The Son: Episode 1

     I (Tim) am the only one posting today. Peter has lots of classes and has to work the overnight shift tonight so he is using the in-between times to sleep rather than blog. He apologizes for his absence, and he will be back on Friday. He would like to say that he felt chapel was decent, and there were two things he wanted to say about it: that he was “excited for Christmas because she mentioned the manger, and excited she asked us to be thankful rather than asking God for something in the prayer.” I agree with him wholeheartedly regarding both these comments.
     Unfortunately, I would have to say that those two things were the highlights today. Having already discussed the Father in the series on the Trinity, today we moved on to the Son. We were regaled with stories of the greatness of the previous messages about the Trinity – a greatness which, except for one case, eluded me. I tried to keep my mind and heart open for what we were to hear, but it didn’t work too well. Some of this had to do with the overall chapel experience, and my apologies, but I have to rant for a moment.
     I realize some people are more expressive than I am. But it’s possible to be disruptively expressive in public worship. I had the misfortune of sitting in front of a groaner today. Now, I appreciate that this individual was probably really into the prayer. And I’m glad she was. I don’t mind an “Amen” here and there; in fact I kind of enjoy it. However, it is not only distracting, but makes me very uncomfortable to hear “mmm! yes!” accompanied by groans, moans, and grunts after every sentence of a prayer. It is just really hard for me to focus on God when behind me, I hear a succession of passionate moans that can sound like something that belongs elsewhere. Now I don’t mean to suggest that people shouldn’t throw themselves fully into prayer. But if you’re a groaner, I beg of you, please, please, please, remember that you are not alone in your room and be considerate of those around you. Sometimes it is not conducive to worship for the rest of us. I think this experience soured my mood because afterwards, I felt especially cynical about the whole of chapel. I honestly do appreciate the attempt that was made, but I just didn’t think it was tremendously useful.
     Her two main points were that Jesus left heaven for us and that Jesus is always with us. She talked about the time when it really struck her that Jesus had left the glory of heaven for us. She was reading John 17 and for the first time, that knowledge went from her head to her heart. Only when we really know with our hearts what he gave up will we really get Jesus. The second point was that Jesus has been tempted and tried just like us, but he was obedient. He is always with us and, like he was dependent on God and obedient, we need to be as well.
     I have no objection to these points, but I have heard these things hundreds of times. She knows that, and even brought it up. But knowing it in your head doesn’t do much. So, she said, “let’s get it from our heads to our hearts.” Yes, that’s what needs to happen, but I don’t think that telling us to do so is really going to work. I have had those moments where something really strikes you and suddenly something that you’ve known or believed for many years is real to you. But it never happened because I sat in the pew and willed it to happen with all my might. I may as well sit there trying to grow wings and fly away. It’s just not something that happens on command. At least for me, it tends to happen when I experience it or when I hear some sort of moving experience of it that someone else had. That’s why I like personal stories and such in sermons – something that was lacking today.
     Again, maybe I’m hard-hearted, but I feel like this could have been a great message if some actual effort had been made to engage our hearts. But instead, it felt more like an attempt to pound the same old things into our heads, hoping that if we pound hard enough, something will give way and they will fall down to our hearts. I’m just not convinced it works that way.
     The good news is that Mary Pawlenty is speaking on Friday. She came last year and was excellent. I can’t wait!