Scott’s Blog

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. – Luke 24:50-51

The year I graduated from University a fellow student, Heather Whitestone, won Miss America. Many of us who had little or no interest in the competition before watched that year. It was exciting to watch someone who ate in the cafeteria with us competing in a national competition. And of course we were proud when she won. My roommate at the time had asked her out and been told that she was dating someone – I still tease him about being able to say that he was turned down by Miss America.
There is something in us that takes pride in sharing something in common with someone given an honor. I was proud of a fellow University student. We feel a sense of honor when they play the “Star Spangled Banner” at the Olympics. I’ve heard folks tell me with pride that Mt. Carmel and friends and family are in the movie Walk the Line. We share in the honor given to someone we have a bond.
The Sunday before Pentecost is Ascension Sunday, when we remember that Jesus, having finished his earthly ministry was “carried up to heaven” to be seated, as the Apostles’ Creed puts it, “at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”. Consider what it means for Jesus to have ascended to heaven. Jesus is the Word become flesh, God incarnate. Yet after he had paid the penalty for our sin by dying on the cross, and after he was resurrected from the dead, he didn’t throw off the human body and become pure spirit. Nor did he become un-incarnate, dumping off His human nature now that the “dirty work” was finished. The flesh he had taken was not disposed of as though it had no use. It was taken into glory. Jesus remains incarnate, that is, he continues to be fully Human (mind, body, and spirit) as well as fully Divine.
How all this works in incomprehensible, but what we can understand is the God values His good creation, including the physical world of dirt and water, flesh and blood. We receive an amazing honor in having one who is fully human “seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 8:1). Therefore, the way we view and treat ourselves and our neighbor should bear in mind that Lord did not despise the flesh or his humanity, but has glorified it and promises to glorify us as well.

In seminary we were shown a video of an Eastern Orthodox liturgy. It included St. John Chysostom’s Easter Homily, which, we were told, is read every year as part of the Easter liturgy. I love the exuberant invitation of Chrysostom’s sermon and like to use it on Easter as the invitation to the Lord’s Supper.

If any man be devout and loveth God,
Let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
If any man be a wise servant,
Let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.

If any have laboured long in fasting,
Let him how receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour,
Let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour,
Let him with thankfulness keep the feast.
If any have arrived at the sixth hour,
Let him have no misgivings;
Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
Let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.

For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
Will accept the last even as the first.
He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
And He showeth mercy upon the last,
And careth for the first;
And to the one He giveth,
And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
And He both accepteth the deeds,
And welcometh the intention,
And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.

Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
Receive your reward,
Both the first, and likewise the second.
You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
You sober and you heedless, honour the day!
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted
And you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith:
Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty,
For the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities,
For pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
For the Saviour’s death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.

By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered
When it encountered Thee in the lower regions.

It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
Is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and dominion
Unto ages of ages.

Amen.

The next day [John the Baptizer] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus’ suffering on the cross was not merely a great injustice in the death of an innocent man, or the tragically short end to the life of a captivating moral teacher.  Jesus’ death on the cross was the culmination of his ministry, he himself said just before he was betrayed into the hands of the Roman officials “Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12:27)   His death was a sacrifice that freed His people.  Just as the passover, the sacrifice that marked God’s people with the blood of the lamb, celebrated Israel’s liberation from bondage to Egypt, the death of Jesus, “the lamb of God”, marks us as those who are liberated from sin and death.

John notes several details about the crucifixion to remind his readers that Jesus is the one who is the ultimate passover lamb.   Many points of his narrative coincide with the details of the sacrifice given in Exodus 11 and 12.  The chronology in John’s Gospel tells us that the crucifixion took place at the time the lambs were being slaughtered for the sacred meal.  John 20:25-27 tells us that Jesus was looking after the well being of his mother, in doing so we are reminded that he was her firstborn – in the Exodus, the firstborn of those not marked with the lamb’s blood were killed by the final plague.  In v. 29, we are told that a hyssop branch is used to give Jesus a final drink to quench his thirst, this is reminiscent of the hyssop used to mark the door posts in Exodus 12:22.  We are also told in detail that Jesus’ bones were not broken during his execution, an explicit requirement for preparing the passover meal. (Ex. 12:46)  John masterfully reminds us through his telling of the Lord’s passion what Paul writes in I Corinthians 5:7-8, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival”.

I found this article showing the similarities of switching music styles to operating systems.  Not perfectly analogous but a fun read.

As part of getting to know the congregation I’m now serving I’ve been reading about its history, including looking through old minutes.  As the Church in the county seat we’ve absorbed the membership of smaller congregations that have closed in the past.  One such congregation was the Presbyterian Church in Centre – a town I wasn’t familiar with.  I asked a few people who were in the Church but they hadn’t heard of it.  I looked it up in True Tales of Tipton County, a local history.  I found a great story that had been censored from a Victorian era novel written by Frances Boyd Calhoun, a Covington school teacher: Miss Minerva and William Green Hill. The event had taken place in the Centre church.

One Sunday a Mr. and Mrs. Simpson [the last members from Centre who transfered to Covington], who attended to the Communion, took a bottle out of the closet and used it serve Communion. By mistake they got the wrong bottle which contained, instead of win, and old-time laxative called “Simmon’s Liver Regulator.” The results can be imagined. (True Tales of Tipton, Gaylon Neil Beasley, p. 120)

I’ve usually posted daily updates during my research trips to Scotland.  This year I went to Glasgow for my viva (the equivalent of the oral defense.)  After the big event I spent most of my time visiting friends (and missing trains) so I didn’t keep a daily blog but thought I would post a summary of the whole trip now that I’m over my jet lag.

I arrived Thursday morning and wandered around the University to see what had changed since I was there last.  I forgot how much I love Glasgow.  I met with my supervisor that afternoon to prep for the viva the next day.  I stayed at the cozy Alamo Guest house that evening.

Friday I woke too late to get breakfast at the Guest House but fortunately found a place serving breakfast.  My viva went well and after a late lunch with Professor Hazlett I was off by train to Gloucester, England to visit my friend Allan.

Saturday Allan showed me around Gloucester.  We had lunch at Robert Raike‘s house, a pub in the former home of the founder of the Sunday School movement.  (I discovered gammon – good stuff.)  After dinner at an Indian restaurant (my first proper sit-down Indian meal) we went to the Fountain Inn to catch up.  Sunday we worshiped at the United Reformed Church before I caught my train on the way back to Glasgow feeling absolutely stuffed.

Window in St. Lawrence's

Things had been running so smooth.  Before I left I had tried to book a room in Glasgow close to the rail station but I couldn’t get any of my cards to work with the online reservation system and the hotels I tried wouldn’t accept bookings by phone.  (I’m suppressing a rant to get on with my story.)  The train to Birmingham was very late.  I’m not sure what caused the disruption – they announced that a train failed – but it caused a domino effect.  I apparently had missed the last train to Glasgow and was put on another to Edinburgh which wouldn’t have been a problem had it not also been extremely late.  Due to a general ignorance of English geography I really didn’t know where I was or which way I was going.  I realized that it was going to be 2 AM before I got to Edinburgh which seemed awfully late to be trying to find a  room.  Then they announced the upcoming stops – Leeds…Wetherby…York.  York – Tim!  The only other folks I know in England live in York.  Tim’s the Parish Priest at St Lawrence and St Hilda in York.  I borrowed a kind stranger’s cell phone and called to let Tim know I would be in York soon – though I didn’t know when.  I was welcomed into the Vicarage in the middle of the night.  We reenacted one of Jesus’ parables (Luke 11:5-9) with a nearby Indian take-away that was just about to close.

Since I didn’t have anything scheduled for the next day, Tim invited me to accompany him on a car trip to Wales.  He was going to visit family and I had to get a train from somewhere.  I got to spend a little time with Tim’s family before heading off.

It was good to have an unexpected visit and catch up.  Tim has recently been the subject of controversy for a pre-Christmas sermon criticizing the lack of assistance for the poor taken as advocating shoplifting.  As we discussed the sermon and media reports (and distortions) I was shocked to hear that Church of England parishes don’t have some of the basic resources available to assist those in need that I’m used to here such as a pastor’s discretionary fund.  I get the impression that the Church’s mission to the poor has been given to the priest personally, the state welfare system, or the Salvation Army.

Church in Raglan

We had time to get a bite to eat in Raglan (had Welsh rabbit for the first time) before I caught the train to Glasgow from Abergavenny.  Thankfully the train ride was uneventful and I was able to get to the hotel for some rest before a ridiculously early plane flight home.

Dynion - Gentlemen