Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Earlier this spring, my wife and I took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg.  If you've never been, I highly recommend it.  It's a fascinating recreation of life in the Virginia colony, from the grand Governor's mansion, Capitol building, and Bruton Parish Church, to the everyday shops, homes, and gardens that made up daily life.  The interpreters are talkative, and you'll learn quite a lot from them.  One of our favorites was the gardener, out tending early spring vegetables and readying plots for new plants, all using techniques more than two centuries old.  (But then it was March - what Minnesotan doesn't like looking at green plants when home is still covered in snow?)

When we stopped at the courthouse, the interpreter there was describing criminal trial procedure to a large group of tourists.  One of the crimes was heresy, and the crowd reacted in disbelief.  At this point the host arched an eyebrow and asked the crowd, "How many of you are Catholic?"  Many raised their hands, at which the host observed, "You would be considered enemies of the State."  The official religion in Virginia, of course, was the Church of England, and while other sects were present (Quakers gathered in Meeting Houses, because they weren't allowed to have Churches), all citizens were required to pay taxes to the official Church of England.

Virginia at the time was very much foreign in that respect, as the reaction of the modern-day crowd showed.

Consider:

• Have you ever lived in or traveled to a country with an official State religion?  How was that different than the United States?  What were the public religious displays like?  How did people relate to their Church?  What services in non-official religions were allowed?  What was Church attendance like?
• How would the United States be different if we had had an official religion, or had allowed the States to set official religions from our founding?  

Grow

In today's gospel reading (Mark 12:13-17) the Pharisees quizzed Jesus.  They asked him if it was lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not.  If Jesus answered yes, he would have been setting Caesar up as a sovereign representative of God; if no, he would be guilty of heresy.  But Jesus responded with the oft-quoted saying: Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's and to God the things that are God's.  Today's sermon.

Consider:

As citizens of the United States, we have the luxury of sharing different political views without major consequences.  What are the challenges in being political and being a Christian?

What is the proper forum for discussions between persons of different political persuasions within our own church family?

What does the commandment of Jesus to love one another play in our role to work together, despite our differing views, as Christians?

Close

As Christians, our first and foremost allegiance is to our Lord.  During the political season, we will see a number of conflicting messages on which candidate has the right views.  With the Internet, we have more opportunities than ever before to check the veracity of the candidates' statements.  We owe it to our God to try to do the right thing.  We owe it to our country to be good citizens.  Balancing the two can be tricky:  But above all, we are given the commandment to love our neighbors. 

Consider the words of William Sloane Coffin this election season:

"The world is too dangerous for anything but truth and too small for anything but love".

Words for the Week

Try this contemplative approach to reading scripture called lectio divina.
Take a deep breath and find a little silence within yourself.  Then:
Read the verse a few times with a listening heart filled with unhurried expectation.
Reflect on this question, "What are you saying to me in this verse today, God?"
Respond by talking to God about your real feelings, thoughts, questions, and doubts.
Rest by simply being with God who knows you and loves you.

Tuesday:          Acts 5: 27- 32

Wednesday:      Acts 9: 26-31

Thursday:          Acts 25: 6-12

Friday:              Acts 26: 27- 32

Saturday           Acts 28: 16; 30- 31