Liminality

On the disciples went into the city to fulfill Jesus’ request. They are clueless as to why Jesus needs a donkey. They are clueless to the fact that they were participating in the in-breaking of God’s kingdom for Jerusalem. They are clueless they were fulfilling prophecy. Clueless Zechariah 9:9 says: Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; Triumphant and victorious is he, Humble and riding on a donkey” (NRSV) But there they go . . . to get the donkey. They grab the donkey and take it to Jesus. He hops on, rides through the dust-blown valley from Jericho to Jerusalem, marches up the steep Mount of Olives and sees the gloriousness of Jerusalem’s city gates. Filled with passion for this donkey-riding king the disciples move towards Jerusalem. The disciples say to one another: “Finally! We’ve been following this man for three years and he’s been promising us a revolution, a change in the status quo. He’s told us he’s the rightful king and he is the prin

Theologian N.T. Wright finds the parable of the fig tree to be quite strange.  He says, “Jesus' warning in Luke 13 is at once amplified by this almost humorous, yet in fact quite sinister, parable of the fig tree in the vineyard.” And it is sinister.  It’s a hard pill to take.  Jesus' parable goes like this: A man has as fig tree planted in his vineyard.  One day he comes out looking for fruit on it, but there are no figs.  He says to the vineyard keeper, “Look at this tree.  For three years, I've come hoping to find some fresh figs, but what do I find? Nothing.  So just go ahead and cut it down.  Why waste the space with a fruitless tree?” The vineyard keeper replies, “Give it another chance, sir.  Give me one more years working with it.  I’ll cultivate the soil and heap on some manure to fertilize it.  If it surprises us and bears fruit next year, that will be great, but if not, then we’ll cut it down.”  (Luke 13:5-9, The Voice) But how is it sinister?

I’m a part of a lot of peer groups. As a matter of fact, probably too many. I have a group I meet with weekly on Thursday evenings. I have another group I meet with every fourth Thursday. I have a life coach, a consultant, a spiritual director and a counselor for a wife. Most of my friends have gone through multiple units of CPE. My father and grandfather are successful pastors; my wife’s uncle and grandfather are too. My full time job is at a seminary that trains ministers for a living. I eat lunch with world renowned and newly budding theologians and rub elbows with missionaries and congregational leaders. I spend my free time traveling to hear these women and men speak while reading their books. As a matter of fact, I met and heard Barbara Brown Taylor last week. There are lots of people who speak in to my life. And I want this. I surround myself with people who are life-giving and like-minded. We all do. We seek out situations that build us up, allow us to reach o