Redemption Lived

in consolation is journeyed hard and far

the wedded times of water and wine

what price to pay has found us here

where trees and shadows remain

then dance with me and we will be

as never before this moment now one

- revel8r 5-26-19 -

Separating the Dreamers from the Dreams

"I'm lookin' California, but I'm feeling Minnesota"

Soundgarden, BadMotorFinger, Outshined

I listened to this song this morning and couldn't get this line out of my head.  My wife and I had planned a date today in the vineyards of Virginia, and we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful countryside.  The tasting at Narmada were excellent, and Magnolia was just as exceptional.  Recommendations include the Viognier at the former and Hawkins Red Run at the latter.

But as we were on our way back home I was feeling as David Wilcox says it, "metaphorically bugged".

2018 and the beginning of 2019 have been rough on the vineyards of Virginia.  We've had a lot of rain, and that's bad for the vines.  Some vineyards have been wiped out because of it.  Driving up to these vineyards, even these vines don't have nearly as much growth on them as I've remembered in years past.

And it got me to thinking: There's the California wine industry and now there's the much younger Virginia wine community.  Many vineyard owners out here have gotten into it as a second career.  They made a decent amount of money then went all-in on something that they loved.  They rolled the hard six on a dream.  They all put in the hard work, and gave it all they've got.  But then it happened: Just when things started getting traction, just when your dream was beginning to turn the corner into becoming a reality, a curve ball comes and smacks you right in the head.

You lose everything.

That's when you have to make the hard decisions.  Many walk away from the dream, and no one can blame them for it.  They put feet to their dreams where most never even started.  But life happens, and you've got to move on.  They move on to the next dream, holding precious the fond memories.

But there are others who "Re".  Reexamine.  Reinvent. Recalibrate.  They ask themselves, "what do we have that works?"  I could imagine it playing out something like this:  Out of the thousands of vines, there's this one vine on the estate.  It's a Chardonnay.  You planted several varietals.  Viognier, Cab. Sauv, Petit Verdot.  At the beginning you were firing all the torpedoes.  And then there was your pet.  Your cherished varietal that you hoped would be the pièce de ré·sis·tance - Merlot.

But the only thing that survived the rain was that one Chardonnay vine.  You threw it into the mix on that very first day because, eh why not?  But now you set your focus on making that one vine work for your dream.  You're no longer a dreamer.  You've become the dream.  And with that, you make the best danged French Oak aged Chardonnay!  It becomes your passion.  Your favorite varietal - even more than your first love, Merlot.

You're no longer a dreamer.  You're finally living the dream.  No longer looking California.  California wishes they looked like you!

It's seasons like these that separate the men from the boys, the dreamers from the dream.

Stay focused through it all!  The other side is the best glass you've ever had.

The Potter's Cup

Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.

Matthew 20:22

On the heels of outlining the principle of being least, the disciples are suddenly appearing to jockey for position.  Since He just finished detailing the matter in which He would be killed and then rise from the dead, He responds to them by asking them this question: "Can you drink from the cup that I'm going to drink?"  In other words, can you go through what I'm going to go through?  Their answer is founded in a stew of cockiness and ignorance.  But in a stroke of prophecy, He declares they will indeed end up drinking from that cup.

But lest they lose sight of a foundational principle that He wants to make clear, He takes advantage of the sudden strife in the immediate family, loses the pedagogy of speaking in parables and becomes blunt in stating plainly: If you're yearning to be great, you must become a servant.  Hence, the cup from which they will be drinking.  This is the way of Jesus.  This is the mandate and economy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Is it really all about greatness, though?  Sitting at Jesus' right or left is not an issue for Him to decide; the Father will be doing that.  And the disciples would possibly have been quite surprised and possibly indignant (from their current understanding) if they knew then who that going to be:

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesian 2:6,7

This falls squarely in line with the parable of the workers in the vineyard (20:1-16).

Let us, then, serve not for the sake of earning greatness.  But rather, let us serve in the noble and great heart of our Servant King.

The Economy of God

But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you.

Matthew 20:13,14 

In this parable, Jesus is not speaking of whether socialism or capitalism are the most "fair" economies.  Rather, He's highlighting the way He distributes the gift of the kingdom to those who respond to His call.  To those who respond to Him on the basis of a contractual relationship, He responds in-kind.  To those who respond to His invitation apart from any agreement, He rewards with the same payment - but as a gift.

The master could have paid them first, so that they wouldn't have known what he did for the latecomers.  But when the ones who worked hardest to earn the wage saw what he did, they viewed it as unfair.    Why, then, did the master make them wait so that they were made to see that the ones who did the least amount of work got paid the same amount as they who worked the most?

It was a mercy, of sorts.  It was to help them see that the payment was a reward and not something that could be earned.  Indeed, he called this hard-working group "friends" (v. 13).  He was appealing to them to not take offense at what he had done, but to shift their perspective on how the master treats all those who come into his vineyard.

If we understand the reward of heaven as something that is earned, then we are living as the first group who worked in the vineyard based on a contractual relationship.  His appeal is that we repent of this mindset - for this is the mindset of religiosity and false piety.  The denarius of heaven is only and always a gift.  To work in His vineyard - the kingdom of heaven - is a privilege, whether you join in the labor early or participate in the joy with your last breath.  Whether you lived your life to the highest of moral standards or whether you responded to His invitation while languishing on death row.  To perceive it any other way is a travesty that will only lead to wrong relationship with the King and His vineyard.

Not All Idols are Made of Wood or Stone

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good.”

Matthew 19:17

Jesus is asked by a rich man in his prime what good must he do to get into heaven.  His intentions are implicit; instead of asking to follow Jesus, he wants to know a recipe for achieving a goal.  Nevertheless, Jesus enters into the discourse and ultimately brings it round to the thing that's been nagging at the young man all along:

“Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.”

And he walked away sad, knowing that his wealth had too great a hold of him.  For him, that was the thing that blocked him from the goodness of heaven's atmosphere.  For many, wealth is that thing that holds us back.

We say all the right things. We do all the right things.  But in the end there's something that we lack.  Jesus knows what that thing is.  For some, it's family.  For others it's wealth.  For others it's home - or culture, or even religion.  But Jesus is a jealous God, and He will not share His affections with another love!  Don't hedge that relationship by trying to do or achieve or acquire this place of God's goodness while holding on to the very thing that stands between you and Him, for He will surely see through that empty ruse.

Boundary Lines or Something Else?

The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." 

[Jesus said,] "The one who can accept this should accept it." 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:10, 12, 14

This discussion about the legalities of divorce according to the Law was started by "some Pharisees".  He answered their question unequivocally and in response painted a picture of marriage that, at least apparently to the disciples, was too heavy of a burden to carry.  Apparently they were hoping for an answer that gave a little more leeway in the matter...?

But the Law of Moses is what it is - something that paints such a picture as to highlight the need for a more overarching premise.  Since, however, they were asking Him to remain in their weeds He remained there with them until they (the disciples at least) realized that marriage is not intended to provide a way out, and the "way out" that God allowed Moses to provide in the Law is really not a way out after all.

So they express their overwhelming exasperation: "It is better not to marry."  To which He responds, "If you can stand to stay away from that covenant, then do it."  Does this imply, then, that Jesus is not in favor of marriage?

Laws are defining lines - much like rules of a sport or boundary lines on a playing field.  The Law of Moses is no different.  And people spend their whole lives studying these rules.  Often people spend more time sweating over how close they can come to those lines without stepping out of bounds than they spend actually playing the game.

Jesus answers the question of whether God is in favor of marriage by turning around and blessing children (which, under God's design, is one of the primary intended fruits of marriage).  He is, then, indeed in favor of marriage!  Otherwise, one could say that He would not have blessed the children - especially on the heels of stating that if you can stay away from marriage, then do so.

What Jesus is saying is this: "Live your life within the context of following Him - not the Law."  In this, we will happily play this wonderful "game", without any consideration for the boundary lines within which we will then naturally abide.

Gratitude and Forgiveness

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 18:21,22

Why did Peter ask this question? Conceivably, he knew that there is a difference between a call to repentance (which was covered in verses 15-20) and forgiving the sinner.

Forgiveness is best moved by the force of gratitude.  When the servant in this parable (verses 23-34) was forgiven the unpayable debt, he was un-phased by the forgiveness extended by the king.  "When the servant went out [of the king's court]", he apparently gave no further thought to what had been forgiven him.  For when he went out he saw his coworker who owed him a couple dollars and "refused" to even him grace - forgiveness notwithstanding.

What kind of testimony, then, are we (who do not extend forgiveness) to a watching world?  Will they accuse us before the One who forgave us our unpayable debts?  Indeed, they will at least harbor judgment.  What's more, from the Crucified and Resurrected One calls us to hold our offenses loosely in light of the debt we ourselves have been forgiven.

Recognize the sin and address it, but do not harbor the offense - lest it harbor you.  Let gratitude instead motivate you to extend that forgiveness Jesus calls of all of us.