Dale Cresap's blog

Do you know the difference between a prayer and an incantation? Prayer is a part of your faith practice and incantation is not, although unbelievers do not draw any distinction between them. Prayer is a request made to me and an acknowledgment of my power. An incantation is an expression of “magical words” based on the belief that the power resides in the words. Your faith is relational and always a recognition of a power beyond yourself that you do not control. Yet I regard the prayers of my people and take seriously petitions offered in faith and humble gratitude.

Do you like stories? Everyone does. I spoke to the people in parables and they listened gladly. Do you listen to stories for entertainment value or do you listen for deep spiritual value? Multitudes heard my stories but my disciples were frustrated with them and kept asking me to declare the parables to them. What fraction of those who heard my stories do you think comprehended their full message? What about today? Don’t you continue to find new layers of meaning in familiar passages? If all you ask of a story is entertainment that is available.

Which principle do you think is more important: the same rules for everyone, or each man can only serve one master and will answer to him alone? Could both of these be true? The economy of grace is not like one run by a uniform code of civil and criminal justice. Doesn’t that sound like the law and don’t you claim that you live under grace rather than under the law? These are different concepts and it will be helpful for you to realize that every person is in a different place in their journey of grace.

Do you like ice cream? Who doesn’t? Can you think of a more popular treat? And yet this highly favored dish comes in many flavors, and everyone has their favorites. Do you like my presence? This is not as popular as ice cream but for those who seek it, it is even better. Even so, have you noticed that the flavor of my presence is different in the church you visit than it is where you feel most at home? In my Fathers house there are many mansions. Can you accept that my presence is a special treat even in flavors that are not your favorite?

There are several different categories of crime. You have heard of white collar, violent, domestic, and others. Have you ever heard of spiritual crimes? Do you think this is real even if it isn’t reported in the news? Do you think spiritual crimes would consist only of things commonly understood as sins? Does this bring to mind a small number of categories? What about interfering with someone else’s spiritual development, conducting yourself in such a way that drives others away from the Kingdom of God? What would be worse than that?

Do you see me as a King? I was asked this question at my trial as if I were a threat to the Roman empire. I answered that my kingdom was not of this world. I went on to say that if it were my followers would fight, but it was not and is still not. Have you noticed that there is a connection between violence and the Kingdoms of this world? This question of violence is just as prevalent in your time as it was in mine. But I am the Prince of Peace. I taught at great length about the Kingdom of God and invited my followers to enter it. How do you deal with the issue of violence?

Do you understand the importance of not grieving the Spirit? The Bible says you shouldn’t, and this is one commandment that should be obvious. In this context do you think only in terms of activities conventionally understood to be sin? What about excessive control? Have you ever been in a church that was so formally and rigidly structured that the Spirit had no room to maneuver? Have you ever faced such constraints yourself? Was that grievous to you?

Have you read in my word that it is sharp and powerful, a discerner of the thoughts and intents of men? Have you seen this in action? Do you think of the Bible as static objective truth? But the passage says that it is living. Can you find anything you are looking for in the Bible? Have you seen hateful people find things in there to justify their hatred, and loving people find things to justify their love? So if you believe in the promise of finding what you seek, be careful what you seek, for the promise is not that everything you seek will be beneficial for you.

Do you know the difference between ceremony and ritual? These words are often used interchangeably, but ceremonies are positive affirmations of the status quo, like parades, and rituals include a dark element. Do you see this in the sacraments of baptism and communion? Baptism is a ritual of burial, albeit in water rather than earth, but the Bible makes this plain, and communion is an invitation to identify with my death by drinking my blood and eating my flesh. If properly understood these are not things to engage in lightly.

Do you live in a classless society? Some countries are acknowledged to have a caste system and others pride themselves on not having one, but can such a thing really exist? The Bible says much about the distinction between the rich and the poor and indicates that this is enduring, for the poor you have with you always. I do not require draconian policies to put an end to this difference. You have seen failed attempts to achieve this. But don’t pretend that the difference doesn’t exist. Remember that you have a duty to the least of these.