{"id":4563,"date":"2021-04-11T12:51:30","date_gmt":"2021-04-11T12:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2021\/04\/11\/journey-with-jesus-based-on-psalm-133-and-john\/"},"modified":"2021-04-11T12:51:30","modified_gmt":"2021-04-11T12:51:30","slug":"journey-with-jesus-based-on-psalm-133-and-john","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2021\/04\/11\/journey-with-jesus-based-on-psalm-133-and-john\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cJourney with Jesus\u201d\tbased on Psalm 133 and John 20:19-31"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/figure>\n

Have
\nyou ever thought about what it would be like to journey with Jesus?
\nI’m not actually talking about spiritual metaphor here, I suspect if
\nI was many people could openly say, \u201cYes, that’s my life!\u201d \u00a0I
\nmean, what it was like for the first followers of Jesus to journey
\naround Galilee and later Judah with the historical Jesus.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Being
\na part of the 21st<\/sup> century, my capacity for 1st<\/sup>
\ncentury historical accuracy is lacking, so I’m sometimes hesitant to
\nto project myself into those experiences. \u00a0Nevertheless, it feels
\nlike I can’t enter into this story of \u201cDoubting Thomas\u201d without
\nletting my questions about journeying with Jesus come front and
\ncenter.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I
\nwonder how often those first followers were uncomfortable, especially
\nin the face of Jesus’ teaching. \u00a0This is likely projection on my
\npart, a reflection of how challenged I am by what he taught. \u00a0\u201cLove
\nyour enemy,\u201d \u201cgive to anyone who asks of you,\u201d \u201ceveryone is
\nyour neighbor,\u201d and \u00a0\u201clove your neighbor as you love yourself\u201d
\nare all important, profound teachings. \u00a0They’re also ones I fail to
\nlive up to every day. \u00a0Did the disciples squirm like I do? \u00a0Or is it
\nthat I come from a position of relative power and wealth that leads
\nme to squirm, and those who followed him more often had nothing and
\ncould more easily accept his teaching?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What
\nabout the parables? \u00a0Even the Jesus Seminar believes that Jesus
\nprobably taught in parables. \u00a0The thing about parables is that
\nthey’re lessons that keep on giving. \u00a0Every time you think about
\nthem, you can see something new. \u00a0They grow with you. \u00a0This is,
\nobviously, amazing as a teaching tool. \u00a0But was it hard, as a first
\nfollower, to be stretched and grown every day? \u00a0Did it feel like
\ndrinking from a fire hose? \u00a0Did they ever feel like they got it, they
\nknew what he was up to, they were following along?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I
\nwonder too about the pace of life for those first followers. \u00a0The
\ngospel writer of Mark likes the word \u201cimmediately\u201d and seems to
\ntell a rapid fire story. \u00a0But that just means he skips the quiet,
\nslow parts. \u00a0Did they linger of meals, talking and laughing? \u00a0Or was
\neverything GO-GO-GO like in the midst of an advocacy campaign with a
\nlegislative deadline? \u00a0I suspect it was the former. \u00a0I don’t think
\nyou actually build a movement that lasts unless you work at the pace
\nof human trust, and that pace requires a lot of talking, laughing,
\nstory telling, meaning making, and even sitting around the fire in
\nquiet wonder. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Some
\nof my questions really add up to, what kind of spiritual development
\nhappened to those who were following Jesus? \u00a0The first followers were
\nmembers of a powerful faith tradition already, one that Jesus was
\nusing and drawing from. \u00a0They were also, mostly, disenfranchised
\npeople without any reason to have faith or trust in the systems of
\nthe day. \u00a0They were marginalized people. \u00a0(And that’s where I have to
\nbe so careful to pay attention to the fact that I am not one, and not
\nto project myself more than I should.) \u00a0In some ways, marginalized
\npeople have an advantage in seeing what God is up to in the world,
\nbecause God is always up to upsetting the status quo to allow more
\npeople to thrive AND survive and that is GOOD NEWS for the
\nmarginalized people but threatening for those who are not.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And
\nthey were spending all their time with Jesus, and with each other,
\nand that feels like the very best set up for rapid faith development.
\n Jesus was deeply connected with the Divine, likely a mystic, and
\nready and able to put the needs of others before his own. \u00a0In my
\nlife, people like that have taught me SO much, and I’d imagine being
\nwith Jesus for a year would change EVERYTHING.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I’m
\nwondering this because of the easy way with which Thomas is able to
\nexpress his doubt to his fellow disciples. \u00a0This is an expression of
\na rather well developed faith. \u00a0I want to consider a few \u201cstages of
\nfaith development\u201d according to James Fowler, and wonder about
\nwhere the disciples were with those. \u00a0Yet, I want to be a little bit
\ncareful. It can be really easy to hear about stages like these and
\ntry to characterize one’s self as HIGH as one can, as well as to
\nderide others for being in LOWER stages. \u00a0That is NOT the point. \u00a0In
\nfact, I suspect that most of us move around between stages based on
\nthe level of stress we’re under, the strength of the teaching we’d
\nreceived on any given topic, the level of stress around us, and the
\nnumber of other things we’re trying to do at the same time. God is
\nwith people wherever we are, and while we do want to \u201cdevelop\u201d as
\npeople of faith, part of that development is making peace with the
\nhonesty of where we are and being peaceable about where others are \u2013
\nwithout judgement. \u00a0This is also to say that if you feel like you’ve
\nmoved backward over the past, say 15 months, then have grace with
\nyourself \u2013 that means you’ve been under unsustainable stress.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The
\nleast developed \u201cadult faith\u201d1<\/sup><\/a>
\nis one that easily yields to authority and quietly pushes away any
\nconflicts in faith in order to minimize the threat to faith. \u00a0To help
\ngrasp the stages, I think it may be instructive to see how the Psalm
\nmight be heard from within this stage. \u00a0The Psalm’s opening verse,
\n\u201cHow very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in
\nunity!\u201d can be heard as an encouragement to keep the peace, quiet
\none’s own questions, and silence the concerns of those who raise
\nissues \u2013 in the name of \u201cunity.\u201d \u00a0Unfortunately, this
\nunderstanding of unity has the impact of silencing people who are
\nmarginalized and preventing growth. \u00a0Yet, it is easy to see how it
\ncan be heard that way, right? \u201cHow very good and pleasant it is
\nwhen kindred live together in unity!\u201d \u00a0So— be quiet about issues
\nand experience the good and pleasant!! \u00a0Thomas is well past this
\nstage when he easily, immediately, questions the statement of TEN of
\nhis friends and faith companions. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The
\nnext level of \u201cadult faith\u201d2<\/sup><\/a>
\nis characterized by angst and struggle as the person takes
\nresponsibility for their own faith, instead of just following
\nblindly. \u00a0In this stage is greater nuance, greater open-mindedness,
\nand more potential conflict. \u00a0How might people in this stage hear,
\n\u201cHow very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in
\nunity!\u201d? \u00a0I wonder if the word \u201cunity\u201d becomes more complicated
\nhere, or if \u201ckindred\u201d are subdivided. \u00a0Is this a place where the
\nunity of the kindred reflects similar thinking groups, but there are
\nseveral different areas of unity? \u00a0Does challenging authority become
\na means of separation? \u00a0(There are many other possible answers.) \u00a0It
\nis clear that Thomas is AT LEAST at this stage, as he speaks his own
\ntruth clearly. \u00a0He stands in his own integrity whether anyone is with
\nhim or not, although it is worth pointing out that he remains with
\nthe whole, and that might suggest that this sort of unity is large
\nenough for everyone’s integrity.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The
\nnext level of \u201cadult faith\u201d seems like the one all of the
\ndisciples were in the midst of transitioning into after the death of
\nJesus. \u00a0It generally comes after a significant crisis, and James
\nFowler calls this \u201cConjunctive Faith.\u201d \u00a0This is faith that can
\nhandle paradoxes and mystery, and let go of pieces of tradition or
\nfaith from prior stages that don’t work anymore. \u00a0It is a stage and a
\nspace where multiple truths can be held simultaneously, without
\nconflict. \u00a0So how might, \u201cHow very good and pleasant it is when
\nkindred live together in unity!\u201d be heard here? \u00a0Perhaps this is
\nwhen \u201cunity\u201d becomes about seeking each other’s well-being
\nregardless of differences of perspective or differences of need.
\nUnity doesn’t require similarity, only love, and love flows from God.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I
\ncannot tell for sure if Thomas or the rest where in this stage yet.
\nI think most likely they were growing into it, and this is a story
\nabout that transition. \u00a0This is, after all, a story remembering that
\ndifferent people have different experiences and rather than all the
\nvalue going to the ones with greater experience, there is an
\nacknowledged blessing of those who follow without the experiences.
\nThis is a story that anticipates us \u2013 the ones who did not
\nexperience the first resurrection first hand, and yet celebrate it. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

There
\nis, for Fowler, a rare final stage of adult faith development, one
\nneither this story nor most people of faith reach. \u00a0I suspect that
\nmost of the disciples reached it by the end of their lives, and I
\nfurther suspect it is what John Wesley was talking about when he
\nsuggested that people could reach perfection in living God’s love
\nduring their lifetimes. \u00a0I think that people in that stage would
\nhear, \u201cHow very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together
\nin unity!\u201d and immediately grasp that \u201ckindred\u201d is universal
\nand \u201cunity\u201d comes when all the people have the peace that comes
\nafter the needs of justice are met.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Was
\nit because the disciples had time with Jesus that they reached the
\nfinal stage? \u00a0Or was it because they lost Jesus and had to find the
\nways to go on that they did? \u00a0Or both? \u00a0Or neither? \u00a0It is
\nunknowable.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As
\nUnited Methodists, we are taught about that idea of reaching
\nperfection in living God’s love during our lifetimes. \u00a0It is most
\noften called \u201cgoing on to perfection\u201d and most frequently it
\nserves to make me sad when I realize how far I am from that goal.
\nYet, when I slow down enough to listen to the voice of God, I hear
\nGod saying that I don’t have to be there yet, God hasn’t asked that
\nof me. \u00a0Rather, God says, I’m asked to be where I am, and be open to
\nthe next means of grace that will help me walk along my journey.
\nAnd, that seems fair, because God is a just God, and God doesn’t ask
\nmore of us than we can give, and what we can give is based on who we
\nare today and where we are on our faith journey.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Which
\nmeans, really that I’m back to the metaphorical journey with Jesus,
\nand am encouraging you to think about how your journey is going, and
\nwhat the next steps are, and to check to see if you need any help
\nalong the way. \u00a0I can think of no clearer role for the church than to
\nhelp each other as we move along our journeys with Jesus. \u00a0Or, in
\nother words, we help each other move onto perfect. \u00a0May God help us
\nall!! \u00a0Amen\n<\/p>\n

1<\/a>James
\n\tW. Fowler Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development
\n\tand the Quest for Meaning (<\/i>San
\n\tFrancisco: Harper&Row, 1981). \u00a0Fowler’s stage 3:
\n\t Synthetic-Conventional\u201d
\n\tFaith. \u00a0Summary found at
\n\thttps:\/\/www.institute4learning.com\/2020\/06\/12\/the-stages-of-faith-according-to-james-w-fowler\/<\/a>
\n\t(I have and love the book, but thank God for other people’s
\n\tthoughtful work.)<\/p>\n

2<\/a> Fowler’s
\n\tstage 4: \u201cIndividuative-Reflective
\n\tFaith\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rev. Sara E. Baron
First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305
Pronouns: she\/her\/hers
http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

April 11, 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to journey with Jesus? I’m not actually talking about spiritual … Continue reading \u201cJourney with Jesus\u201d\tbased on Psalm 133 and John 20:19-31<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[34,38,28,39,33,1815,1814,200,1812,1562,1816,56,64,1813],"class_list":["post-4563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-fumc-schenectady","tag-progressive-christianity","tag-rev-sara-e-baron","tag-thinking-church","tag-umc","tag-doubt-as-faith","tag-doubting-thomas","tag-easter-2","tag-james-fowler","tag-journey-with-jesus","tag-metaphor-and-historical","tag-schenectady","tag-sorry-about-the-umc-world","tag-stages-of-faith-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4563"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4563\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}