Biblico Theological Reflection
John 11:38-43
Panahon ng Mahal na Araw
Panimula
Ano kaya sa inyong palagay ang mangyayari kung ikandado na lang natin ang ating mga simbahan at hindi na buksan?
May mga nagsabi na “it would make no difference! Dahil halos wala naman daw ginagawa ang simbahan."
Ang Philosopher na si Zoren Kieregaard sa kanyang panahon, medyo malungkot dahil parang nakalimutan na ng simbahan ang kanyang tunay na misyon. At dahil sa kanyang frustration sumulat siya ng isang parabola he wrote a little parable which tells of a flock of geese who lived together in a handsome and secure barnyard. Sabi ng parabola ay may isang patong umaakyat doon sa isang mataas na pader ng barnyard at sasabihin niya sa kanyang mga kasamahang pato ang tungkol sa napakagandang tanawin sa labas ng bakuran. Naramdaman ng isang pato na para yatang ang kanilang buhay ay hindi lamang para doon sa loob ng isang kulungan lamang. Meron pa palang malaking mundo sa labas ng kanilang bakuran. As the small duck spoke his hearers frequently nodded their heads in agreement, once in a while they even flapped their wings a bit. But they never flew, the barnyard was too safe and the corn was too good …ano pa ang hahanapin nila.
Universal Truth
My friends too often in our history the church have resembled that comfortable barnyard. May lumabas sa komentaryo sa ating church history na kung maaga sanang kumilos ang simbahan RC at Protestant sa panahon ni Hitler hindi sana magaganap ang malagim na holocaust.
Hanggang ngayon ang daming bagay at polisiya na unti-unting pumapatay sa mga tao, hindi lang pumapatay ng tao kundi pumapatay ng ating kultura, pumapatay ng ating dignidad, soberenya at pumapatay ng ating mga karapatan.
Ang simbahan ay nanatili sa kanyang komportableng bakuran kung susuriin nating mabuti ang kristianismo na ating niyakap ngayon ay kristianismong pinalago ng unang disipulo ni Hesus. Kaya nga ayon sa kasaysayan ng ating simbahan isa sa mga tanda ng simbahan ay ang kanyang pagiging apostolicity, in contrast to these barnyard Christians of today stand Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus said to them “you shall be my witness in Jerusalem and all Judea, Samaria and to the end of the world, the disciples moved far beyond their local barnyard. Their experience of the resurrection sent them forth to an unceasing ministry of mission and service that shaped the early church. (Acts 1:8)
Seryoso ang mga disipulo ni Hesus sa nakasulat sa Matthew 25 “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” and so we read in Acts of Apostles “there was not a needy person among them” their example forces our church today to measure herself against our ancient heritage, with the example and track record of the disciples we definitely fall short.
If the Apostles were here today and they would rate us. Ano kaya ang sasabihin nila sa akin, sa inyo at sa ating simbahan? Pag isipan daw natin yan. We, including me have been selective on the missions that we are to get involve with…..only those missions that would require a minimal sacrifice….in our part….
Subalit may mga tao namang lumalabas galing sa kanyang comfortable barnyard naalala ninyo ba ang ating Intro to Christian Education? Si Robert Rakes ay humayo galing sa kanyang comportableng simbahan at gumawa ng literacy program para sa mga batang di nakapag aral…..kaya nabuo ang ating Sunday School ngayon..
Si Dietrich Bonheoffer ay humayo at tumungo din galing sa kanyang comfortable barnyard, ayon sa libro sa Church History umalis siya sa New York at umuwi sa Germany upang labanan si Hitler.
Sa ating panahon ngayon nariyan ang mga taong tapat sa orihinal na layunin ng isang disipulo ni Hesus… Pastors, Priest, Nuns and some lay people…ang iba ay nag uumpisa nang humayo at ang iba ay nagsasanay narin sa kanyang paglipad. Subalit kung titingnan natin ang buong Simbahang Kristianismo….iilan lamang ang bilang ng mga taong ito..nasaan pala ang iba?
Still I think it is fair to say that the contemporary church comes up short…when it is measured against its heritage. Indeed, the churches which are growing very fast of these days…are those churches which addressed their congregation’s for personal needs…but do not speak to the world larger concerns. Many people who are joining churches these days are like geese or chickens looking for good corn and a safe barnyard and that is all…they are looking for they are not interested in participating with Jesus Christ in His wholistic ministry…
Ngayon ano ang ating gagawin bilang mga manggagawa bilang isang kaanib ng simbahan,…buksan natin ang pintuan ng ating mga tarangkahan, ng ating bakuran at silipin ang lawak ng ating kapaligiran and let us listen to the shout of our master Jesus had only shout to lazarus “come out”…and he did.
Si Lazarus ay bumangon at lumabas galing sa madilim na libingan. May brothers and sisters…if we will…but listen to our Master’s voice we will come out too. The same with our churches UCCP, Methodist, Roman Catholic we will fly out of our barnyards and into the world where we belong…
Ang sabi ni San Juan sa ating teksto ngayon…mahal ni Hesus si Lazarus at ganyan na rin ang pagmamahal ni Hesus sa kanyang Iglesya ngayon. Katulad ng kanyang pagmamahal sa kanyang kaibigan na si Lazarus tinawag rin nila tayo katulad ng kanyang pagkatawag kay Lazaru….our Lord standing among the oppressed and the needy of our surrounding and he call to us; come to me come out of your barnyard of indifference…lift your wings and fly….fly to the hurting edge of the world there to serve…as I have serve you…
You don’t have to be a “Nat Sit” expert. Just look around us …and we will see people and situations…in need of concrete manifestation of the gospel but you know we can hear around us today in some churches campaign to evangelized and recruit new members, banners with flashy logos that could really ignite a curiosity and “gimiks” in fellowship to lure in young people.
But my friends…..really it is service…which will revitalize the church…please don’t get me wrong I’m not teaching about salvation through good works….this is not salvation through good works…but…this is Salvation….at work!….you know we are being told…even here in our seminary that we need to work…to bring in new members…there are even some graduating students…who’s Thesis is about the church growth…the thesis states that within four years their number will be….quadruple.
But my friends it is only…when the old members go out into the world that the church can be revitalized. It is only….when the old members go out into the world…that the church can be born again….so my friends God has given us wings and Christ has called us to use them we bring products of the reformation….still need continuous reformation. Although it is very sad to note …some of the people does not want to be reform anymore…but the truth…I myself, you and the whole church needs always to be reformed in the image of its Head…who poured out his life…in love and in service….whenever the church has listened to the voice of its Master…and received from him the key to life we become brave to dare great things.
Conclusion
I believe that God has such a blessing of power in store for his church today we will inherit the blessing as we respond to the call of Christ who standing….among the lost and wounded….we will forfeit the blessing….if we remain in our comfortable barnyard….if we remain in our tomb of indifference…..content merely to flap our wing a little bit…from time to time.. It is my prayer…that we and our churches may be graced with the ear of faith….with ear of Lazarus to hear its Master calling.
Mga kapatid ang ating Panginoong Hesus ay tumatawag sa atin gaya ng pagtawag sa kanyang mahal na kaibigan na si Lazaru.
As he did …once to his dear friend…. He shouting now to his beloved but entombed Church
Amen………………….
Panimula
Ano kaya sa inyong palagay ang mangyayari kung ikandado na lang natin ang ating mga simbahan at hindi na buksan?
May mga nagsabi na “it would make no difference! Dahil halos wala naman daw ginagawa ang simbahan."
Ang Philosopher na si Zoren Kieregaard sa kanyang panahon, medyo malungkot dahil parang nakalimutan na ng simbahan ang kanyang tunay na misyon. At dahil sa kanyang frustration sumulat siya ng isang parabola he wrote a little parable which tells of a flock of geese who lived together in a handsome and secure barnyard. Sabi ng parabola ay may isang patong umaakyat doon sa isang mataas na pader ng barnyard at sasabihin niya sa kanyang mga kasamahang pato ang tungkol sa napakagandang tanawin sa labas ng bakuran. Naramdaman ng isang pato na para yatang ang kanilang buhay ay hindi lamang para doon sa loob ng isang kulungan lamang. Meron pa palang malaking mundo sa labas ng kanilang bakuran. As the small duck spoke his hearers frequently nodded their heads in agreement, once in a while they even flapped their wings a bit. But they never flew, the barnyard was too safe and the corn was too good …ano pa ang hahanapin nila.
Universal Truth
My friends too often in our history the church have resembled that comfortable barnyard. May lumabas sa komentaryo sa ating church history na kung maaga sanang kumilos ang simbahan RC at Protestant sa panahon ni Hitler hindi sana magaganap ang malagim na holocaust.
Hanggang ngayon ang daming bagay at polisiya na unti-unting pumapatay sa mga tao, hindi lang pumapatay ng tao kundi pumapatay ng ating kultura, pumapatay ng ating dignidad, soberenya at pumapatay ng ating mga karapatan.
Ang simbahan ay nanatili sa kanyang komportableng bakuran kung susuriin nating mabuti ang kristianismo na ating niyakap ngayon ay kristianismong pinalago ng unang disipulo ni Hesus. Kaya nga ayon sa kasaysayan ng ating simbahan isa sa mga tanda ng simbahan ay ang kanyang pagiging apostolicity, in contrast to these barnyard Christians of today stand Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus said to them “you shall be my witness in Jerusalem and all Judea, Samaria and to the end of the world, the disciples moved far beyond their local barnyard. Their experience of the resurrection sent them forth to an unceasing ministry of mission and service that shaped the early church. (Acts 1:8)
Seryoso ang mga disipulo ni Hesus sa nakasulat sa Matthew 25 “just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” and so we read in Acts of Apostles “there was not a needy person among them” their example forces our church today to measure herself against our ancient heritage, with the example and track record of the disciples we definitely fall short.
If the Apostles were here today and they would rate us. Ano kaya ang sasabihin nila sa akin, sa inyo at sa ating simbahan? Pag isipan daw natin yan. We, including me have been selective on the missions that we are to get involve with…..only those missions that would require a minimal sacrifice….in our part….
Subalit may mga tao namang lumalabas galing sa kanyang comfortable barnyard naalala ninyo ba ang ating Intro to Christian Education? Si Robert Rakes ay humayo galing sa kanyang comportableng simbahan at gumawa ng literacy program para sa mga batang di nakapag aral…..kaya nabuo ang ating Sunday School ngayon..
Si Dietrich Bonheoffer ay humayo at tumungo din galing sa kanyang comfortable barnyard, ayon sa libro sa Church History umalis siya sa New York at umuwi sa Germany upang labanan si Hitler.
Sa ating panahon ngayon nariyan ang mga taong tapat sa orihinal na layunin ng isang disipulo ni Hesus… Pastors, Priest, Nuns and some lay people…ang iba ay nag uumpisa nang humayo at ang iba ay nagsasanay narin sa kanyang paglipad. Subalit kung titingnan natin ang buong Simbahang Kristianismo….iilan lamang ang bilang ng mga taong ito..nasaan pala ang iba?
Still I think it is fair to say that the contemporary church comes up short…when it is measured against its heritage. Indeed, the churches which are growing very fast of these days…are those churches which addressed their congregation’s for personal needs…but do not speak to the world larger concerns. Many people who are joining churches these days are like geese or chickens looking for good corn and a safe barnyard and that is all…they are looking for they are not interested in participating with Jesus Christ in His wholistic ministry…
Ngayon ano ang ating gagawin bilang mga manggagawa bilang isang kaanib ng simbahan,…buksan natin ang pintuan ng ating mga tarangkahan, ng ating bakuran at silipin ang lawak ng ating kapaligiran and let us listen to the shout of our master Jesus had only shout to lazarus “come out”…and he did.
Si Lazarus ay bumangon at lumabas galing sa madilim na libingan. May brothers and sisters…if we will…but listen to our Master’s voice we will come out too. The same with our churches UCCP, Methodist, Roman Catholic we will fly out of our barnyards and into the world where we belong…
Ang sabi ni San Juan sa ating teksto ngayon…mahal ni Hesus si Lazarus at ganyan na rin ang pagmamahal ni Hesus sa kanyang Iglesya ngayon. Katulad ng kanyang pagmamahal sa kanyang kaibigan na si Lazarus tinawag rin nila tayo katulad ng kanyang pagkatawag kay Lazaru….our Lord standing among the oppressed and the needy of our surrounding and he call to us; come to me come out of your barnyard of indifference…lift your wings and fly….fly to the hurting edge of the world there to serve…as I have serve you…
You don’t have to be a “Nat Sit” expert. Just look around us …and we will see people and situations…in need of concrete manifestation of the gospel but you know we can hear around us today in some churches campaign to evangelized and recruit new members, banners with flashy logos that could really ignite a curiosity and “gimiks” in fellowship to lure in young people.
But my friends…..really it is service…which will revitalize the church…please don’t get me wrong I’m not teaching about salvation through good works….this is not salvation through good works…but…this is Salvation….at work!….you know we are being told…even here in our seminary that we need to work…to bring in new members…there are even some graduating students…who’s Thesis is about the church growth…the thesis states that within four years their number will be….quadruple.
But my friends it is only…when the old members go out into the world that the church can be revitalized. It is only….when the old members go out into the world…that the church can be born again….so my friends God has given us wings and Christ has called us to use them we bring products of the reformation….still need continuous reformation. Although it is very sad to note …some of the people does not want to be reform anymore…but the truth…I myself, you and the whole church needs always to be reformed in the image of its Head…who poured out his life…in love and in service….whenever the church has listened to the voice of its Master…and received from him the key to life we become brave to dare great things.
Conclusion
I believe that God has such a blessing of power in store for his church today we will inherit the blessing as we respond to the call of Christ who standing….among the lost and wounded….we will forfeit the blessing….if we remain in our comfortable barnyard….if we remain in our tomb of indifference…..content merely to flap our wing a little bit…from time to time.. It is my prayer…that we and our churches may be graced with the ear of faith….with ear of Lazarus to hear its Master calling.
Mga kapatid ang ating Panginoong Hesus ay tumatawag sa atin gaya ng pagtawag sa kanyang mahal na kaibigan na si Lazaru.
As he did …once to his dear friend…. He shouting now to his beloved but entombed Church
Amen………………….
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