Talking of Eternal Things

In St. Paul’s second Epistle to the Corinthians, he tells the community to remember that “the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” When this idea is delivered from the pulpit of Christian churches today, preachers usually discuss how it refers to God’s grace, the Holy Spirit, or the kingdom of Heaven.

The problem is that we tend to think of all these things as God’s alone or God’s gifts to us. They come from the outside and thus we don’t consider ourselves as co-creators of eternal things, along with the Father.

But as Sons and Daughters of God, we are all inheritors and builders of His kingdom, grace, and spirit—of eternal things that are more magical than Harry Potter’s wand. India’s Mahatma Gandhi once delivered an adage that is probably as well known as St. Paul’s, and that is: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

It is by living intensely and learning joyfully that we grab the reigns of our eternal natures in Christ. Human experience and knowledge are not temporal: we cannot truly see the feelings associated with a beautiful sunrise, a first kiss, or the birth of a child, any more than we can see the thoughts connected with learning a new language, tying a slip knot, or mastering differential equations—they are eternal.

This life will one day end. But the harvest of the heart and mind is with you always.

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The Living Hour’s motivational series combines history, literature, philosophy, psychology, religion, and popular culture to help bring about new perspectives for Progressive Christians and anyone who seeks a better understanding of “God” and life’s purpose. Sign up to have these progressive Motivationals delivered to your e-mail box three times a week.

Mark – Gospel 4 – Parable of Mustard Seed

Jesus again began to teach by the sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water’s edge. 2 Then he taught them many truths in parables; and in the course of his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! The sower went out to sow; 4 And while sowing, some of the seed fell along the path; and the birds came, and ate it up.

5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once; 6 But, when the sun rose, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away. 7 Some of the seed fell among brambles; but the brambles shot up and completely choked it, and it yielded no return. 8 Some fell into good soil, and, shooting up and growing, yielded a return, amounting to thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.” 9 And Jesus said: “Let anyone who has ears to hear with hear.”

10 Afterwards, when he was alone, his followers and the twelve asked him about his parables; 11 And he said: “To you the hidden truth of the kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those on the outside, teaching takes the form of parables, 12 That ‘though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; and though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; lest some day they should turn and be forgiven.’” 13 He then went on to ask them: “Do you not know the meaning of this parable? Then how will you understand all the other parables? 14 The sower sows the message.”

15 “The people meant by the seed that falls along the path are those where the message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the message that has been sown in them. 16 So, too, those meant by the seed sown on the rocky places are the people who, when they have heard the message, at once accept it joyfully; 17 But, as they have no root, they stand only for a short time; and so, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the message, they fall away at once.”

18 “Those meant by the seed sown among the brambles are different; they are the people who hear the message, 19 But the cares of life, and the glamour of wealth, and cravings for many other things come in and completely choke the message, so that it gives no return. 20 But the people meant by the seed sown on the good ground are those who hear the message, and welcome it, and yield a return, thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.”

21 And Jesus said to them: “Is a candle brought to be put under a blanket or under a couch, instead of being put on candlestick? 22 Nothing is hidden unless some day it comes to light, nor was anything ever kept hidden but that it should some day come into the light of day. 23 Let all who have ears to hear with hear.”

24 “Take care what you listen to,” said Jesus. “The measure you mete will be meted out to you, and more will be added for you. 25 For, to those who have, more will be given; while, from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” 26 Jesus also said: “This is what the kingdom of God is like: like a farmer who has scattered seed on the ground, 27 And then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing, he knows not how. 28 The ground bears the crop of itself: first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear; 29 But, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he puts in the sickle because harvest has come.”

30 Jesus also said: “To what can we liken the kingdom of God? 31 By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard-seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds, 32 Yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes larger than any other herb, and puts out great branches, so that even ‘the wild birds can roost in its shelter.’” 33 With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his message, as far as they were able to receive it; 34 And to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.

35 In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them: “Let us go across.” 36 So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. 37 A violent squall came on, and the waves kept crashing into the boat, so that the boat was actually filling. 38 Jesus was in the stern asleep upon the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried: “Teacher! Is it nothing to you that we are lost?”

39 Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: “Hush! Be still!” Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed. 40 “Why are you so timid?” he exclaimed. “Have you no faith yet?” 41 But they were struck with great awe, and said to one another: “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

To read the next chapter of the Book of Mark, please go to The Gospel of Mark – 5.

This Online New Testament Gospel of Mark is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

The Question of Ministry

There have been discussions recently among Progressive Christians about what does (or should) ministry include. The question is being posed a bit incorrectly. The question should be “What does ministry NOT include?” Because when we begin to think about it from this vantage point, we start to realize that there are no good works, no vocations, and no discussions that are beyond the province of Progressive Christian Ministry.

Let’s return again to Henry David Thoreau. The famous 19th century transcendentalist once wrote: That which we are, we are all the while teaching. This sounds like something Jesus might say. For when we are in Christ, and following the path of love, patience, and diligence, it does not matter the work we are doing (be it carpentry, teaching, chemistry, or waiting tables), we are performing a ministry through the example of who we are. But when we lash out in anger, rush through jobs impatiently, or judge those around us harshly, our Christian ministry stops dead in its tracks.

For the Progressive Christian, there should be no division between ministers and lay people. In Christ, the reverend and the software developer are both ministers. We are all meant to be ministers and stewards of each other’s divinity, as well as the unique skills and talents that God grants us. Finding and developing those skills is a ministry in itself, a ministry to the Christ in us. Applying those skills through good works, and in a loving manner, is another ministry, one offered to the world at large. But these are not the only ministries. Ministry does not stop when “the work” stops. It continues on through each and every aspect of our lives: from the ways we deal with friends and family to the ways we play and express our joy. So to paraphrase Thoreau, That which we are, is a ministry we are all the while teaching.

To read about the suggested role of the Progressive Christian Pastor in today’s church, please go to: The New Reverend’s Role.

Top Progressive-Liberal Christian Websites

The Progressive Christian Alliance: The PCA hopes to provide a venue for those individuals who feel somewhat out-of-step with their home congregations to raise their own voices in a more progressive message; for progressive congregations to join their voices with other progressives across denominational lines without sacrificing their own denominational identity; and for independent churches to form a stronger denominational bond with other like-minded congregations without compromising their identity.

The Center for Progressive Christianity: From its inception, the focus of TCPC has been primarily about rethinking and re-conceptualizing the theological and Christological foundations of the Christian faith. The leadership of the organization was and has remained convinced that our supporters and readers are expressing a deep desire to find resources and constructive ways to understand and teach what the newest science, biblical, sociological and historical scholarship has to say about the Christian religion and ways to integrate that information into one’s faith and to create healthy, dynamic Christian communities.

Crossleft: A grassroots organization created to address questions like: What if our faith and our politics could clearly come together? What if we were no longer made to feel like we had to choose? What if we, as progressive Christians, could help to reframe the ongoing conversation about faith?

Progressive Christian Network of Victoria: This progressive Christian network provides opportunities for sharing experience, knowledge and resources among members and other interested persons; organizes seminars, colloquiums and discussions. Coordinates and promote speaking tours by eminent international and Australian thinkers and teachers; and interacts with kindred bodies at the national and international level to pursue common aims.

The Progressive Christian (formerly Zion’s Herald): One of the oldest truly progressive religious publications in the United States, created in 1823. It’s had a largely Methodist and New England identity but today is a national bi-monthly with an ecumenical/interfaith editorial outlook. Since reviving in 2000 in its current magazine format, it has earned national/international recognition, and is reaching a growing readership across the U.S.

The Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship: Serves Christian Unitarians and Universalists according to their expressed religious needs; upholds and promotes the Christian witness within the Unitarian Universalist Association; and upholds and promotes the historic Unitarian and Universalist witness and conscience within the church universal.

Westar Institute: An independent research and education organization that promotes religious literacy by promoting and disseminating contemporary biblical and religion scholarship to a wider audience. Through its well known Jesus Seminar project, Westar has made a significant contribution to the rediscovery of Jesus’ distinctive vision of life under the divine domain.

Radical Faith: Thinking about Christianity inevitably involves a degree of technical detail which many find off-putting. Radical Faith attempts to step back from the technical trees to take in the wider forest of faith. In short, it tries to narrow the gap between theology and the ordinary Christian.

The Effective Living Centre (ELC): The Centre grew out of a vision that people appreciate space for reflection, learning, new beginnings, vitality and joy. The vision is based on these core values: there is growth and learning throughout life; the integrity and value of each individual and community grouping must be respected; there is richness and diversity among citizens and within families; the sacred and creative dimensions of life are an integral part of living. All ELC programs are pro-active and respect clients’ belief systems.

Common Sense Christianity: An online resource for books, articles, reviews and other materials that explore ways to “hold Jesus central in our faith-lives, without calling him God or adopting doctrines developed for the Roman Empire — and without abandoning modern science, ignoring suffering in the world, or pretending that we have all the answers.”

Faith Voices for the Common Good: Faith Voices seeks to educate the wider public about the shared values, issues, and ethical concerns of religious people and their organizations. It enhances community interconnections among its diverse member organizations to coordinate efforts to educate others about major social issues. We make use of a powerful new technology, Synanim, an internet system that educates through dialogue and collaborative creation of ideas.