have hidden sins of the past and unknown sins of the future.
Foot-washing is a visible sign for an inner process of purification: In this moment I am willing to look at myself from God's perspective. It shows me that I am just human, I'm unclean, and God is ready to cleanse me today.
Afraid of germs we teach to wash your hands before a meal, afraid of coming to God unclean a few cultures teach to wash your feet before a meal.
That is an act of purification, not cleanliness.
The entirety of his disciples is not clean, because Judas is part of them.
Each individual is not entirely clean, because we are all partly Judas.
You have hidden sins of the past and unknown sins of the future.
Foot-washing is a visible sign for an inner process of purification: In this moment I am willing to look at myself from God's perspective. It shows me that I am just human, I'm unclean, and God is ready to cleanse me today.
John 3:22-36
Sunday's Reading was John 3:22-36. This one actually needs to be extended to John 4:1-3. The Gospel of John dates to the 90s. It is a relatively late and distant interpretation of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist is a distant memory surely not worthy of baptizing Jesus. To the author it is even important to stress Jesus' superiority over the Baptist by stating that Jesus won more disciples than John - he did not even baptize himself.
John 3:1-21
Saturday's Reading was John 3:1-21. I still like my sermon for Trinity Sunday 2009 titled "Spiritual Encounter" which was based on this passage.
Mark 12:28-44
Friday's Reading was Mark 12:28-44. It includes one of the most remarkable passages about financial stewardship - the widow's mite. The lesson here is: Tithing is not a good idea! There is no reason to limit oneself. The widow has by far outgiven the tithers around her as far as percentage goes. Give freely!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Sermon Podcast: God is still speaking in Utah Valley
Listen to a sermon by the Rev. Daniel Haas commemorating Scout Sunday and the 120th anniversary of Provo Community United Church of Christ. It was based on Matthew 5:13-16 and delivered February 6th 2011.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Matthew 19:13-30
Today's Reading is Matthew 19:13-30.
Verse 24 is one of those images you just can't wrap your head around unless you know where it comes from: "I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."
Jesus again is totally in line with his fellow teachers, just that Berakhot has an elephant instead of a camel. Either way it is an aphorism applied to unthinkable thoughts. The image is really taken from everyday life.
Most city gates, like the famous Jaffa gate have a door for pedestrian traffic as opposed to cargo animals. They were called "the eye of a needle". The camel / elephant carrying you goods needs the gate open during day time. Hence they can't sneak in at night but have to wait until the gate is fully opened in the morning.
Verse 24 is one of those images you just can't wrap your head around unless you know where it comes from: "I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."
Jesus again is totally in line with his fellow teachers, just that Berakhot has an elephant instead of a camel. Either way it is an aphorism applied to unthinkable thoughts. The image is really taken from everyday life.
Most city gates, like the famous Jaffa gate have a door for pedestrian traffic as opposed to cargo animals. They were called "the eye of a needle". The camel / elephant carrying you goods needs the gate open during day time. Hence they can't sneak in at night but have to wait until the gate is fully opened in the morning.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Deuteronomy 6:1-25
Today's Reading is Deuteronomy 6:1-25. In Israel a bus driver once told me that he prays the Shema whenever he sees an ambulance driving by. The beautiful thing about this prayer is that it contains God's name three times:
"Israel, remember this! The LORD — and the LORD alone— is our God. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."
In English YHWH is transcribed as LORD, which in turn is a translation of Andonai, which is what is said in Hebrew avoiding to use God's name altogether. The bus driver said that by calling on God's name you make the four golden letters יהוה ascend to heaven and eventually intercept and send back the soul that is leaving the person dying in the ambulance thus saving his or her life. That sounded logical to me at the time and I have practiced it ever since. Oh, but there is one catch - you gotta recite it in Hebrew:
Sh'ma Yis-ra-eil, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, A-do-nai E-chad.
V'a-hav-ta eit A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha,
B'chawl l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chawl naf-sh'cha,
u-v'chawl m'o-de-cha.
"Israel, remember this! The LORD — and the LORD alone— is our God. Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."
In English YHWH is transcribed as LORD, which in turn is a translation of Andonai, which is what is said in Hebrew avoiding to use God's name altogether. The bus driver said that by calling on God's name you make the four golden letters יהוה ascend to heaven and eventually intercept and send back the soul that is leaving the person dying in the ambulance thus saving his or her life. That sounded logical to me at the time and I have practiced it ever since. Oh, but there is one catch - you gotta recite it in Hebrew:
Sh'ma Yis-ra-eil, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu, A-do-nai E-chad.
V'a-hav-ta eit A-do-nai E-lo-he-cha,
B'chawl l'va-v'cha,
u-v'chawl naf-sh'cha,
u-v'chawl m'o-de-cha.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Leviticus 19:1-18
Today's Reading is Leviticus 19:1-18.
This chapter is central to the so-called Holiness Code. The motto is; “Be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy." The Hebrew word for "holiness," "kedushah" (Hebrew: קדושה) has the connotation of "separateness". So since God is separate from the world so his people are supposed to be special. There is some religious and cultural stuff listed but that is mostly common-sense or general moral practice. A couple of things really stick out though:
Verse 10: "Do not go back through your vineyard to gather the grapes that were missed or to pick up the grapes that have fallen; leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am the LORD your God."
- God's people know they were slaves in Egypt once. Hence they have a special responsibility towards their poor.
Verse 18: "love your neighbors as you love yourself."
- Asked about the most important commandment Jesus quotes this verse, echoing the teaching of the school of Hillel.
This chapter is central to the so-called Holiness Code. The motto is; “Be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy." The Hebrew word for "holiness," "kedushah" (Hebrew: קדושה) has the connotation of "separateness". So since God is separate from the world so his people are supposed to be special. There is some religious and cultural stuff listed but that is mostly common-sense or general moral practice. A couple of things really stick out though:
Verse 10: "Do not go back through your vineyard to gather the grapes that were missed or to pick up the grapes that have fallen; leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am the LORD your God."
- God's people know they were slaves in Egypt once. Hence they have a special responsibility towards their poor.
Verse 18: "love your neighbors as you love yourself."
- Asked about the most important commandment Jesus quotes this verse, echoing the teaching of the school of Hillel.
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