By Kay Augustine<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am so grateful for our Friendly Bible Study, where every Monday morning I am spiritually enriched by reading both canonical and apocryphal scriptures and am especially rewarded by and grateful for the insights and knowledge shared by members of the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One insight in particular which I wish to share here is in regard to the Gospel of Thomas which we are presently reading, one saying of Jesus at a time. This \u201csayings\u201d gospel was discovered by farmers near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945. It is thought by some scholars to be among the earliest records of the sayings of Jesus preserved by a community of followers who focused less on the person of Jesus than on his message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To me, this is huge! A wholly different way of viewing religion! And it is not new to me, although I was delighted to learn that at least some early Christian communities (maybe before they were called Christian) put less emphasis on the person of Jesus than on sharing his message. After all, from what we know about Jesus, wouldn\u2019t he have been more likely to want us to hear, practice, and share his message than to worship him? That\u2019s always seemed logical to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do any of you remember a time\u2014I think it may have been the 1970s\u2014when one often saw bumper stickers reading \u201cANOTHER FAMILY FOR JESUS\u201d? I remember just where I was driving when I saw one: heading south on Humboldt Avenue just north of North. It annoyed me, so I wrote this poem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vandal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I saw the bumper sticker that read<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ANOTHER FAMILY FOR JESUS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I pictured that madcap rebel rabbi<\/p>\n\n\n\n
crossing out his sacred name and<\/p>\n\n\n\n
writing in some other words, then<\/p>\n\n\n\n
standing back with a grin to read<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ANOTHER FAMILY FOR THE POOR<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And recently I came upon a song I wrote in 1999 for the Bay View United Methodist Church, where I had agreed to serve as an interim choir and orchestra director. We sang it for the Sunday when the Gospel reading was John 15:5, \u201cI am the vine, you are the branches.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My song was a sort of country western gospel song\u2013if you can imagine that\u2013in waltz time and based on an experience I had with sheep we\u2019d raised when I was young. The refrain, which introduced and ended the song, began, \u201cYou are the vine (lower voices echo), We are the branches (same echo),\u201d and in the verse I referenced Jesus with the line, \u201cI need you here beside me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking at the song again yesterday, I found myself uncomfortable with its implicit references to Jesus and Lord. It was his message\u2014to know and share love\u2014that had meaning for me, not his person. So I rewrote the song. You can imagine your own tune, in waltz time:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Refrain) Love is the vine – – we are the branches – –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Love is the shepherd – – we are the sheep – –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We too are called – – to shepherd each other – –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are called – – to love one another – –<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Spirit of Love among us, you live in ev\u2019ry heart. In drawing strength from you we bear fruit, and not by ourselves alone. Be Light in our darkness, be courage when we are afraid. In Love we find our reason for being; in Love we are made One. (Refrain)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Going back to that bumper sticker, what does it mean to say we are for Jesus? Doesn\u2019t it mean we are for living as he showed us how to live, with the help of the Spirit of Love he promised he\u2019d send to be among us? So why not say that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n