Lectionary Thoughts: March 1

LEVITICUS 4: In this chapter we have the rather strange instructions concerning the sacrifice that priests were to offer when they sinned "bringing guilt upon the people." The sacrificial bull was to be taken "outside of the camp" to a "clean place" and burned with fire on "the ash heap." Hmm. What in the world...?

We know that Jesus is the fulfillment of every Old Testament sacrifice. Like the bull in Leviticus 4, Jesus was sacrificed (crucified) outside of the camp (Jerusalem.) And like the sacrificial rite in Leviticus 4, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). How, you ask, did the rite in Leviticus 4 "cleanse"? Well, as our pioneer forefathers well knew, when you render animal fat with fire and mix it with ashes you make, wait for it.....soap. Soap!? Yep, soap.

Jesus, the one who was sacrificed on a hill outside of the holy city is the fulfillment of the sin offering in Leviticus 4, and the answer to David's, and every penitent sinner's prayer, "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7).

Lectionary Thoughts: February 29

JOHN 20: In Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15, Paul presents Jesus as the "last Adam"; the covenant head of a race who would be as faithful and obedient as the first Adam was unfaithful and disobedient.

John's account of Jesus' resurrection bears a striking resemblance to the Garden scene in Genesis 2-3, with one striking dissimilarity. In John 20 we have a garden setting, a man who (albeit mistakenly) is referred to as a "gardener." And we have a woman (Mary Magdalene.) A garden, a man and a woman. Sound familiar?

But here is the striking difference. Mary is no un-fallen Eve. Mary at best was simply a former demoniac. And at worst, she was a grossly immoral woman as well. So Jesus, the last and faithful Adam begins where the first and unfaithful Adam left off by a faithful "do-over" of the man/woman/garden scenario. And note that Mary's checkered past is a glorious indication that Christ's bride (the Church) is not lovely to begin with. But rather, a bride to be made lovely by the selfless love of her husband (Ephesians 5:22-32). No wonder they call it "The Good News."

Lectionary Thoughts: February 24

EXODUS 38: Our eyes tend to glaze over when we read the incredibly minute details of the Tabernacle's blueprint. But if Jesus is right (and he most assuredly is!) then every chapter of the Old Testament says something about him (Luke 24:27).

Here's a question: What did the Garden of Eden and the Tabernacle share in common? The Garden was, well, a garden. And the Tabernacle was "garden-esque." Trees and wood paneling. Rivers and the bronze basin. Flowers/blossoms and flower/blossom shaped ornaments (e.g. Exo. 37:17-24). Both were respectively the meeting place of God and man (Gen. 3:8 and Exo. 25:22).

Now, if you were standing in the courtyard outside of the Holy Place watching the priest offer up your sacrifice on the altar, as you looked around you would have been struck by an odd pairing of materials. You would have noticed that the bases of pillars holding up the curtain/walls surrounding the courtyard were made of brass (a relatively common metal) and the "hooks and fillets" holding up the curtains at the top were made of silver (an extremely precious metal.) In other words the materials of the Tabernacle would have reminded you that you were standing at the earthly intersection of the common (man) and the uncommon (God); the only place in the universe where heaven and earth "overlapped" as it were.

Fast forward 2000 years to Jesus who, according to John, "tabernacled among us" (the literal translation of John 1:14); Jesus in whom the fullness of deity dwells (Col. 1:19, 2:9); Jesus the intersection of divine and human natures; Jesus the only place in the universe where God and man can meet together in mutual love and sweet communion.

Lectionary Thoughts: February 23

EXODUS 37: In this chapter we read about the specific instructions given to Moses for the construction of the "mercy seat"; the covering for the ark of the covenant. It was to be made of acacia wood covered with gold, with a cherub (angel) at each end. And according to Exodus 25:22 this was the place from which God would speak to His people and "commune" with them.

Fast forward 2000 years to John's description of Jesus' empty tomb (20:12) in which he provides some seemingly insignificant details. John records that there were two angels, "one at the head and one at the feet" sitting where Jesus had lain. The significance of this arrangement would not have been lost on John, and it ought not to be lost on us. Jesus is indeed "Emmanuel" (God with us); the one who speaks to us as God; and the one in whom we commune with God. Hallelujah, what a Savior.

Lectionary Thoughts: February 22

EXODUS 36: At the very heart of the "Good News" is the fact that God gives to us freely, as a gift, everything that He requires of us. God required Israel to build Him a dwelling place with a beauty and glory that approached His own. A tall order indeed. But He also gave the likes of Bezaleel and Aholiab the supernatural craftsmanship necessary to construct the Tabernacle and its furniture according to the divine specifications. God required, and God gave that which was necessary to obey what He required.

Fast forward a couple of millennia and hear Jesus' first command: "Repent and believe." Again, a very tall order indeed for self-centered and self-righteous creatures like us. But again, God gives freely that which He requires as both repentance (Acts 11:18) and faith (Philippians 1:29) are described by Paul as divine gifts, not as things that we have to generate by our own effort or striving.

Too glad to be true, but true nonetheless.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN

KING’S CROSS CHURCH

FOR A

NOON-SACK-LUNCH-AND-VIDEO SERIES

WEDNESDAYS

BEGINNING OCTOBER 7TH

103 PALOUSE ST, SUITE 31

(up the stairs, last door on the right)

Trailer at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF-_RDPxAS0

Verle E. Helsel, R.I.P.

Verle Helsel (1932 – 2015)

Eulogy July 3, 2015

  

Permit me to paraphrase singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg:

The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs through our instruments and his song is in our souls

Our lives have been some poor attempts to imitate the man

We’re just a living legacy to the leader of the band

They say that the most important lessons of discipleship are caught, not taught. In other words, we tend to infect those around us with our loves and passions by the way we speak and live our lives. As I thought about this eulogy over the last week or so, I have come to see afresh and anew how profoundly I have been affected by Dad’s passions, and how many of my present day loves were either modeled for me, or given to me by this exceptional man.

            Dad loved Jesus. He loved the stories about Jesus, the stories that Jesus used to tell and especially the way that Jesus had made known to him personally the love of God the Father. Dad had a life-long aversion to, and hard-fought battle with, cranky, tight-shoed legalism. And in the last few weeks of his life, Dad delighted to recount the story of the Shepherd who left the ninety-and-nine to rescue the one straying sheep, and Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. Dad loved stories of grace, and stories Jesus, the very embodiment of grace.

            Dad loved church and the gathering of God’s people. He was involved in Navigators Bible-studies and discipleship in college, ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church, and routinely opened our home for Bible-studies, prayer meetings and youth group gatherings. As a young child, I often went to sleep to the sound of the saints singing in our living room, or the muffled sounds of heartfelt prayers. We once hosted a record-breaking 130 junior-highers in our home for a youth-group gathering when Dad was serving as a volunteer staffer.

            Dad loved the Bible, and what the prophet Jeremiah called, “the old paths.” Dad was “sweet old school” before there even was such a thing. As a kid I loved leafing through the well-worn pages and many underlined verses of his Bible. He loved the poetic cadences of the King James Version, prayed faithfully through the Book of Common Prayer and treasured the reverent rhythms of liturgical worship.

Dad loved to teach. When I was in seventh grade Dad started a Bible study with a few of my friends and me. Bible study with seventh graders. Who wouldn’t want to do that? And what could possibly go wrong? Dad, as only Dad could do, convinced us squirrely pre-teens that it was possible for us, aided by the Holy Spirit, to read, study and apply the Bible ourselves. Dad’s patient directions and skillful explanations resulted in the conversion of one, and the launching of two of our number into full-time vocational Christian ministry. Thanks, Dad.

            Dad loved C.S. Lewis. Some of my earliest and most treasured childhood memories are of us kids either seated in Dad’s lap or leaning closely into him on the couch as he read to us (and I believe re-read to us) The Chronicles of Narnia. I often thought of Dad as I imitated him with my own children. Dad loved not only the content, but the clarity and artistry of Lewis’ style and I think he felt a kinship with certain elements of Lewis’ own life and spiritual journey.

            Dad loved two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles) careening at high-speeds down dirt roads and up mountain trails. Before Dad bought me my first motorcycle, I would ride behind him with my hands jammed into the pockets of his corduroy jacket for warmth. I remember quite vividly how I would press my helmeted head into his back while chanting to myself, “I do trust my dad. I do trust my dad” as he would skillfully lean the bike full-throttle into sharp corners. It was Dad who showed me how to coax my motorcycle’s transmission into the small neutral zone between fifth and sixth gears enabling me to coast down Brown’s Canyon above Daroga Park faster than if the bike was running and in gear. Thanks, Dad.

            Dad loved books and learning. One look at Dad’s amazing library of books, Great Courses CDs and DVDs would amply demonstrate that Dad was indeed “a life-long learner.” He possessed a wonderful ability to integrate the books that he was reading into everyday conversations. And up until a few weeks ago he was still strategizing how best to sync up a desktop, laptop and tablet computer using cloud-based storage. As Mom put it so well, “Your dad is always thinking about something.”

            Dad loved words and plays on words. Computers weren’t computers, they were percutors. I can still picture Dad, in response to a question whose answer was quite obviously “no”, saying “Does a chicken have hips?” And his funny way of twisting words and phrases lives on in his children and grandchildren today. And I love to hear his sense of humor echoing and still entertaining in the conversations of our family gatherings. Thanks, Dad.

Two of my present day loves are the direct result of Dad’s generosity and wisdom. When I was a poor college student, Dad visited me at WSU. When he saw that my cheap little acoustic guitar was becoming unplayable, he drove me over to a music store in Moscow, ID and bought me one of the finest instruments I have ever owned. I still have the guitar today, and often when playing it, I remember not only Dad’s loving provision, but the strangely critical role that guitar music played in bringing me to my current vocation as pastor and teacher.

            And last, but certainly not least: In the spring of 1980 my wife, Ellen, reconnected with Mom and Dad in their Edmonds home. Ellen and I had been friends for several years, but she had some lingering questions about our suitability for a more serious relationship. Thirty-five years later I am still thanking God for using this wonderful man and his sage and timely wisdom to convince my sweet Ellen that we were indeed well-suited for one another.

            Jesus. Church. Bible. Grace. Teaching. Books. Two-wheeled vehicles on dirt tracks. Learning. Humor. Music and my beautiful wife. Thanks, Dad for infecting me with your loves, and for directing me with your love to Him who is love. Today, I am proud to be your son, your namesake, and to bear, albeit imperfectly, a family resemblance. And I pray that when my time comes, I will be able to say as you did a few days ago: “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

Verle Eugene (Gene) Helsel II