Faith & Fellowship

Goodbye to Blogger

2011-09-12T09:32:00.001-05:00

I have moved my blog to Wordpress. It is a much more robust and friendly environment. If you would like to join me there, here is the link: http://revdtabbs.wordpress.com/

C'mon over...It's great!

Don

Living in Community - Part One

2011-09-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

“Living in Community – Part One”
Matthew 18:15-20
Sunday September 4, 2011 – Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

I have to confess that following the lectionary when preparing sermons can be a challenge…We often come upon a text that is difficult to deal with…Today’s gospel is one of those.

I must admit that I have actually avoided this text in years past…

It was easier to move to the Romans 13 lesson for this Sunday and talk about loving your neighbor as yourself…Now that’s a lesson that preaches!

But, every three years we come back around to this gospel verse and I just can’t keep ignoring it

So this year I decided it was time to really study this passage and try to figure out what ol’ Matt’s trying to tell us here…

So I went and got some help from one of my favorite New Testament scholars and finally figured out what I think this is all about…

It’s about how we Christians are supposed to get along with each other…

How we are supposed to live together in Christian community…

How can we gather so many different people from varied backgrounds, different political views, disparate income levels, and diverse experiences into one church and have any hope of getting along with one another?

Do you remember the television series “Cheers”?

We heard their theme song a moment ago, but listen again to the lyrics…[read lyrics]

It helps to have a community around us when things get rough…

That “Cheers” kind of community where we’re all accepted for who we are,
we’re never lonely, and everybody knows our name…

An honest-to-goodness, authentic Christian Community

The thing about community is…

We all say we want it and

We usually have no idea how difficult it is to come by

Let us pray…

Take my lips, O Lord, and speak through them.

Take our minds and think with them.

Take our hearts and set them on fire; through Jesus Christ our Lord…Amen

You know what’s difficult about being a community, don’t you – PEOPLE!

That’s right – People, not you and me of course, but most people can be
difficult, challenging, selfish, and unreliable…

That’s probably why, when we sit around and daydream – idealizing the community in the Cheers theme song – it’s because we’re a little frustrated with the people –
the community – we’re part of now.

Now I’m sure that doesn’t apply to us, but I’ve heard talk of such things in other churches…

It’s part of the reality of living together in any community – people are part of the deal…

It is into this reality that Jesus speaks to us and his candid observations are both refreshing and challenging.

So what is Jesus saying to us this morning?

· People sin;
· Communities are made up of these sinning people;
· When that happens and you are involved, do something about it; like, go talk to the other person like a mature adult rather than behind his or her back;
· If that doesn’t work, involve some others of the community…and realize that this is not about having witnesses to take your side; rather, this is about having others to observe both sides as they attempt to resolve the issue;
· If that doesn’t work, then things are serious and the whole community is at risk. But, we need to be careful about how we hear the admonition to treat the offender as “a Gentile and a tax collector” – Jesus himself welcomed both the Gentile and the tax collector. After all, wasn’t Matthew a tax collector? Hmmm;

What we really see here is that authentic community is hard to come by and takes a lot of work to be successful…

If we examine other translations of this text we hear “member of the church” translated as “brother”…This is a little more intimate relationship and provides a slightly different perspective…

Authentic Christian community is about being in intimate brotherly and sisterly relationships with people to whom we are not really related…

Christian community asks us to call strangers “brother” and “sister”…

This means treating church members more like family members…Hmmm, does that change the way we hear this text?

If we have a disagreement within our family we do all we can to resolve the disagreement and we generally stop short of throwing people out of the family because we disagree.

I think this text is about doing whatever it takes to keep the community together.

The real lesson here is that, while it is hard work to live in community, it’s worth the effort…

When we succeed as a Christian community we experience a little slice of heaven
this side of the grave…

We get to be in the middle of God’s communal fellowship…

Jesus promises that when we gather this way – with honesty and integrity,
even when it’s hard – amazing things will happen because Jesus is right here in the middle of things forming and being formed by our communal sharing…

We can look at this text and hear all sorts of things that prompt us to judge, to be exclusive,
and to play “holier than thou”…

That’s not what this is telling us…

What we hear is that the health and well-being of the community is part and parcel of the problem of sin between two of the community’s individual parts…

When individuals within the community are wounded the entire community hurts and needs healing…We are called to participate in the healing, not in the mangling

One of the things that hampers Christian communities – and I suspect other communities too –
is our inability to manage confrontation, disagreement, and our mutual accountability when it comes to sin…

We simply don’t know how to live together, fight together, and stay together…

And this is because all of us – not just our brothers, sisters, and fellow church members – all of us are sinners and we don’t want to shine any light on our own sin.

Today Jesus is trying to show us how to handle our sin and its consequences…

And what is more important is that Jesus promises to be right in the middle of it to help us get through it…

All we need do is gather in his name – in agreement and in sin…

Remember the Good News has always been that Jesus is Emmanuel – God with us –
helping learn to live as a community.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Wilderness Time

2011-08-15T11:52:00.000-05:00

“The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’” (Exodus 16:2-3, NRSV)

Dear friends in Christ,

At a recent Tulsa District gathering our new District Superintendent, Dan Peil, shared his thoughts about the state of the church and asked us to reflect on this Old Testament lesson. I want to take this time to talk a bit about what Dan said and how it relates to our faith community. There has been a lot of talk in recent years about how “the church” is in a wilderness period. Membership is declining, attendance is down, and giving is off. There are lots of opinions about why this is happening and even more on how we go about fixing the problem. You see this is a problem shared throughout the country across all mainline denominations. There just seems to be a move by many to seek their spiritual food outside the walls of “organized religion.” Many people in our mainline churches bemoan this trend and cry out that everything was great back in the “good old days” when church was the center of community life and Sunday was family day and everybody gathered at church in the morning, then around the table for lunch, and then back at church in the evening, every Sunday without fail. Back then, they tell us, society was better off, everything was simpler, there was less crime and our families were stronger. If we could just go back all our problems would be solved and our churches would be healthier.

This sounds a bit like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. If only they had never rebelled against Pharaoh; if only they had never left slavery in Egypt; at least they would have had a place to sleep and something to eat. We need to listen to what God had in mind for those whining Israelites. God told Moses that he would rain bread from heaven and the people should gather only what they need for a day. “In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not.” (Ex 16:4) The story continues as God provides and the people complain. Ultimately, Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. (Ex. 16:9-11)

Being the church and fulfilling our mission as disciples is not about going back to the way things used to be, or doing things the same way we’ve always done, or sitting around complaining about how bad things are. Nothing in our world is about keeping things the same or going back to those good old days. That’s not the way this world works and it’s not the way God’s world works. God is always moving forward leading us toward the divine vision of what the world should be. God has always called us to follow; we hear that command in both the Old and New Testament. The problem seems to be that God is out there on the horizon and we just can’t seem to keep up. We continue to cling to the comfortable and the familiar while God is calling us out to the challenging and the difficult. We think in terms of human economics where resources are scarce and we need to hoard what we have like the servant who took his master’s money and buried in the ground for fear of losing it and getting into trouble. God calls us to take what we’ve been given and use it, invest it, plant it, and risk it so that God’s economy can multiply it and make it fruitful.

Like the Israelites, we are required to make difficult choices as we seek to draw near to the Lord and follow God’s leading through the wilderness. Sometimes these choices will be costly; they will be emotional; they will involve changing our perspectives and our priorities. Often the choices we must make will cause disagreement. Nonetheless these difficult choices must be made to enable the whole church to serve God’s mission.

When we talk to people who have left the church or never even tried the church we often hear complaints about what the church represents, about how behind-the-times the church is, or how exclusive the church “club” is. It seems to me that we could go a long way toward addressing these complaints if we had the courage to move forward with God instead of clinging to the past and wondering why things can’t stay the same. No organization can survive unless it keeps moving; the church is no exception. God has been moving forward since the beginning of time urging Creation to grow and change and adapt. God is constantly calling us to keep up. I pray that we will all “draw near to the Lord,” and be able to discern how we might better respond to the leading God offers to each of us.

In Jesus’ name,
Pastor Don

You Are Beloved

2011-08-15T09:03:00.001-05:00

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16-17, NRSV)

A couple of years ago I read a wonderful book by Henri J.M. Nouwen called, “Life of the Beloved.” (I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about living a spiritual life in our secular world. If you want to borrow my copy, just ask.) This isn’t a new book; it was originally printed in 1992. It is a book that was written to respond to questions from some non-Christian friends who wanted to know how Nouwen might explain his faith to those who most needed to hear – people who did not believe in Jesus Christ. In the end, though, the book did more to speak to those who already believe than it did to satisfy his intended audience. Nouwen reminds us that we also are God’s beloved children. He says, “Yes, there is that voice, the voice that speaks from above and from within and that whispers softly or declares loudly: ‘You are my Beloved, on whom my favor rests.’ It certainly is not easy to hear that voice in a world filled with voices that shout: ‘You are no good, you are ugly; you are worthless; you are despicable, you are nobody.’” (30-31)

Living a life of spirit-filled faithfulness to God is not easy in a secular world that constantly pulls us away from God and tries desperately to convince us that we are nothing unless we have the “right” job, the “right” clothes, the “right” hairstyle, weight, car, home, etc., ad nauseum. The truth is: we are God’s beloved; we are not subject to the judgments of this world – we are beloved by God and that’s all that really matters. This is a wonderful truth to keep at the forefront of your mind every day. Only God’s opinion matters – not the opinion of advertisers in the media or your neighbors down the road. The negative voices we hear in our culture are so loud and so persuasive that it’s really easy to believe them. But listening to these voices leads us down a path of self-criticism, self-loathing, and self-rejection. We can so easily fall into the trap of believing what the world tells us that we risk forgetting the truth that God offers us. The clamor of our culture can drown out the still, small voice of God telling us we are beloved. Once we really hear this voice of God telling us that we are beloved, we want to hear more…we want to know more…we want to be more as a beloved child of God.

This is a message we must dare to claim and share with others. The reality of our world is that “many children never feel really welcomed in the world. Beneath their nervous smiles, there is often the question: ‘Am I really wanted?’…Our world is full of people who question whether it would have been better had they not been born. When we do not feel loved by those who gave us life, we often suffer our whole life long…” (57) We cannot allow the people of this world to convince us that anyone is without value. We cannot give in to a culture that manipulates, controls, and destroys the true beauty of a soul created by God and loved by God. We are God’s beloved and we must let others know that they too are beloved by God.

As more people become aware of this truth, divisions will close and wounds will be healed. “The Spirit of God, the Spirit that calls us the Beloved, is the Spirit that unites and makes whole. There is no clearer way to discern the presence of God’s Spirit than to identify the moments of unification, healing, restoration, and reconciliation. Wherever the Spirit works, divisions vanish and inner as well as outer unity manifests itself.” (135)

Only God has the power to bring people together and to bridge the gaps that divide us. Only we have the ability to open our hearts to hear God’s truth and share it with everyone we meet. This combination of God’s power and our hearing is an awesome force in the world to say to someone, “You are the Beloved of God and God loves you and wants to be in your life today.” Be God’s Beloved today.

God bless,
Pastor Don

Be Smart. Be Well. :: Food Safety :: Cooking with Kang

2011-08-01T14:48:00.001-05:00

Be Smart. Be Well. :: Food Safety :: Cooking with Kang

Rolling Those Stones Away

2011-06-28T14:21:00.001-05:00

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:6)

Dear Friends in Christ,

This passage from Mark’s Gospel is a small part of the complete resurrection narrative available to us. I include it here to encourage you to pick up your Bible and read all of the accounts we have in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20. I promise that your efforts will be rewarded with some of the most exciting passages in the New Testament.

There is another reason why I draw our attention to this narrative. Not only does it give us a wonderful picture of the glory of the resurrection, it also gives us a profound statement about the power God has to take care of whatever problems we may encounter. As the women were walking to Jesus’ tomb that morning, they asked one another, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb.” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. (Mark 16:3-4) For me, this is one of the most important messages we can take away from the Easter story. No matter how big the obstacle we face may be, God has the power to move it out of our way; that’s the power of the Risen Christ!

Each one of us has faced, is facing, or will face something in life that seems insurmountable; a problem so difficult that we can’t imagine how we are going to get through it. We get discouraged and frustrated; we worry and feel our blood pressure rise; stress-filled days and sleepless nights become all too common. “Who will roll the stone away?” Jesus promises that he can handle whatever challenges we face in life – IF we will only lay our burdens at his feet. I hear you saying, “But that’s just so hard to do!” You’re right – it is hard for us to let God be in charge of our life.

As you may know, I haven’t always been in ministry; I had another life before – a life filled with many twists and turns; frustrations and discouragements; lots of stress and sleeplessness. There were times when no memory of church was strong enough to break through to me. There were problems no prayer could solve. The stone was so big and heavy that rolling it away was not an option; I would simply remain behind it forever entombed. Praise God, I was wrong! Grace is a wonderful thing – it moves those heavy stones out of our way. Is it really that simple, you ask? That’s up to you.

This is where the hard part kicks in. When we turn our lives over to God we have to really trust him to handle things for us. We can’t turn a problem over today and then take it back tomorrow. We can’t ask God to help us and then get impatient when things don’t move as fast as we want. Faith is all about trust. Faith means trusting in things we often can’t see or understand. It means believing that God has the power to be in charge of our lives. It means believing the Gospel and trusting the promises of Jesus Christ. It means trusting that God’s Word isn’t just for people two thousand years ago – it’s a living, breathing document that still speaks to us today and continues to be true in spite of changing cultures and circumstances. Faith is all about trust and trust is all about patience. God’s timing is almost never the same as our timing and we must be prepared to wait. The thing is – if we truly trust in God’s plan the waiting isn’t so bad. There is peace in knowing that my way is being guided by Jesus and that I don’t have to trust in my own feeble attempts to fix things. What a relief!

I pray that we will all come to understand more fully that Jesus Christ will roll away any stone that gets in our way. I know it’s not easy to give up control of our lives, but I also know that Jesus does a much better job than we do – if we’ll let him. Christ is risen, alleluia! He is alive and waiting for us to turn over our lives to his loving control. Take the easy road – Let God be in charge.

Shalom!
Pastor Don

Paul's Prayer

2011-06-20T11:14:00.001-05:00

“I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:15-16, NRSV)

Whew! We’ve made it through moving – though the unpacking isn’t quite finished yet. We’ve enjoyed two wonderful Sundays in worship with you and are beginning to settle in a bit. It’s been great to begin to get to know you and learn more and more about our church in Sand Springs. You have made us feel so welcome and I am really excited about what lies ahead for us as we journey forward in ministry together. This journey began with much prayer and continues to rely on all our prayers.

In his letter to the Ephesians Paul reminds us of how important prayer is and it highlights one of the foundational concepts of our Wesleyan tradition. Prayer is used to give thanks to God and to lift one another up into God’s care. Prayer helps us to grow spiritually and it strengthens our mission to the world around us. The depth and strength of our prayer life is a direct indication of the health of our congregation. I believe that our prayers are the fuel that fires the church’s engines and allows us to continue to do ministry. If we do not have a strong prayer life as a church it will not matter how much money we have or how many buildings we build, the church will die without prayer. The good news is that this church is already doing some really great things in the prayer arena.

As we are looking to the future I am asking you to redouble your prayer efforts on behalf of our church. Firstly, we should pray that everything we do, every decision we make is focused on God’s will for the church and on what God has planned for us. Nothing we do will succeed if it is not within God’s will and done for God’s glory. Secondly, we should pray for discernment in knowing what God has planned for each one of us as members of this congregation. Everyone in this church has something wonderful to contribute to our mission and ministry. Finances, creativity, talent, time, and your presence here are just a few of the ways that you contribute to the life of our church. Let God lead you into the fulfillment of your whole potential as a follower of Jesus Christ. Finally, pray that your pastor will be led by the Holy Spirit to guide our church forward. I covet your prayers every day and I draw strength from knowing that you are lifting me up into God’s care.

Over the next few weeks you will continue to hear more about our prayer ministry and how we are working to involve more people in this important mission. Prayerfully consider how you might get involved. Keep us all in prayer as we look to new ways to develop our prayer life.

Listen as Paul continues his letter to the Ephesians: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power.” (Ephesians 1:17-19, NRSV)

Shalom,
Pastor Don Tabberer

Keep On Keepin' On

2011-05-26T13:29:00.004-05:00

“Keep On Keepin’ On”
Luke 24:44-53
Sunday June 5, 2011 – Ascension Sunday

Luke’s story this morning describes one of the most difficult events in the relationship between Jesus and his disciples.

After spending years together in ministry, working side-by-side, becoming friends, and seeing each other through some pretty rough times, it’s over and Jesus is leaving.

He gives them a few last-minute encouraging words and then he’s gone.

Yet, Luke tells us that the disciples, “returned to Jerusalem with great joy.”

Certainly it was not joy at seeing Jesus go away;
rather, it was joy at the task that Jesus laid out for them.

He promised them they would have everything they needed to continue their ministry.

He blessed them and told them to keep on keepin’ on.

Let us pray…

Lord, we are eager to receive your blessing today.

Show us the plans you have for the future of our ministries;
help us to see that you have given us everything we need to go forward.

Lead us in our meditation on your words this morning and send us out with great joy.
In Jesus’ name…Amen

In the closing section of Luke’s gospel we find a touching and important farewell scene between Jesus and his disciples.

It is touching because of the obvious emotion that is so artfully expressed in Luke’s writing.

It is important because of the teaching Jesus provides even at the end of his time here.

First, Jesus reminds us that he is the fulfillment of all that is written in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms…

“Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.”

He claims the title, “Messiah.”

And he commissions his followers to continue telling his story, first to the Chosen and then to the whole world.

Luke tells us that the disciples worshipped Jesus, returned to Jerusalem with joy, and spent time continually in the Temple.

Not only is this the first time that “worship” is mentioned in relation to Jesus, but it is also a powerful reminder that Jesus’ mission was to reconcile ALL God’s people – Chosen and Gentile – to God.

This was never about starting a new movement to replace the Jewish faith…

It was always about:

Bringing the Jews back into faithful relationship with God;

AND, opening the faith to ALL people who want to come to God, regardless of race or national origin.

For the first century disciples, worshipping the resurrected Christ while continuing to bless God in the Temple made perfect sense…

The one God of Israel – Yahweh – was manifest in the person of Jesus and promised in the coming Holy Spirit.

There is no conflict at all in this mighty God of Creation.

So, as Jesus leaves his faithful followers, he tells them to keep on keepin’ on and keep the mission and ministry alive.

It seems no accident that the Lectionary text for this particular Sunday includes this poignant farewell scene.

Certainly, I would never presume to compare our story to the gospel, but there are a couple things I want us to take from today’s text.

First of all, we are going away because God has called us to a new phase in our ministry.

We have said from the beginning that we came here at God’s call and would stay until God decided to send us someplace else.

This has never been about us; it has always been about what God wants for the church.

Second, and ultimately, we leave with joy and send you forward with that same joy…

Together we have done a lot in five short years…

The joy of this work is important to us and it is found in the hope that you will continue the work into the future and that you will have great joy in doing the work.

As we have said, this is not “Good-bye;” it is only, “See ya later!”

We leave you in good hands and bless you for a joyful future in ministry…
Keep on keepin’ on!

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen…So long, farewell!

God's Mirror

2011-05-26T13:28:00.004-05:00

“God’s Mirror”
John 14:1-14
Sunday May 22, 2011 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

In the sequel to his book, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” Lewis Carroll sends Alice on a new adventure, “Through the Looking Glass.”

In this tale Alice discovers that she can step through a large mirror in her living room and into an alternative world where things are very different from what she expects.

One of the key features of this new world is that it seems to be a mirror image of reality.

She sees lots of opposites and time appears to run in reverse.

Alice finds a book of poetry, called “Jabberwocky,” that is written backwards and can only be understood when she holds it up to the mirror.

To be sure, Lewis Carroll’s writing is the stuff of childhood fantasy and far-fetched fiction.

What intrigues me about this story is this book that requires a mirror to be read.

I’ve always thought of mirrors as being simple reflections of what we put in front of them; this story causes us to think of this particular mirror as a tool for clarity.

Alice cannot understand this poetry without the aid of the mirror…She can’t really see without the mirror

In John’s gospel this morning Jesus tells his Disciples that they can see God by looking at him.

Jesus offers himself as a looking glass through which we can all see the Living God and begin to understand God’s promises.

Let us pray…

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be truly pleasing to you,

O Lord, we pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

John 14 is part of a larger farewell discourse that goes through Chapter 16.

This is Jesus’ last chance to sum up his message – kind of like a teacher’s last review before the final exam…

In these two chapters Jesus has to cover a lot of material very quickly and hope that his students retain it…

It’s a pretty daunting task.

Think about what leads up to this scene:

· They’ve all gathered in the Upper Room for supper;

· Jesus blesses bread and wine and calls it his body and blood;

· He stoops down and washes their feet;

· He predicts Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial;

· Then he tells them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

· Is he kidding?

It’s no wonder the boys are a little confused and have questions.

We are all pretty familiar with this gospel text…

We’ve heard it preached many times in many different settings…

We often hear the first part of this text at memorial services…

We talked about this text just two weeks ago in our discussion of Thomas…

It’s always about questions and promises; it’s always about salvation.

These are great themes to study, but they are not the only themes in the text.

That is why I brought Alice’s looking glass into the conversation this morning…

One of the themes that stands out to me today is the idea that seeing Jesus allows us to see the Father…

In the Old Testament we are constantly reminded that no one can ever see the face of God and live to tell about it.

All of the ancient biblical patriarchs are given glimpses of God’s awesome power,
but none of them ever actually gets to see God face-to-face.

Yet, here in John’s gospel, Jesus says that, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”

On the one hand, this could be frightening when you remember the ancient warning that no one can see God and live…

On the other hand, you might view this as a whole new revelation of God that is an improvement on the ancient original…

Jesus says, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?”

In a very real sense Jesus is the mirror that allows us to understand the mystery of God much like Alice’s mirror allowed her to understand Jabberwocky…

But, Jesus is not simply a reflection of God’s glory; he is a looking glass through which we can actually see God’s glory and live to tell about it.

Jesus is not just God’s Mirror; he is a divine lens through which the fullness of God is visible to us…Jesus is both human and God at the same time.

Now, put this together with the rest of what Jesus says here…

Jesus tells the Disciples that the words he speaks are God’s words…

He says that it is God who does the work through him…

Then he says that those who believe in him will go on to do even greater things
in his name…

And he says that all of this is done for the glory of God.

Think about what that means for us…

If everyone who believes in Jesus is in a relationship with him,
then that relationship allows us to know Jesus…

If everyone who knows Jesus knows the Father also,
then we know God because of our relationship with Jesus…

And, if Jesus’ followers are all going to be given the power to do even greater things in his name, then we are part of that legacy of doing for the glory of God.

If Jesus is God’s mirror – the looking glass through which God is made visible,
then we are mirrors of Jesus and through us God is visible today.

Think about it – isn’t that really what Jesus is saying here this morning?

“Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and,
in fact will do greater works than these…”

That is a huge responsibility!

When we claim to be Christians, we take on the responsibility of being God’s mirrors in the world…

And it is not enough to be mere reflections of God; we are literally looking glasses through which people look to get a glimpse of God…

The question then becomes: What do people see when they look at us?

Our friends, our family, our neighbors and co-workers – They know who we say we are…

When they look at us, however, do they see who we profess to be?

Are we doing works in the name of Jesus for God’s glory?

Are we holding up a looking glass that points toward Jesus Christ?

Do the people in our lives recognize the Lord within and through us?

Or, do they go away wanting us to show them the Father, because they
missed seeing him in our lives?

Mirrors can be tricky things…

They can offer sharp, clear reflections of the objects in front of them…

Or they can distort images into something ugly, like a fun house mirror…

Mirrors can help us to see ourselves more clearly and recognize what others see
when they look at us…

I think Jesus plays several roles as God’s mirror…

He reflects the image of God in which we are all created…

He provides a looking glass through which we can see the face of God and
live to tell about it…

And he helps us to see ourselves more clearly so we can know how others see us.

As God’s mirror, Jesus is both a blessing to us and a challenge for us.

If we are to be faithful followers of Christ we must be willing to walk through the looking glass and become what God wants us to be…

We must also provide a way for others to see God through us so that they can come to know him as we do…

And we must be willing to look honestly at our reflection to see ourselves as God sees us and as other people see us so that we will always be aware of the reflection we are sending out into the world.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Who Cares Best for Us?

2011-05-26T13:27:00.004-05:00

“Who Cares Best for Us?”
John 10:1-10
Sunday May 15, 2011

New testament Professor Sarah Henrich tells the story of a preacher who spent quite some time in Africa where he was able to hear John’s gospel story in a very down to earth context.

He told how the people of the village knew each other’s sheep the way we might know one another’s children.

As he sat with a group in the village, a person would stop by and ask: “Have you seen my sheep so-and-so,” identifying his own sheep by name.

Throughout the dark night he heard villagers calling out names.

“They are calling their sheep,” one of the villagers told the preacher.
“They will find each other.”

This concept of village life in a place small enough and close enough where folks know which sheep are theirs and which belong to someone else; where sheep themselves know to whom they belong…This was as familiar to Jesus as it is unfamiliar to us.

In John’s gospel Jesus tries to describe the connection between himself and his followers using images that don’t touch our hearts and minds as vividly as they would have touched his original hearers.

The pastoral images of Psalm 23 are familiar to us, but I wonder how well we actually relate to those images in any meaningful way.

Luke’s story from Acts describes a community of believers where everyone is cared for, everyone is included, and everyone shares in God’s abundant life.

The Lectionary readings today offer us a wonderful opportunity to try to reclaim the rich images understood by the ancients and bring them into a context we can better appreciate.

Let us pray…

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

O Lord, we find comfort and quiet in you…We ask you now to quiet our souls and lead us to the still waters of your Word.

In Jesus’ name we pray…Amen

Today’s text really has two parts…

In verses 1-5 Jesus identifies himself as the true shepherd…

But, it appears that his listeners don’t understand the image so he tries again…

In verses 7-10 Jesus describes himself as the gate into the sheepfold…

This echoes “The Way” image from John 14:6 and reminds us of belief in Jesus taught in John 3:16 as the only way to salvation…

Like the villagers in our African missionary story, the people in Jesus’ time placed a high value on their sheep and knew them well.

The shepherds lived with the flock and probably didn’t need brands to identify the animals they watched day and night.

The first century shepherd could never imagine the industrial agriculture of our time that makes Jesus’ imagery seem odd to us.

So what do we make of the two images Jesus presents?

First we hear about the true shepherd…

Then he talks about being the gateway into the sheepfold…

Not being familiar with first century sheep farming makes it hard for me
to relate to these images.

Maybe we can find ways to visualize this in terms more relevant to us.

If we think about the task of herding sheep or cattle or any other group of animals,
we can understand that the task is really two-fold…

First, you need to gather the group together and get them headed in the right direction, then you need to get out in front of the group and show them the way to where it is you want them to go.

Teachers might be familiar with the task of getting a classroom full of kids into line and then leading them down the hall to the lunch room and the playground.

I think this is the image that Jesus presents about himself…

His first task was to gather God’s people together…bring them into the sheepfold

We’ve talked about this before…

Jesus proclaimed reconciliation to God, not a whole new movement…

His intent was to bring God’s people back into relationship with God; it was their resistance that resulted in the followers of Christ becoming a separate group.

And so Jesus called his people by name to gather them together.

His next task was to go ahead of the flock and lead them…

What’s interesting here is that this flock is not as dumb as the sheep we have encountered in previous stories…

This flock will not follow a stranger; they hear the master’s voice and recognize it; they are smart enough to know who they are supposed to follow…

In this story the sheep have a choice and they understand the choice…

Maybe this is why some of the people listening to Jesus had a hard time understanding the story…They couldn’t visualize sheep with free will…

Another challenge was to follow the path that Jesus was leading them along…

This was a path of difficulty, persecution, and certain death…

When Jesus realizes that some people aren’t getting what he’s talking about he turns to a different sort of image…

In some ways this image is also difficult for us to understand…

Jesus as “The Gate” – What is he talking about?

Aren’t gates meant to keep some people in and other people out?

Isn’t a gate kind of an exclusionary image? I thought Jesus was about including everyone.

Maybe some of you can relate to a different kind of understanding of “gate” if we put it into more contemporary terms…

If you own a computer and use it for email or to access the Internet or to even share files within your workplace, that computer is connected to some sort of GATE…

Technically, this piece of equipment is called a GATEWAY…

The gateway serves two very important functions…

First, it protects your computer from unwanted intruders who may try to hack their way into your computer and steal your stuff…

Secondly, it opens up a world of possibilities and opportunities that are only available when your computer connects to the information superhighway.

As the Gate, Jesus offers us protection and guidance, but he also introduces us to a whole world of wonderful possibilities and opportunities for abundant living.

This gate is not a harbinger of exclusivity; it is an invitation to inclusiveness and adventure…

Jesus says that we can use him as the gateway and be assured of salvation;
the implication is that other gateways are not so safe or certain.

Techno-nerds might call this the Name Brand vs. the “knock-off”.

If you have spent any time on a computer, surfing the web or fielding unwanted emails, you know there are plenty of dangers lurking out there…

No matter how up-to-date your anti-virus software may be, you can still get hit with some pretty nasty stuff out there in cyber-space.

Successfully navigating all this cyber-junk depends on how you deal with the threats you encounter and how good your equipment is at warning you of danger.

As we read Scripture we learn very quickly that Jesus does not promise us an easy road with no obstacles, potholes, or viruses…

We also learn that we are constantly presented with choices and we often choose badly…

What Jesus does promise is that he will stand with us in the midst of whatever mess we get ourselves into and he will help us figure out what to do about it.

I think the point that Jesus is trying to make today is this…

There are lots of people and many false gods who will pretend to care for us…

There are a whole range of experiences out there that compete for our affection…

Jesus wants us to be cautious and ask this very important question:
“Who cares best for us?”

Is it the temporary idol of the latest thing that makes us feel good, OR
is it the eternal God who created us?

Who really cares best for us?

I think the answer is clear…

Jesus who stands with us in our mess; who runs a periodic virus scan on us; who gathers us in and then leads us out; the One who gave his very life for us…He is the One who cares best for us and He is the One we should follow.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Credo

2011-05-26T13:26:00.004-05:00

“CREDO”
Psalm 117; Galatians 3:26-29; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 1 Peter 2:9-12
Sunday May 8, 2011
Confirmation Sunday

The dictionary says that the word “credo” is a Latin word that means: “any formal or authorized statement of beliefs, principles, or opinions”

For the students in our confirmation class “credo” is also the name of the curriculum they are using to prepare themselves for confirmation.

Most of us can easily make the connection from this Latin word to the familiar territory of The Apostle’s Creed and The Nicene Creed.

We are what is known as “a creedal church” – that is, we have a clear statement of what we believe so there should be no confusion about what United Methodists profess.

It is important for all of us to understand why we make our Affirmation of Faith every Sunday.

It reminds us of who we are as Christians and what the foundations of our faith really are.

It challenges us to re-affirm who is supposed to be in control of our lives.

It is a form of praise and prayer offered to God.

Not long ago someone asked me why we don’t always say The Apostle’s Creed…

My answer is that there are several options available to us to profess our faith and I like to change things up to keep us on our toes…

We get in the habit of repeating the same words over and over again and we forget what we’re really saying…

Changing the Affirmation of Faith from time to time forces us to pay attention to what we are saying.

Since this morning we will celebrate the confirmation of four of our youth, I think it is important for us to remind ourselves of what it means to confirm our faith…

What does it mean to offer our Credo to God?

Let us pray…

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be truly pleasing to you,
O Lord, we pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

In the United Methodist Church CONFIRMATION is a rite where baptized individuals recognize the work of God's grace as well as an embrace of being a disciple.

It is the first public affirmation of the grace of God in one's Baptism and the acknowledgment of one's acceptance of that grace by faith.

In some respects, it is like “Believer’s Baptism” celebrated in other denominations.

Confirmation in the United Methodist Church is a sacred occasion.

It is a testimony to personal Christian experience.

Confirmation represents a maturity of faith that allows the youth to claim the baptismal vows made by family on their behalf during infant baptism.

During the confirmation service, young people claim their love of God through Jesus Christ in their life as they become fully participating members of the church.

In other words, the confirmand is taking responsibility for living as a member of the body of Christ and for fulfilling God's purposes.

During the service of Confirmation the entire congregation will be asked to re-affirm our faith…

Just as Baptism should always be celebrated as a congregational event, so Confirmation is a celebration of the life of the church and is shared by the whole church.

As we all prepare to profess our faith together, let us take a moment to remember what those very familiar words really mean to us…

The Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell, the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
(*catholic means “universal”)

First of all, it is important to understand that the creed is based in Scripture…

When Jesus gives the disciples the Great Commission, in Matthew 28:19 he says:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the names of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

This command was used as a teaching tool by the early followers of Christ and it evolved over the next 700 years until it became the creed we know today.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth…

First, we profess our belief that the world did not always exist…Rather, it was created by God who has always existed. There was nothing before God, nothing that has not been created by God, and God will be for all eternity.

Here we confess our faith in a spiritual being bigger than anything we can imagine and more powerful than anything we can know.

God is the singular being who was, is, and always will be; the one whose existence does not depend on our belief; the one who created us simply to love.

I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord…

Second, we believe that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, that He was born of the Virgin Mary, died on the Cross and rose from the dead, and that He will return on the last day to judge the living and the dead.

As the early church developed there were many false teachings being passed around.

This section of the creed was designed to clear up any confusion and counter any heresy about who Jesus really was and the role he played as the Messiah.

It was particularly important that believers understand that Jesus was truly and fully human AND that he was fully and truly God.

I believe in the Holy Spirit…

We believe that Christ sent His Holy Spirit, who is the soul of the Church which Christ founded, and that through the Church we receive all the graces we need to reach the eternal life for which we were made.

This is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to the Disciples…

It is fundamental to the miracle of Pentecost…

It is foundational to our understanding of God’s continued presence with us…

It is also the final piece of the Holy Trinity that helps us to understand One God manifest in Three Persons.

I believe in the holy catholic* church…

This has been a tough stumbling block for Protestant Christians for centuries, and yet it is firmly based in apostolic faith and church tradition…

First we need to understand that the Apostle’s Creed is considered an ecumenical creed used by many churches outside the Roman Catholic Church…It simply states beliefs that are foundational for all Christians…

Second we need to understand that the word “Catholic” comes from a Greek word that means “of the whole” – In other words, the words “catholic church” only refer to the whole, universal body of Christian churches, regardless of their denominational title…

The church in Rome has no more claim on the title “catholic” than Lays can claim “potato” as only their chip…There is ONLY ONE CHURCH – the church that professes belief in Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity…
In that regard all Christians belong to the one holy catholic church – the one universal church, the Body of Christ…

I believe in the communion of saints…

This terminology has also provided a sticking point for some…

Does this mean we believe in and worship “the saints” like the Roman church?

No…It is actually a beautiful concept that all Christians should embrace…

This is the belief that all believers are connected to one another…Those who have gone before us, those are still with us, and those who are yet to come…This is the “communion of saints” who comprise The Body of Christ.

This communion is an unbroken connection that transcends time and unites us with every other believer.

Belief in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting isn’t so complicated...

Most of us have no real problem understanding that God forgives our sins when we come to him filled with confession and repentance…

We all share the belief that Jesus will return one day to raise up all those who die as believers and that we will all spend eternity together in the presence of God.

So, there you have it – this is what we really mean when we recite The Apostle’s Creed.

It was so important to the early followers of Christ and it became part of their regular worship liturgy…

In those early days most people were illiterate and they relied on memory to pass on the important things in life…Their faith was memorized and repeated every time they gathered for worship, just like The Lord’s Prayer was.

In this way, The Creed became an important part of their devotion to God.

It was not and is not a simple recitation of what we profess to believe…

It was and always will be a vital part of our worship…Credo – I believe.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Body of Proof

2011-04-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

“Body of Proof”
John 20:19-31
Sunday, May 1, 2011 – Second Sunday of Easter

Apparently, one of the hottest new shows on television this season is an ABC drama called: “Body of Proof.”

It deals with the efforts of a Philadelphia medical examiner to discover the truth about every case that comes across her gurney.

She is tenacious in her pursuit of every possible clue and is often the first one to solve every challenging murder case that stumps the police detectives.

Her slogan is: “The body is the proof.”

In the familiar gospel story we read today, we hear the disciple Thomas demand proof of Jesus’ resurrection before he will believe it.

For Thomas, the body is the proof of the claims the others make.

For this reason, Thomas has been branded as “doubting” for 2,000 years.

Tradition makes this a negative characteristic and tries to cast Thomas in unfavorable light.

I suggest this morning that Thomas has gotten a bad rap.

Let us pray…

Lord, we come this morning to be illuminated by your Word.
Help us to see and hear the lessons you have for us today.
Guide us in our meditation and lead us to a deeper understanding of our relationship with you…in Jesus’ name we pray…Amen.

In our Bible study group last Monday evening we watched a video about the lives of the 12 Apostles…

Thomas was discussed in a very different way from what we are accustomed to…

In short, the video said we have been very unfair in our assessment of Thomas and his apparent lack of faith.

Consider this:

We have always heard “doubting” Thomas and assumed that’s what the Bible says…It is not.

The Greek word used in the text is “apistos,” which means “unbelieving.”

So, this is not a story about doubt as if Thomas thinks his friends are pulling his leg.

This is a story about Thomas’ relationship with Jesus…a relationship shattered by the crucifixion.

In John’s gospel, “believing” is the same thing as saying, “I abide in you and you abide in me.”

Believing isn’t about reciting a creed; it’s about a close personal relationship with Jesus.

Second, nowhere else in the gospel is Thomas portrayed as someone weak of faith.

Remember the story in Chapter 11 when Jesus declares his intention to return from Galilee to Judea where he will face certain death…

The disciples were afraid and urged Jesus to reconsider…

It was Thomas who said: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

This doesn’t sound like a man who would then come to doubt his faith in Jesus Christ.

Maybe a better way of looking at it is to think of Thomas as a realist…

Kind of like someone with a terminal disease who has accepted his fate might react to reports of some new miracle cure…

Thomas has a healthy bit of skepticism.

Finally, is Thomas asking for anything the other disciples haven’t already received?

Think about it…Jesus appeared to the other disciples behind locked doors the week before…Thomas just happened to be absent.

We don’t know why he wasn’t there…He may have had a legitimate reason…

Sick friend, kid’s soccer practice, dinner with Mom…Who knows?

The point is, all the other disciples saw Jesus, saw his wounds, and then they believed.

All Thomas wants is the same thing they’ve already gotten – The Body of Proof.

So why has the Church been so hard on Thomas for 2,000 years?

Perhaps we have misunderstood the nature of faith itself…

Do we assume that the more faith we have the fewer questions we will ask?

I don’t think this is the correct viewpoint.

The Bible offers us a different picture of faith.

Scripture shows us that faith and doubt are actually intertwined more than we realize…

Faith, after all, is not knowledge or certainty…

Paul told the Hebrews that faith “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

I believe that the more we learn about our relationship with God, the more we want to know…

In other words, the more we know the more questions we have.

This is not doubt or a lack of faith; it is love and a desire to grow closer to God.

Questions are not bad things.

I think the great lesson of this story comes out of Jesus’ words at the end of the scene…

(V 29) Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Jesus does not rebuke Thomas; he is no better or worse than any of the Apostles…

They all believed in the Resurrection only after they saw Jesus in the flesh.

We must not single Thomas out for unfair criticism – they were all in the same boat.

Jesus’ words in this scene are really a blessing for us and the generations of believers who have come to know Jesus never having seen him.

If we can re-visit the story today from this perspective, we can see that Thomas is not an unfaithful disciple, rather he is a model disciple – a model we can emulate…

Thomas shows us how to become a disciple…

He looks at it realistically and counts the cost…

When he decides to follow Jesus his eyes are open and he knows what he is getting himself into…

He doesn’t merely believe, he boldly confesses:
“my Lord,” – a title reserved for Caesar;
“and my God,” – the highest praise given to Jesus in the New Testament

What we need to hear in this story is that believing in Jesus and becoming his disciple is not about accepting someone else’s experience of the Risen Christ…

It is about each one of us having our own personal encounter with Christ – the Word made Flesh…God with us, dwelling among us…

This kind of encounter requires that we ask questions and find the right answers…

Doubt – honest questioning – is not the enemy of faith; it is an essential ingredient of faith…

Seeking to know the truth is not skepticism, it is an asset to vibrant faith…

We must be free to bring our questions and our insights into our Christian lives …

We must feel safe to voice our skepticism and our trust as we sit around the table…

This is the Christian conversation; it is the healthy dialogue that strengthens and deepens our faith – this is how we prepare ourselves to be faithful disciples in a world that often doesn’t believe anything it cannot see, touch, taste, or smell.

As time passes and we get further and further from the actual events described in the gospels it becomes easier for the skeptics to make their case.

We live in a culture where people still doubt the United States space program and the facts of space flight, moon landings, and space exploration.

We live in a world where some people can deny the Holocaust and find a sizable group of people who believe them.

Every day we hear new conspiracy theories, denials of global climate change, and people who ignore the facts placed before them in certified government documents.

Is it any wonder that so many people have a hard time believing that two thousand years ago a young carpenter from a little town in Palestine worked miracles, died on a cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven to be ruler over everything?

It really doesn’t surprise me in the least bit.

Just as those first disciples demand and received their Body of Proof – the resurrected Body of Christ, our world is seeking the same kind of proof…

That’s where we come in – WE are the Body of Proof…

WE are the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood…

We put ourselves out there every day and let others put their fingers in our wounds and their hands in our sides…

In the midst of their pain and suffering and grief, we walk with our brothers and sisters in the world and show them that Christ is standing with them no matter what.

Imagine what a difference we can make when we can help the skeptics begin to recognize Jesus without having seen him…When all they can see is US – The Body of Christ…

If we are to follow the splendid example of Thomas we must be prepared to boldly confess our faith as he did and stand up as the Body of Proof in a world that desperately wants and needs something in which to have faith.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Easter is an Earthquake

2011-04-25T13:34:00.001-05:00

“Easter is an Earthquake”
Matthew 28:1-10
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter Sunday

I’ve never experienced an earthquake first-hand.

I’ve read about them and seen their aftermath on the TV news.

The recent stories about the devastation in Japan

certainly show us how horrible these events can be.

But, unless you have actually lived through a major earthquake, I wonder if you can really understand what it’s like.

If you lived in Oklahoma in 1952 you may recall the “Great El Reno Quake” of April 9^th that year…

Measuring 5.5, this quake was felt in seven states…

Chimneys were knocked off homes, plate glass windows were shattered, and damage amounted to several thousand dollars – according to the US Geological Survey.

Pretty minor stuff compared to the big ones that measure 8 or 9 and level entire cities

I imagine that rebuilding after a major earthquake would be a pretty daunting task…

It seems to me that a major quake might change the landscape so completely that you could never really put things back the way they were…

My guess is that the people and communities affected by major quakes like Japan, Indonesia, and parts of California would find that everything has changed so much that there is no way to back to the way things were.

V2: “And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.”

Suddenly the world is changed forever because of one survivable earthquake that moved a single big stone and rendered a few Roman soldiers speechless.

Suddenly, nothing will ever be the same as it was and we can never go back.

Let us pray…

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, Almighty God, my strength and my Redeemer.

Amen.

Matthew’s gospel is the only one to mention this sudden earthquake…

Mark, Luke, and John are content to tell us that the stone was rolled away and leave us to speculate as to how it happened.

There may be a danger in leaving this to our imaginations because there’s no telling what we might dream up…

Maybe Jesus was abducted by aliens!

Matthew doesn’t want us to wonder…

He wants us to be absolutely sure that this was a deliberate act of God designed to show everyone that the tomb was empty BEFORE the stone moved.

God raised Jesus from the dead and God didn’t need to move the stone out of the way.

The only reason the stone needs to be moved is so that we can see inside and testify that the tomb is empty.

It isn’t necessary for us to know HOW it happened, only THAT it happened.

So Matthew gives us an earthquake…

He leaves no doubt about the message here…

First, the women FEEL the message…

Then they SEE the message and the messenger – Angelos in Greek – the angel of the Lord, a divine messenger…

Finally, they HEAR the message:
“Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.”

This message becomes a never-ending after shock – “Go and tell.”

We don’t get to hear the conversation between the women and the other disciples…

Matthew tells us that, while they’re on their way, Jesus appears to them and repeats the angel’s command to, “Go and tell the disciples.”

I’m not quite sure why this appearance is needed here…the women were pretty convinced as it was…

Maybe this confirmation is used to add drama to the scene or credence to the angel’s words…

Whatever the reason, the women apparently do go tell the others what happened because later in the story they all travel to Galilee and meet up with the resurrected Jesus there.

It looks like Matthew’s version of the story is really about that first announcement that becomes a continuous chain of announcements with one messenger repeating the message to the next, down through the ages:
“Do not be afraid; he has been raised from the dead, just as he said.”

New Testament professor Donald Juel, reflecting on the Resurrection stories, wrote:
“None of the Gospels can really end the story of Jesus. The whole point is that it continues…and that its significance continues.”

Easter is an earthquake because it shifts things so much and changes everything so significantly that its message results in endless aftershocks…

This is a story that is “to be continued” in you, and in me, and in every life that is ever touched by the power of the good news that, “He is risen, just as he said.”

The history of the world literally pivots during this sudden earthquake and there is no way to ever go back to the way things were before.

Under “frequently asked questions” on the US Geological Survey website someone asks:
“Will California eventually fall off into the ocean?”

You’ve heard the old joke: “I’ve got ocean-front property for sale in Arizona.”

The short answer is: “NO.”

It seems that the way the tectonic plates line up along the San Andreas Fault cause the Pacific Plate to shift slightly northwest with respect to the rest of North America.

This is happening roughly at the rate your fingernails grow – pretty slowly.

Earthquakes are caused as the plates stick and slip past each other from time to time.

So, since the plates are moving horizontally past one another, California is not going to fall into the ocean.

However, Los Angeles and San Francisco will one day be next door neighbors!

Like the earth’s crust, Jesus is full of surprises.

The world’s uneasiness in the presence of the Risen Lord is fully justified.

He will not be bound by the traditions that define human life;
even death could not hold him for long.

The end of the Gospel story really only marks the beginning of the story – the beginning of the Good News that Jesus, the one who challenges us to give up our lives so that we might live, becomes the source of our life in the midst of an earthquake.

It is only fitting that this story cannot contain Jesus any more than the tomb could contain Jesus.

Jesus is not bound by the end of any story told by human beings…

Jesus continues into the future that God has planned for Creation…

In the meantime, there is only The Word, the Bread and Cup, and the promise that we do not need to be afraid…

Easter is an earthquake…

As disciples and witnesses for Jesus, we are the aftershocks…

We must go and tell…

We must expect to see him just as he said…

We must trust that one day God will finish the story, just as he promised…

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Upside Down Picture

2011-04-25T13:30:00.001-05:00

“Upside Down Picture”
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday offers us two important stories that warrant our attention…

First, we associate this night with The Last Supper…

Celebrated for centuries as the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion, The Last Supper is probably the event most often commemorated on Holy Thursday.

Second, this night tells the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet…

This act of humble service comes with a new commandment as Jesus tells his followers to love one another in the same way he has loved them.

Both of these stories run contrary to what the disciples expect and present a picture of the Messiah that seems to be upside down.

I read an article the other day by an artist discussing his approach to his paintings. He says:

“When I've spent a zillion hours looking at one of my paintings, I turn it upside down, and suddenly I see things that weren't there before. If the perspective doesn't work, I suddenly see why; if someone's head is too big or a hand too awkward, I suddenly notice it. If it's a good composition, it looks good upside down or right side up. It's a great trick to shake up my vision, show me things I didn’t see before and even to reassure myself that it's good.”

It’s amazing how, when you look at something from a different perspective you often notice things that you hadn’t seen before.

Turning a picture upside down, looking at it from a different angle, or even putting in a different location in the room can suddenly reveal new ways of appreciating your artwork; it may even change your opinion of whether the painting suits your taste.

I wonder if that is what Jesus had in mind when he turned things upside down for his disciples…

Was he deliberately trying to force them to see things from a different perspective?

Was he revealing a new way of looking at God’s Messiah?

John begins the second half of his gospel here in Chapter 13…

For the next five chapters John prepares us for the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

Key to understanding John’s account is found in the first words of this section:

“Now before the festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

You see, the meal that John describes is not the Passover meal…

John’s gospel is designed to have Jesus die on the Day of Preparation for the Passover…
in fact, in John’s account Jesus dies at the exact moment when the Passover lambs are sacrificed…For John this is vital symbolism.

In John’s account this night is not about a new Passover meal, it is about a new commandment and a new way of looking at Jesus’ relationship with his disciples that is shaped by the example he sets.

John’s gospel tells us two very important things…

First, Jesus is in control of the situation…

John doesn’t see the Passion as a tragedy; he sees it as the fulfillment and climax of the earthly mission of God’s Divine Messiah.

Second, Jesus’ actions and his mission are based in absolute, unconditional love.

We hear this love expressed in the words:
“having loved his own…he loved them to the end.”

John offers us an incredible story…

It is at once beautiful and terrifying; it is inviting and confusing;
it is not what we – not what anyone – expects to see…

This picture of Jesus is upside down and we don’t know what to do with it.

Salvation comes through God’s presence in a hostile world where Jesus’ death on the cross is not a tragedy – it is a moment of triumph and glory!

God’s grace is revealed in suffering…

God’s power is displayed in apparent weakness…

Glory is disguised as humiliation…

Jesus reveals a God who shows up where we least expect to find God in ways that we simply aren’t prepared to recognize.

God comes to redeem us in the midst of our misunderstanding.

No wonder Peter resists Jesus’ efforts to wash his feet – he doesn’t understand how The Messiah could come in the midst of humiliation and servitude.

Jesus tells him – and us – that we must revise our expectations, re-orient our perspective, and receive God hidden in humility.

If we are to be disciples of this Jesus we must embrace this upside down view of God,
of grace, of salvation, and of service…

We must let Jesus cleanse us so that we might cleanse others…

We must realize that our status as disciples doesn’t come from power; it comes from servitude as modeled by Jesus himself.

The question for us tonight is: Can we do it?

Can we see the grace of God embodied in the form of a man hanging on a cross?

Can we step into this upside down picture Jesus offers us of discipleship
and abundant life?

Can we live a life that is gained not by grabbing but by releasing; not by hoarding,
but by giving; not by ruling but by serving others as we have been served?

On Sunday I said that this Holy Week journey was not for the faint of heart…

It isn’t easy for us to walk beside Jesus on the road to Calvary and give absolutely everything in His Name…

It isn’t easy for us to see how a life of discipleship fits into a culture where giving is not the first inclination for most people…

It isn’t east to understand how different God’s perspective is from our own when it comes to living a life that follows the example of the only perfect human in history…

But, then, Jesus never told us it would be easy to be his disciple.

Tonight we hear a promise in the gospel…

A promise that we are, in fact, those whom Jesus has called and, if we follow his story to the end, we will be redeemed to new life in this world and the next.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Trust, No Matter What

2011-04-13T11:40:00.001-05:00

“Trust, No Matter What”

Psalm 31:1-5, 13-17a
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Passion/Palm Sunday

Today is more than Palm Sunday…

The Lectionary calls it Passion/Palm Sunday…

We begin with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem…a real celebration…

But, as we get closer to the end of this service, we begin to realize that this is just the beginning of the most solemn week of the Christian Year…

Today we begin Holy Week – That annual journey that inevitably leads to the passion and death of our Lord…

This is a time that many would rather skip over, but we cannot jump to the glory of Easter morning without first passing through the horror of Calvary…

You cannot have The Resurrection unless you also have The Crucifixion.

Psalm 31 brings us face-to-face with the reality of human suffering…

But it also proclaims God’s faithfulness in the midst of everything…

This psalm calls us to trust God, no matter what.

Let us pray…

Lord, guide us into your scriptures this morning.

Help us to hear your love within the lament of this psalm.

May our meditations on your word be truly pleasing to you.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Each gospel writer offers us a glimpse of Jesus’ execution…

Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus cries out to God: “Why have you forsaken me?”

This is a quote from Psalm 22.

Luke adds the story of the repentant thief on the cross next to Jesus.

Luke also has Jesus quote Psalm 31 as he takes his last breath:
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

John gives us an image of the completion of Jesus’ purpose on earth as his last words are:
“It is finished.”

These “Passion Narratives” are so familiar to us that we can recall them with little effort…

What we see here is that Jesus – at the lowest, most painful time in his life – recalls the Scriptures of his childhood and finds comfort in them.

We might imagine that Luke’s tale is incomplete…

It is possible that Jesus prayed all of Psalm 31 from the cross that day…

There’s no way to know for sure.

Listen again to the passage Luke quoted: “Father, into your hand I commit my spirit…”

Then continue the verse: “you have redeemed me, Oh Lord, faithful God.”

I think we can imagine that even Jesus trusted God with his whole being, no matter what…

Jesus never stopped trusting God even as he felt utterly abandoned
hanging alone on that cross.

We began this morning by remembering Jesus riding into Jerusalem…

The crowds threw down their coats and waved palm branches as they shouted: “Hosanna!” to the king…

But Jesus rode through the crowd with a much different understanding
of what was to come…

He wasn’t interested in the crowd’s praise – his only concern
was to be faithful to God’s will.

Later in the week we will hear Jesus pray that God might remove the cup of suffering from him…

Sounds a lot like Vs 4of our psalm: “take me out of the net that is hidden for me.”

Jesus says: “not my will, but yours be done…”

The psalmist says: “into your hands I commit my spirit…”

These two prayers are the same: whatever God wants is what I want,
as hard as that may be.

This image of being in God’s hands literally means being held up by God; being in God’s power and control.

The psalmist places himself in God’s hands and thanks God for keeping him out of the hands of the enemy.

The beautiful line in verse 15: “my times are in your hand,” affirms that our very life is upheld by God when we faithfully commit our spirit into God’s hand.

To feel that one’s life and times are in God’s hands is to capture the essence of perfect serenity.

For Jesus, this prayer proclaims that, even though his enemies may seize him, they do not have power over him…

They may take him away to death, but they cannot hold him because their power is no match for God’s.

Psalm 31 is about struggle…

It helps us to imagine what Jesus was going through…

First he struggles to continue living…

Then, as he is dying, he struggles to keep trusting God.

Is this not a struggle we all face at one time or another?

We all struggle to keep going in the face of hardship, disease, broken relationships,
and grief…

We struggle to understand why life happens to us in such a painful way sometimes.

It seems that no one is on our side…

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Then we struggle to relax into trust that God’s plan is not our plan and God’s ways are not our ways.

We struggle to grasp the words of hope and encouragement we hear in this psalm:

“I trust in you, O Lord…”

“I say, you are my God…”

“My times (my life) are in your hand.”

“Take courage and wait for the Lord.”

It’s really no surprise that so many people want to skip over this week and run joyously to the Empty Tomb…

The Passion of our Lord is not for the faint of heart…

It takes courage to walk with Jesus through Holy Week…

To contemplate Jesus’ suffering is to admit our own…

To watch Jesus die is to face our own death as well.

But this is the journey we must take to find the very roots of our faith…

For it is only by faith that we can say: “I trust in you, O Lord, no matter what…You are my God; my times are in your hand.”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Out of the Depths

2011-04-13T11:35:00.001-05:00

“Out of the Depths”
Psalm 130
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Fifth Sunday in Lent

I read a story this week about a group touring Jerusalem who went to visit the chapel at Hadassah Hospital…

The attraction of the chapel was a set of stained glass windows created by the artist Marc Chegal.

The windows are set in a domed ceiling that leads the worshiper’s eyes toward heaven.

The group also noticed that below the windows the floor was sunken and in the middle of the depressed area was a pulpit.

Curious about this architectural feature the group questioned their guide.

He explained: “The floor beneath the windows was made this way because we believe all prayer should be offered ‘out of the depths’.”

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.”

This is what we hear the psalmist say this morning.

We are reminded that authentic prayer in Scripture often comes ‘out of the depths’…
we often hear petition and complaint in biblical prayer.

This is the nature of biblical lament…a form of prayer that assumes a covenant relationship between God and God’s people.

It seems that the church in North America has lost its appreciation for this form of prayer and, as a consequence, has lost much of the genuine covenant conversation with God.

Lament is a form of speech that allows the worshiper to complain about injustice and to call on God to hear the cries of those who suffer, as our biblical ancestors did.

Because lament grows out of our covenant relationship with God it is also a powerful form of praise –

It gives evidence of a faith worked out in the midst of hardship, hurt, and loss…It gives God the glory for relief.

As we listen to the words of Psalm 130, we realize that this cry to God carries with it a statement of confidence and faith…The psalmist believes that God is present in the depths.

This is part of the beauty of the Psalms for us…

If we listen to them and take them to heart, they will always help us to recognize God’s presence with us in any situation…

The Psalms offer us songs of praise, joy, lament, and thanksgiving…They are all about our covenant relationship with God.

While there is no specific confession of sin or admission of guilt in Psalm 130, we are reminded that all humanity lives under the shadow of sin…

Verse 3 and 4 of the psalm also declares that God does not count our sins,
but rather God offers forgiveness…

This is crucial to our understanding of right prayer and right relationship with God…

We go to God acknowledging our sinfulness and the fact that nothing we can do is good enough to earn God’s love, and then God responds with unconditional love and forgiveness.

The psalmist says: “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.”

This waiting is to live expectantly, aware of what God has done in the past and anticipating what God is about to do…

This guide of expectancy doesn’t come from despair or hopelessness;
it grows out of a relationship based on hope and trust.

There is certainty in our waiting, not despair.

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.”

This is a right attitude for prayer…

From the depths of my soul I come to God…

In the midst of whatever is happening in my life, I trust that God is with me…

Though I don’t deserve God’s care, I receive it…

I wait because I know that God’s love is steadfast and that only God has the power to make our relationship whole.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Psalm for the Living

2011-03-30T14:08:00.000-05:00

“Psalm for the Living”
Psalm 23
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Is there no better way to hear Scripture proclaimed than from the mouth of a child?

Psalm 23 may be the most loved psalm, if not the most familiar passage from the entire Bible…

Nearly every person raised in the church can recite all or part of this song from memory.

Even if you don’t know it by heart, you have certainly heard it read countless times.

It is the most requested Scripture passage to be read at funerals.

These are comforting and hopeful words that often help a grieving family get through a difficult day and make some sense of the passing of their loved one.

I use this passage frequently and love the way that it speaks gently about the care God provides at the time of our passing from one life into the next.

However, because of its familiarity, I think that it’s important for us to examine this text
with fresh eyes…

I believe it is important for us to hear this psalm as a song about living.

It offers rich images about routine activity like eating, drinking, and resting.

It challenges us to seek a new perspective – God’s perspective – that might deepen our sense of the most comforting words ever written.

There are nuances we may have missed…

There are different ways of hearing the language that we may not have noticed…

There is an obvious poetic symmetry that offers balance for our whole lives…

This morning let us open new eyes and ears to discover Psalm 23 as The Psalm for the Living.

Let us pray…

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.

True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

I am not afraid when you walk at my side.

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.

I am home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

Walk with us this morning, Lord, and help us hear your words with fresh ears.

Send us in the right direction and chase after us if we get off track.

We are listening for you now, O Lord…
…Amen

A fresh reading of Psalm 23 really requires us to go back in time a few thousand years…

We need to hear this psalm as the ancients heard it…

Most of us cling to the lofty language of the 1611 King James translation that “maketh” and “leadeth” and “restoreth”…

The problem with this is that it also “changeth” some of the nuance of meaning found in the original Hebrew.

For example:

In the original Hebrew of Psalm 23, there are exactly 26 words before and after, “you are with me.”

Maybe the psalmist was boldly declaring that “God With Us”
is at the very center of our lives

These are prophetic words for Christians…God with us, Emmanuel, Jesus Christ…

There is Messianic truth in the concept of God with us at the center of life.

The Bible doesn’t promise that God will shield us from trouble…

God doesn’t manipulate life so that bad things never happen to us.

BUT – God’s presence, WITH US, in the midst of our trouble and pain is GUARANTEED!

No wonder the psalmist says: “I shall not want”…

God provides everything we need that is of real and lasting value.

With God at the center of life nothing that matters is missing.

The image of God as Shepherd and us as sheep is palpable…

We can almost feel what it might be like if we hear the original words…

The words for “lie down in green pastures” really mean “to sprawl”…

To be surrounded by the lushness of God’s bounty and to sprawl into it…

To roll around in it like children on the lawn…

Ya know, sheep really aren’t very smart…

Left to their own, they will nibble around from pasture to pasture and wander off until they are lost…

Without an attentive shepherd they will step off a cliff or be devoured by wolves.

If we are sprawled across God’s goodness, we are less likely to wander off.

The “still waters” are better translated “the waters of quietness”…

A place to be still and listen for God…A place where our thirst for God is satisfied…

God is our satisfaction. God is good enough. God exceeds whatever we may think we desire.

Another significant point is that the original is not about the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”
it is “the valley of dark shadow”

We might imagine David fleeing from his enemies and staying in the shadows to avoid detection, all the while not knowing who might be lurking around the next corner.

Yes, this can be a scary and dangerous situation, but it is not overwhelming if we trust God to get us through.

This isn’t an image of certain death; it is an image of LIFE in God’s hands.

That both God’s “rod” and “staff” are a comfort requires our understanding…

The rod is like a slap in the face; it is discipline and correction.

The staff is like a crutch that supports us when we are weak.

They are of equal comfort because we need them both; we need a balance of discipline and help to mold us into the people God wants us to become.

Preparing a “table in the presence of our enemies” isn’t “neener, neener, neener!”

This isn’t about gloating…It’s about showing what God has provided us so that others might see what they too can enjoy by accepting God as the center of their lives.

And, finally, the idea that goodness and mercy will “follow” is really much more urgent…

The word is “hesed” – to pursue…

God’s goodness and love will pursue me all the days of my life…

Sounds a lot like prevenient grace…God pursues us and invites us to place him at the center of our lives so that we may dwell in his house for ever and ever.

As comforting as it may be to hear this psalm at someone’s funeral, I hope you now hear it as a psalm for the living…

It implies that God is with us, but God is not ours to own.

The God who shepherds us to life also gives life to the world.

The table to which we are invited is one to which the whole world is also invited.

When you place “God with us” at the center of your life, your every need will be satisfied and there will be no need to be selfish or exclusive about the abundance God offers.

Amen.

Diversity

2011-03-26T11:26:00.000-05:00

Reading the Bible to seek confirmation of what we think we "know" is dishonest and unfaithful. The world God created is diverse in its culture, its people, its traditions, and its understandings. This great diversity comes from God. The Bible challenges us to see the diversity of creation as God sees it. This means that sometimes we will encounter Scripture that confuses us, that angers us, that causes us to question what we think we "know." This is how we develop our true relationship with God. We get angry. We apologize. We beg. We ask forgiveness. We are surprised. We get angry. We give thanks. We love. Ours is a complex relationship because God is a complex and wonderful Being.

Trust for the Journey

2011-03-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

“Trust for the Journey”

Psalm 121
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Second Sunday in Lent

Psalm 121 is one of the most familiar and loved psalms in the Psalter.

It even made its way into pop culture in the 1960’s movie, “The Sound of Music”…

At the end of the film, when the vonTrapp family is preparing to flee from the Nazis, the Mother Abbess reassures Maria with these words:
“I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help!”

The psalmist also seems to consider this a song about trusting God for protection no matter where we go…

It might have been a prayer the ancients offered whenever they set off on a long journey.

It seeks and trusts God to provide for safe travel…
it is not unlike our prayers for travel mercies.

Beyond this obvious analysis of what Psalm 121 meant to its original audience, I wonder what it means for us…

What words of comfort do we hear?

What images of God’s care do we see?

How does this ancient song help us along our journey of faith?

Let us pray…

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you, Almighty God, In Jesus’ name…Amen

Psalm 121 has been a prayer for travelers for centuries…

It is said that David Livingstone prayed this psalm the morning he left England for his African missionary journey in 1840.

Even so, verses 7 and 8 move us to understand that the psalmist’s very life is the object of God’s care… [Verse 7-8]

This psalm is really about the journey of life…
from birth to death and beyond…

This is a song we can reach for whenever we need assurance…

· When our life is in turmoil…

· When the path seems treacherous…

· When we begin to think we are ineffective or failing to accomplish anything…

The psalmist gives us a place to go for help…
“I lift up mine eyes unto the hills – toward God – from whence cometh my help!”

The idea of God’s activity in our world today seems problematic for us…

The ancient Israelites held an image of God who was present in their everyday lives…

They believed the stories of the Burning Bush, of God speaking to Moses,
and the Pillars of Fire and Cloud…

They took it for granted that God listened to their prayers and that God responded…

They saw signs of God’s power everywhere they looked…
Not as proof of God, but as affirmation of their faith.

For us, things aren’t so simple…

We are so enamored of our science and technology that we have forgotten to leave room for God’s power to care for us…

We rely so heavily on our own ability, our personal success,
our skills, our brains, our courage…

That we forget to ever think we might actually be getting a little help from God

Why look to the “hills” when we are so happily self-sufficient?

The psalmist reminds us of our humanity and our inherent need for God’s help…

He tells us of a God who doesn’t even need to sleep and who looks out for us when we don’t notice…

[Insert Herkimer story from “Strength for Service”]

In a way, this story shows how God works with us…

Like the clay in this story, God works on us even when we are asleep.

How many times have you gone to sleep with a problem or question only to wake the next morning with the answer, or at least a clearer head?

When big decisions are needed we often say, “Sleep on it.”

God keeps working on our problems 24/7…

God is never out to lunch or on vacation…

There is NO PLACE, NO TIME, and NO CIRCUMSTANCE that is outside God’s care

I think that is the point of Psalm 121…

God protects us along our life’s journey; we simply need to trust God.

Trust takes faith AND the willingness to let God be in charge.

I also think that it is important for us to connect this psalm to our life as disciples of Jesus Christ

Discipleship is a journey, not a destination.

It is a difficult journey with many challenges that call us to do things we would not ordinarily choose to do…

We must make unselfish choices…

We will be inconvenienced…

Our comfortable lives will be disrupted…

We will have to work with people we may not like very much;
we will have to give away stuff that belongs to us;
we will be asked to donate money that we could be spending on ourselves.

Discipleship is a call to follow the way of Jesus, the example of Jesus.

Jesus’ journey led Him finally to the cross…

The good news is that God was even there, caring for Jesus…

As we follow Jesus on that way, we can rest assured that God will be there with us every step of the way…

[Read verses 5-8]

This is such a perfect promise…

Promises like this are exactly what the ancients placed their trust in…

This is the kind of faith that enabled them to leave Egypt and eventually get to the Promised Land.

This is the kind of faith that sustained them through the Babylonian Exile.

This is the kind of faith that comforted during the Holocaust.

This is the kind of faith that trusts without proof, no matter how difficult the journey.

Where is our faith this morning?

Are your eyes looking to God or to something else?

Even as our world slips, stumbles, and falls, do you trust God to keep us safe?

Do you really believe that the Lord will keep you from this time on and forevermore?

Scripture says it; I believe it; and that settles it.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

The Joy of Forgiveness

2011-03-09T14:28:00.002-06:00

“The Joy of Forgiveness”
Psalm 32
Sunday, March 13, 2011
First Sunday in Lent

Reading Psalm 32 we might conclude that it is a song of thanksgiving because of the happiness it expresses and the “cause and effect” analysis it portrays…

Such a conclusion is not entirely wrong.

We might also hear it as a wisdom psalm because of the wise – almost proverb-like – teaching contained in its final four verses…

This too is not entirely wrong.

Most scholars, however, look at the combination of these two types of literature and focus on the entire nature of the song and place it in a grouping called “penitential psalms.”

Even though there is no specific confession of sin here, there is a vivid image of the personal experience of confessing sin and the joy that comes at receiving God’s forgiveness.

Let us pray…

Take my lips, O Lord, and speak through them.

Take our minds and think through them.

Take our hearts and set them on fire.

In Jesus’ name…Amen

The question that comes to mind today is: “How can we experience the joy of forgiveness unless we first acknowledge our sin and confess?”

On Wednesday evening we began this series based on Psalms by looking at Psalm 51.

This is thought to be King David’s confession of his sin with Bathsheba.

We talked about the fact that David wasn’t able to come to this confession until the prophet Nathan pointed out the sin and forced David to recognize the terrible thing he had done.

This good and righteous king did not see his own sin and, therefore, could not realize his need for forgiveness.

Maybe that’s part of what we need to see in Psalm 32 today…

Even the righteous King David didn’t recognize his own sin…

What does it mean to be righteous?

I think that sometimes we misunderstand this word: “righteous” and it causes us to be too hard on ourselves.

We have this image that righteous people are perfect, moral, upright individuals who always do the right thing and stay on the path.

This is an ethical understanding of maintaining a state of moral purity.

But, we need to hear how the Hebrew text really refers us to righteousness as God’s saving actions…

Only God is completely righteous and it is God’s righteousness that offers hope for redemption from sin.

For us, being righteous doesn’t mean being perfect, being blameless, or being right…

For us, to be righteous is to be forgiven…To be a witness to God’s grace.

The psalmist this morning is clear: Silence about our sin causes suffering.

V3: “While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.”

Our silence, our failure to acknowledge our own sin, has a devastating effect on us – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

V1: “Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.”

V5 (paraphrased): ‘When I acknowledged my sin and did not hide from it,
God forgave my guilt.’

John Wesley said that:
“We are guilty of sinning against God, which deeply affects the character and quality of our life. And because our sin is primarily an action against God, whose will and purpose is the source and end of all that is, we need God to deal with the reality of our guilt. We need God to forgive and pardon us, to reconcile us to the communion of love with God.”

All this talk of sin, confession, and divine forgiveness doesn’t seem to resonate with many contemporary folk.

We don’t like to think of ourselves as sinners…

We certainly don’t seem to think in terms of sin as an explanation for what’s wrong with our culture, our families, our politics, or our world.

Our failure to acknowledge sin may explain the general lack of accountability that has become more and more apparent around the globe.

Maybe if we could revive this notion of sin and the need we have for forgiveness, we could help turn the tide of aggression and the moral struggles much of the world is engaged in.

Maybe a little dose of accountability would be good for everyone.

Our misunderstanding of sin and forgiveness has led to our uncanny ability to justify
almost anything…
to rationalize our behavior and give ourselves permission to do almost anything…
that makes us feel good,
that doesn’t directly hurt someone else,
or that satisfies our pleasure or greed, or satisfies our ego.

And yet, Scripture is clear…

Even the great King David suffered the pangs of guilt and needed God’s forgiveness;

Our psalmist this morning reminds us that happiness is found in forgiveness;

If we silently refuse to acknowledge our sin we will suffer physically and spiritually;

When we humble ourselves before God we are preserved from trouble and filled with joy

There is an old Scottish proverb that says: “Confession is good for the soul.”

This is truer than we want to admit…

Paul told the Romans: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
(Romans 10:9)

Confession isn’t just good for you, it is essential to salvation.

Every Scripture passage dealing with salvation through Jesus Christ is conditional on our confession that Jesus is Lord of our lives…

This cannot be true if we are still clinging to the idea that our human ingenuity or initiative can somehow make up for our sins and call it “good.”

If we are to accept the grace of God that Jesus offers we must be willing to confess our sins before God and bow in humble dependence on God’s steadfast mercy, forgiveness, and love.

There is no other way.

Finally, it’s important we notice the change that takes place in the last four verses of the psalm…

The speaker shifts from talking to God to talking to us…

He tells us not to be stubborn like a mule… (V 9)

If we refuse to listen to what this psalm is trying to teach us, we will pay the price.

But, if we pay attention, God’s steadfast love will surround us and we will be glad in the Lord because we will find true joy in God’s forgiveness…

The thing is, we cannot be forgiven of that which we do not confess to God.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Have Mercy on Me, O God

2011-03-09T14:27:00.000-06:00

“Have Mercy on Me, O God”
Psalm 51:1-17
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Ash Wednesday

It is helpful, first, to realize the background of this psalm…

The story begins innocently enough: "In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle..." (2 Samuel 11:1). But this time the king is staying home. The onetime sling-shotting, swashbuckling, songwriting soldier is sitting this one out.

And then late one afternoon it happens. The old warrior is bored with the soaps and talk shows and takes a stroll out onto the veranda. But wait a minute! He notices a woman; a "very beautiful woman" says the Hebrew text; taking a dip in the pool next door.

Then the former man of action goes into action. A couple of calls gives him the woman's name and reveals that her husband is away with the army. The king sends for Bathsheba and she comes to the palace. They have a few gin and tonics. They make love. Then she goes home, and that's that.

A few months later, there's a message for the king. David opens the envelope and reads it. Two words in Hebrew: harah anoki. "I'm pregnant. Bathsheba" Again, the king acts. To account for the pregnancy he brings her husband back from the front. "Go home and sleep with your lovely wife," he says to him, slipping the soldier a bottle from the royal wine cellar. But Uriah refuses the offer and instead sleeps with the servants out on the lovely lawn.

The plot thickens and the story sickens. The king orders General Joab to put Uriah where the fighting is heaviest. Word comes that Uriah has been killed in action. The king does the magnanimous thing – He marries the broken-hearted war widow.

End of the story? Not quite. One day the prophet Nathan shows up at the palace. He tells the king about a rich man who has stolen a poor man's only lamb and slaughtered it for dinner. The king is enraged. "What? Who is this guy? Tell me, and we'll royally nail him!"

"You're the guy!" says Nathan. David is devastated. And this psalm, says our heading, is the sort of prayer that fits such a situation. When there's big time trouble, you call in Psalm 51.

(James Limburg, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament, Luther Seminary)

Let us pray…

Lord, we come into this season of psalms to hear your Word and learn from you.

Bless us as we listen for you.

In Jesus’ name…Amen

Psalm 51 is the prayer of a man in great distress at the realization of his personal sin…

It is also a prayer we can call upon at times when we feel separated from God
because of sin…

After all, that IS what sin is – separating ourselves from God by the choices we make and the things we do.

The focus of this psalm is obviously on repentance…

The psalmist acknowledges his sin;

He asks God for forgiveness;

He accepts whatever consequences God may send his way;

He asks God’s help to make him a better person and keep him from sinning again in the future.

This is a familiar pattern for us as we frequently offer our own prayers of confession in worship.

There are a couple things about this psalm, however, that I think offer us new insight into this part of our relationship with God…

When we come to God in confession we must acknowledge our guilt and
feel remorse for our action…

God’s response to true confession is both cleansing and transforming.

All sin, no matter how seemingly minor it may be, is sin against God…

There is no such thing as a sin that does not touch God in some way…

The choices we make that lead us down the wrong path...

The things we do that do not fit within God’s will for our lives…

A little white lie; an inappropriate email; or an unkind remark – all these things hurt God because they hurt God’s people.

All sin, then, calls for us to recognize and acknowledge our shortcomings…

And all sin challenges us to actually be sorry that we did the wrong thing, said the hurtful words, had the horrible thought, or took that stamp from the office.

This part of our relationship with God is about looking at our entire lives as belonging to God…

Every choice we make, every action and reaction, should be evaluated based on what we believe God would want us to do.

This reality check will help us know when to go to God in confession and how to approach God in humility and love.

The other side of this relationship is God’s side…

It is important that we understand this word “mercy” that the psalmist seeks…

The Hebrew word that is translated “mercy” here comes from the root word for “womb”

In other words, there is a clearly feminine, maternal image at the root of “mercy”

God’s mercy…God’s love for us is like the love of a woman for the child she carries in her womb…

It is strong, protective, connected, and nourishing…

This is an image of God’s mercy wrapping around us, caring for us, and keeping us from harm….

This is an inclusive image that lets us know how much we are loved and how God is ready to embrace us – even in our sinfulness – and surround us with nurturing forgiveness.

We may come to God with a spirit broken by our sin and our regret, but God responds with a new beginning, a fresh start, a new clean spirit, born in the womb of God’s infinitely merciful grace and love for us.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy.”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”

We come to God and God responds…

Then let us give God all the glory:

“O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

A Moment of Glory; a Lifetime of Service

2011-03-01T16:46:00.000-06:00

“A Moment of Glory; a Lifetime of Service”
Matthew 17:1-9
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Transfiguration Sunday

The story of Moses on top of Mount Sinai is one of several episodes known as “theophanies”…

A “theophany” is: “An appearance of God that is perceptible to human sight.”

The burning bush is another example, as are the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud seen by the Israelites as they escaped Egypt.

Samuel and Isaiah, Amos and Ezekiel, each perceived an appearance of God.

AND, each was transformed, transfigured, if you will – given an exalted or spiritual appearance that changed them, inside and out, for the better…

Each one left their moment in the glory of God and went out to live
a lifetime of service to God.

Matthew’s gospel this morning tells us the story of another “theophany” – the Transfiguration of Christ; an appearance of God that reveals once and for all the true identity of Jesus Christ as God with us…

After the Resurrection, the Disciples will use this moment of glory as one of their proofs that Jesus is God and it will greatly influence their life of service to the Lord.

Let us pray…

Lord, we have come to hear your Word and learn what you have in mind for us.

Guide us in our hearing and our learning this morning.

I pray that the words I speak are your words
and that the lessons we take away come from you.

Bless us as we listen for you.

In Jesus’ name…Amen

Usually when we hear this text preached each year, the focus is on Jesus and how this story provides such a clear testimony about his identity.

The story is filled with glorious images like:
…his face shone like the sun; …his clothes became dazzling white

Jesus floats in the sky with Moses – The Law, and Elijah – The Prophets.

Peter is reduced to fearful babbling until God’s own voice interrupts him and says: “Be quiet! This is my Son. Pay attention and listen to Him!”

It’s all about Jesus…usually.

Today I want us to take a slightly different perspective on this story…

Yes, this is a miraculous moment in the life and ministry of Jesus.

What is often overlooked is the transformation of Peter, James, and John.

This theophany – this appearance of God changed these men forever and set them on a path of lifetime service to God.

I have shared with you before how I was called into full time ministry…

I was the Worship Leader in our church and it was time to start the first song.

I was interrupted when the voice of God called to me from the cross on the wall; calling my name and, basically telling me to pay attention!

Nobody else heard it, but they noticed the change on my face and the rest, as they say, is history as I listened to God’s leading me here.

The question for us this morning is: How do you experience theophany and how does it change your life of service to God?

The problem is that most of us don’t think that we are called by God to anything special.

Most Christians rarely feel called to the occupations, relationships, and volunteer activities they are involved with.

We may experience moments of insight, but too often the moments of failure and denial overcome the perceived glory of discernment.

Our doubts and insecurities get in the way of seeing that moms and dads, students and retirees, doctors and janitors, military personnel, taxi drivers, teachers, and coaches, are all called by God into this story.

The Transfiguration isn’t just about Jesus and Peter; it’s about you and me too…We are also called to “listen to Him” and to “get up and do not be afraid.”

This story challenges each one of us to recognize those moments of glory when the presence of God is perceptible to us…

We’ve spent the past few weeks listening to Jesus preach from the side of the mountain about the wonder of being in relationship with God…

We’ve seen the glory of God in promised blessing, salt and light, forgiveness and healing, and the abundance of God’s love.

The story we hear today is our story – a story of God’s presence in our lives that calls us to participate in God’s drama to save, bless, and care for all the world.

Listen to the story and know that we are all called…we each have a lifetime of service to live.

Edification or Demolition?

— Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Two gas stations attendants. One I met at a self-service pump; the other at her desk. The first in rain on a chilly night. The second in the afternoon, but there was no sun in that building.

What caused their differing attitudes, I won’t pretend to know. There may be a host of reasons why the latter attendant was so bitter, and much sympathy spilled on her. But that isn’t the point right now. Edification is the point, a Latin way of saying “building up.” The power to build up other human beings, or else to tear them down, no matter how menial the circumstance or how quick the meeting—that is the power possessed by each member of the body of Christ, and a mighty power indeed.

I had my collar up against the rain. I hunched at the rear of the Nova, had screwed the gas cap off and was running gas into the tank. My hand was numb. Beside me, suddenly, stood the attendant, his hands in his pockets. His presence was not rushing me because it was at peace. He said, “hello,” and a smile flicked across his face. Nor was he some chill stranger, though I did not know him. When he spoke he looked directly into my eyes—without fear, without embarrassment, with neither judgment nor haughtiness nor threat. I, whoever I happened to be; I, whatever my family or my profession; I was there for him in that moment.

He was lean. Dark hair streaked his forehead with the rain. He shook his head slowly when he saw the brown face of my kid looking out the window, and raindrops flew off his chin. I think he laughed. The fill-up seemed to take a long time. I hit $20 on the penny, capped the pipe, handed him the bills and watched while he folded them into his roll. He did not solve some terrible trouble of mine. Nor did he save me from disaster or fix something I couldn’t fix. Nevertheless, this attendant did the extraordinary.

He shook my hand. He smiled one more time, and to me he said, “Thank you.” I admit it: This is a minor and nearly forgettable incident. And it should be unworthy of a column. Except that when I slid back into the Nova, I stopped a moment before turning the key and Thanne said, “Why are you smiling?” Drip, drip and a slowly spreading smile. The fellow had built me up. He had edified me.

I never saw him again.

Neither did I ever see the other attendant again. But I remember her too. She kept her separated seat while I filled my thirsty car. No matter to that. Most attendants don’t pop out of the station for every person that jerks the handle. But when I entered the building, still she kept the seat, her eyes downward, gazing at the top of her desk. No book to read. Just staring.

I held out my money. “Whadda-ya want me to do with that?" she said. “Well, to take it,” I said. “I’m paying for the gas.” “So how much was it?” “Twenty.”

There were lines from her nose to the corners of her mouth. Sullen lines. Anger, for some reason or other. And I was, it seemed, an intrusion in her life. She snapped the bills from my hand and bedded them in the slots of her register. She was chewing gum. It cracked like biddy-whips. She was whorling her hair with a forefinger.

I stood there too long, I think. She said, still without looking at me, “Your car stuck? You waiting for something?” “No.” I slid disquieted into the car and sat awhile. Demolition.

Sadness had made me sad. The day had been torn down utterly.

You say: “But how can I serve the Lord? I’m not important. What I do is so common and of little consequence. Anyone can do what I do.” But I say to you: “Every time you meet another human being you have the opportunity. It’s a chance at holiness. For you will do one of two things. Either you will build him up, or you will tear him down. Either you will acknowledge that she is, or you will make her sorry that she is —sorry, at least, that she is there, with you. You will create, or you will destroy. And the things you dignify or deny are God’s. They are made, each one of them, in God’s own image.”

And I say to you: “There are no useless, minor meetings. There are no dead-end jobs. There are no pointless lives. Swallow your sorrows; forget your grievances and all the hurt your poor life has sustained. Turn your face truly to the human before you and let her, for one pure moment, shine. Think her important, and then she will suspect that she is fashioned of God.”

How do you say “Hello”? Or do you? How do you greet strangers? Are you so proud as to burden your customer, your client, your neighbor, your child, with your tribulations? Even by attitude? Even by crabbiness or gloom? Demolition!

Or do you look them in the eye and grant them peace? Such are the members of the body of Christ—and edification in a service station.

Reprinted by permission from Ragman and Other Cries of Faith, published by HarperSanFrancisco. Walter Wangerin is a faculty member at Valparaiso University in Indiana, an Evangelical Lutheran Church pastor and author.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen

Inside Out & Upside Down

2011-02-24T11:24:00.003-06:00

Sunday, February 27, 2011, Eighth Sunday after Epiphany
Morning Service

Matthew 6:24-34

“Inside Out & Upside Down”

As we have studied the Sermon on the Mount over the past few weeks, I hope that you have seen what a true radical Jesus really was.

I do not say this to be disrespectful; I say it because it is true.

Jesus stood in the midst of the religious leaders of his day…

Men who believed in and taught a faith rooted in thousands of years of divine revelation and promise…

He stood up and boldly proclaimed a new way of being in relationship with God
and with each other.

He turned the old law inside out and the religious hierarchy upside down.

He brought hope to those who lived at the bottom, on the margins,
and thrust them to the top.

He surprised the “IN CROWD” by telling them to get out of the way of God’s idea of who was out and who was in.

Oh yes, Jesus was a radical then, and his teaching is just as radical now.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.”

This morning Jesus tells us not to worry…REALLY? Don’t worry?

For most of us, worry is as common as weeds in the lawn or today’s newest gray hair!

What we all need to hear and feel this morning is Jesus turning us inside out and upside down!

Let us pray…

Gracious and loving God,
I pray that the words of my mouth will come from You,
and that the meditations of our hearts will be pleasing to You,
in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

I really don’t think that I’m the only person here who worries about stuff…

Worries at work…Worries at home…
Worries about the economy…
Worries about the friend with cancer…

We live in a pretty anxious culture…

The evening news depends on worry to attract viewers;

Commercials encourage us to worry about something their product is certain to solve;

More and more homes display home security signs in the front yard;

No matter where you are or where you look someone or something reminds you of how much we have to worry about.

We need to make the connection between Jesus’ command to “NOT WORRY”
and how this passage begins…

“You can’t worship two gods at once,” Jesus says. “Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.”

If we can follow the thread that ties this reading together, I believe we can begin to see our lives where not worrying actually becomes an option.

We need to notice that Jesus does not characterize money as either good or bad;
he certainly doesn’t say it is evil.

What he says is that money doesn’t make a very good Master.

If money becomes the object of our devotion, we fall into the trap of the worldview that makes money a god in the first place – SCARCITY.

It’s not the money that causes the problem; it is the belief that – like a god – we can trust money to satisfy our deepest needs.

If we trust money for our every need we soon discover that we never have enough.

Money is finite…it is limited.

Once we begin to depend on money for our security, we begin to track it, count it, stockpile it, and hoard it.

Of course we worry – in a world built on scarcity we never have enough of anything.

Here’s where Jesus steps in with a radical new idea…

Enter into a relationship with a God who is infinite, whose love is infinite, and whose whole being is based on abundance rather than scarcity.

If love is your Master, scarcity is no longer an issue because love operates from a different “economy” than money.

Consider this:

When Linda and I got married I loved her with all my heart.

Now, I didn’t have to steal any love from my family to bring some to Linda; the amount of love just grew to meet the need.

When Chris was born, I didn’t have to borrow love away from Linda in order to love Chris with all my heart.

Then when Brian was born, Chris didn’t lose any love so I could give my whole heart to Brian.

I’ll bet you’ve all noticed the same thing – the more love you give,
the more love you have to give.

It’s a self-multiplying commodity – it’s an economy of abundance.

When you live in this kind of relationship with an infinitely loving God who constantly replenishes your supply, you never need to worry about running out.

Your basic core needs will always be met.

This is that world where “NOT WORRYING” actually becomes an option.

I realize it can be hard to believe in this world of abundance…

High unemployment screams scarcity.

Cholera in Haiti; rebellion in the Middle East; wars on two fronts; poverty in America;

All these seemingly impossible situations cause us to wonder
if God really cares about us at all.

If God cares for the birds and the flowers so much, how does God truly feel about us?

This fear that God no longer cares is born in an attitude of scarcity…

Scarcity creates fear, and fear breeds devotion to things that we think might protect us and provide for us…

Being invested in a world of scarcity caused the people to reject Jesus and put him to death rather than believe in his vision of abundance.

God doesn’t operate based on scarcity…God works out of infinite abundance.

God didn’t respond to the crucifixion by looking for ways to get back at people;
no – God resurrected…the ultimate act of abundance: bringing life out of death.

Jesus invites us into this same world of abundance – a world where generosity
and new life get our attention.

This is a world where love and care are unlimited commodities; sometimes we just have to look beyond our fears and worries to see.

I’m not saying that we should stop caring about our needs and the needs of others…

“Que sera, sera – Whatever will be will be”

What I’m suggesting is that we turn our vision inside out and
our expectations upside down…

Instead of focusing our attention so much on the scarcity of things – on what’s wrong with the world and how hopeless life can be…

Look around you and really see all the ways that God is at work caring for the world.

Remember the picture of hope we saw last week when we baptized Kenley Brooks.

Think of the faces of the children we feed every day during the summer.

Rejoice in the courage of people who take back their lives from ruthless dictators.

This is a world where not worrying is an option…

A world where we celebrate the abundance, courage, and trust that we see all around us in the lives of God’s people…

A world where we are not always focused on the doom and gloom predictions of newscasters and pundits…

A world where God’s abundant love feeds us and gives us more and more to share with one another…

A world where you: “give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.”

I dare say this would be a radical new world where God’s shared abundance could turn everything inside out and upside down.

Amen.

Living Out Your God-created Identity

2011-02-23T16:34:00.000-06:00

Sunday, February 20, 2011, Seventh Sunday after Epiphany
Morning Service

Matthew 5:38-48

“Living Out Your God-created Identity”

Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

How can we pray for our enemies?

What should we pray for them?

Should we pray for Osama bin Laden?

Jesus’ words leave us no wiggle room…
If we are to be children of our Father in heaven, we need to love our enemies
and pray for them…

End of sermon.

Don’t get ready to leave just yet; there are more questions behind these questions…

All this turning the other cheek and loving your enemy stuff is about who we are as God’s creatures…

This is about our true identity…and how we live our lives every day

Then there’s that kicker at the end: “Grow up!”
“Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.” (Another translation)

PERFECT! – Are you kidding me? Talk about setting impossibly high standards!

What are we supposed to do with that?

Let us pray…

God of Creation,
I pray that the words of my mouth will come from You,
and that the meditations of our hearts will be pleasing to You,
in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Last week we said that the reading was hard for some of us to hear…

This week it may be even worse…

“Don’t hit back at all. If someone strikes you, stand there and take it.”

“When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer.”

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up.” Ouch!

First, let’s deal with a couple of those questions about turning the other cheek and
praying for our enemies…

How do we deal with the fact that we don’t want to pray for our enemies?

Bin Laden aside, how can we talk about praying for bin Laden when we can’t pray for the people we don’t like in our own community?

How can I pray for them when I can’t forgive the guy who cheated me on my roof repair or ran a stop sign and wrecked my car?

There are a whole lot of Christian people who have trouble praying for an unfaithful spouse, a drug-using child, a dishonest employee, an arrogant neighbor, or the coach of their son’s Little League team who won’t let all the kids play.

The first troublesome question is:
How do we deal with the feelings that our enemies create in us?

The second question is: What should we pray about our enemies?

In the case of Osama bin Laden, should we pray he has a heart attack and drops dead?

We certainly don’t want to pray for success in his proclaimed mission!

We may not want to pray for a long healthy life so he can harm more people.

Should we pray he converts to become a Christian?

Should we pray he becomes a good Muslim who follows the Koran’s call to peace?

Should we pray that, regardless of his faith, he abandons war in favor of peace?

With our personal enemies…

Should we pray that they come to see things from our point of view?

Maybe we should pray that they become more sensitive human beings.

Or should we pray that their plans fail?

These are hard questions that we must confront as Jesus challenges us to turn cheeks and
love enemies…

Maybe we should pray that God will help us know what to pray for and
how to deal with our feelings about the other person.

Maybe we should ask God to help us see the other person as He does.

If we begin our prayers with those two things and then listen for God’s leading,
we will know how to finish the prayers that Jesus is telling us to pray.

I think this is what Jesus means, in Mr. Peterson’s translation, when he says: “Grow up.”

Spiritual maturity is about seeing things from God’s point of view.

The Rev. Dr. David Lose suggests that, as difficult as this text may be to hear, we should begin at the very hardest verse of all: “Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.”

Peterson translates it this way: “Live generously and graciously toward others,
the way God lives toward you.”

Dr. Lose reminds us that the word translated “perfect” is the Greek word teleios;
it is the same word used by Jesus when he says from the cross:
“It is finished”…it is teleios…it is brought to its intended purpose.

That makes so much sense to me…

Rather than seeing this reading as a burden to us, we should view it as an opportunity
to live into God’s intended purpose for our lives…

The sense of this word “perfect” is about becoming what is intended, accomplishing one’s God-given purpose in the same way that God constantly reflects God’s own nature and purpose.

It is why I chose to read The Message translation today…

Eugene Peterson comes so close to the right context when he says:
“You are kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity.
Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

If we understand this tough verse, we can then begin to see that the rest of this reading – repaying evil with good, forgiving and praying for those who harm us – is only possible to the degree that we can live into our God-created identity as blessed and beloved children of God.

You can’t give what you don’t have; only those who have experienced love and forgiveness can turn around and share it with others.

As I look over this whole magnificent Sermon on the Mount and see the hope, the promise, and the huge challenges that we have pulled from it, I cannot help but notice it only matters because of who preached it first – It’s Jesus, who also practiced everything he preached.

Jesus didn’t just talk the talk; he walked the walk…

He literally turned the other cheek as the Roman soldiers beat him…

He forgave and prayed for his persecutors as he hung dying on the cross…

More than anyone, Jesus understands how hard it is to love rather than hate,
to forgive rather than hold a grudge, to share rather than being selfish,
and to heal rather than wound.

Jesus demonstrates spiritual maturity that invites us into a life that transcends our self-interest and directs us toward the final hope for humanity – gracious people throughout the world who will not be ignored and who challenge the childishness of our culture.

The real question for us today is: What difference will this teaching make in your life
when you leave church?

How will you live out your God-created identity as a loved and forgiven child of God?

What will you do differently after listening to Jesus’ words?

Will you now be better able to love and forgive others in the same way that God does?

Can you now pray for your enemies because they are also God’s children?

Will it be easy? NO.

A lot of things will get in your way.

Past disappointments and hurt feelings will stick in your memory.

Old wounds will fester and you won’t want to let go of that grudge you’ve carried so long

We are not yet perfect as God is perfect; but, we are living into God’s purpose.

In your bulletin this morning is a blank piece of paper…

I invite you to take a moment and write down something that is holding you back…

What disappointment or hurt are you hanging on to?

What wound is preventing you from forgiving someone?

What is stopping you from turning the other cheek?

What memory or fear or resentment is keeping you from growing up spiritually and embracing the person God wants you to be?

As you leave the sanctuary this morning, come to the altar and drop your piece of paper into the basket…Wad it up, tear it to pieces, whatever you want to do…Give it to God
and trust Him to redeem it.

Nobody is going to read it except God…Nobody can help you past it except God.

Loving, praying for, and forgiving your enemies is not something we should think about as something we have to do…It is what we are free to do as loved and forgiven Christians.

It is central to our relationship with Jesus who showed us how to do these things.

Just as God, “gives his best – the sun to warm and the rain to nourish – to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty,” this we must do also.

Caring for others – despite the other’s actions – is the essence of God’s idea of perfection, maturity, and fulfilling our purpose – teleios.

Let us all go forth today willing to live out our God-created identity…

Amen.

The MiddleEast and Christianity

2011-02-11T10:29:00.000-06:00

Particularly in Egypt, but also throughout the Middle East, we are seeing astonishing events. My first thoughts have been that these revolutions against dictatorial regimes represent a positive move toward democracy in the region. My prayer is that these changes do not lead us to new regimes that grow out of Islamic extremism. Extremists from every culture are dangerous. It doesn't matter if your extremist views are Islamist, Israeli, or Christian - Extremism leads to intolerance, violence, and division. I pray that moderates will rule the day and that the new Middle East will be a place where different views can co-exist.

Setting High Standards

2011-02-10T17:06:00.000-06:00

Sunday, February 13, 2011, Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
Morning Service

Matthew 5:21-37

“Setting High Standards”

As we continue to work through The Sermon on the Mount, it might be helpful to look at where we’ve been so far…

Jesus opened his sermon with proclamations of hope, blessing, and grace found in God’s promises – The Beatitudes.

Then he talked about the call of his followers to be “salt and light” – to enhance and add flavor to the world; to help guide others to see God.

He challenged us to re-imagine God’s Law in a contemporary context and seek ways to live into the spirit of the Law and not so much the strict letter of it.

Today’s gospel reading, however, can be hard to hear in the midst of all this hope, grace, and promise…

Jesus picks out some very specific commandments concerning murder,
sexual immorality, and swearing…

Then he makes them even more strict and harder to obey…

Where is the grace?

He sets hopelessly high standards for our behavior…

How can we possibly live up to this?

Our dilemma exists in the interplay between the ultimate destiny of humanity in the kingdom of God and the practical reality of life in today’s Christian community in the world.

There is real tension between the vision of this ideal standard of behavior and the real manifestation of anger, sexual sin, and human ignorance.

Recognizing this tension and listening for how Jesus tells us to deal with it is vital to our life as faithful Christians.

Yes, God sets impossibly high standards; grace is how he reaches out to us to bridge the gap between the standard and our ability to achieve it.

Let us pray…

O God of all that we are,
I pray that the words of my mouth will come from You,
and that the meditations of our hearts will be pleasing to You,
in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Before we go on I want to be clear about the point of today’s message…

Part of the reason that this text is difficult for some of us is because it seems so harsh with regard to some very difficult issues in our contemporary culture.

Jesus makes very strong statements about adultery and sexual immorality that have real implications for a society with free access to pornography, sexual images in the media, and an ambiguous moral code.

He takes a firm stand against divorce that might be troublesome to anyone whose family has been involved in this painful situation.

He talks against taking an oath to our culture where litigation is all too common and many people are not trusted at their word.

Today’s message is not about tackling any of these very complex issues.

I hope that you will listen past any of these specifics this morning and hear the broader message that I believe Jesus offers us in this text.

I understand that your particular situation may cause you to have valid questions about the commandments Jesus brings up.

But, for this morning, let’s table those questions and bring them up at another time or even in a private conversation.

Today I want us to focus on how Jesus points us toward understanding this text as part of the larger narrative about our relationships with God and with one another.

OK, now let’s address another big issue from this reading…

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away…”

“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away…”

This is what we call “hyperbole” – a deliberate exaggeration used for effect,
to make a point…

Who among us hasn’t said: “If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times…”?

The truth is that if everyone took Jesus literally here, there would be a lot of half-blind,
left-handed people walking around…

And that is the point of taking a broader look at this reading and trying to see what Jesus is telling us about how to live the Christian life.

That is where this sermon started – talking to us about what it means to be a follower of Jesus and how living this life will challenge us AND bless us; how it will sometimes set impossible standards for us to aspire to.

This morning’s reading continues from what we heard last week…

Remember Jesus said: “I have not come to abolish the law…but to fulfill it.”

Last Sunday evening we said that, while Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, he did come to change it – to re-imagine it for his contemporary culture.

He was very clear that the status quo was not good enough – that the legalism of the Pharisees was not enough.

Jesus declares that his life and teaching reveal the will of God for the world…

He tells us that it is not strict adherence to the Law that makes us holy…

It is the way we live out the will of God found within the Law that brings holiness…

I believe we must try to understand how this fits into our contemporary culture?

I believe that the spirit of God’s Law leads us into different ways of treating one another…

I believe that God’s Law is about relationships.

Jesus doesn’t abolish the Law because the Law is good…

The problem is that the old understanding of the Law has missed the mark…

The intent of the Law, the Spirit of the Law really does set impossibly high standards.

The point is for us to realize that we cannot hope to even come close to those standards without God’s help…

It’s about a deeper sense of righteousness that is only possible within God’s Kingdom.

We cannot make any progress without God’s grace in Jesus Christ.

Remember the “you are” language from last week’s salt and light passage…

Jesus didn’t say: “Please be salt and light.”

He said: “You are salt and light.” It is who you are as God’s child.

The primary function of the Law is our identity as God’s people…

“If you love me you will keep my commands.”

“They will know you are Christians by your love for one another.”

Other people know us by what we do; they recognize God’s people as those who follow God’s Law; they compare our behavior to what they think Christians should be like.

The Law is about our relationships with God and with one another…

These are the relationships that other people see and experience…

How is your ongoing behavior reflecting the relationship you have with God?

Jesus words this morning offer us, not a piety checklist, but examples of how the Law helps us to live into our identity as Christians…

We shouldn’t get hung up on the details of these examples…

We need to hear words of encouragement designed to help us improve our relationships.

As we look at these specific examples, think about how this same process can be applied to all of God’s Laws and how we can use this way of thinking to help us renew our lives as followers of Christ.

When Jesus talks about the commandment not to murder, he affirms that command…

He goes further to help us see that life is so precious that we should not harbor anger,
or insult, or ill will toward another person…

There is no room for anger in God’s community…
There is no room for gossip or hard feelings…

“Thou shalt not kill” really means that we must hold all aspects of life to be sacred.

Does this mean that we will never get angry with someone? Absolutely not! We’re human.

What it means is that Jesus offers us a way to deal with our anger and extends his hand of grace to help us through our anger.

When Jesus talks about adultery and sexual sin he doesn’t change the Law, he carries it further to help us see that our sexuality is a gift from God to be cherished and guarded.

Fidelity to your spouse is more than not being with someone else; it includes not looking at Internet porn, not imagining yourself with another partner, not flirting with someone you’re not married to.

Fidelity also means celibacy in singleness and avoiding situations that might tempt you.

Does this mean that you will never have a dream about some hot movie star? Probably not! You’re married, not dead.

What it means is that Jesus recognizes our human nature and offers to help us resist the temptations of the flesh that seem to be around every corner in America.

Jesus’ comments about divorce raise a lot of eyebrows in the 21^st Century. We need to hear his words within the 1^st Century context where he is speaking.

We also need to hear that his underlying message really is that marriage is not disposable.

We need to spend more time searching for the right partner and working on that once-in-a-lifetime marriage God desires for us.

Does this mean that people will never marry the wrong person and seek to remedy the situation through divorce? Of course it doesn’t! People rush into things and make mistakes all the time…We’re people.

It means that God is available to help us avoid marrying the wrong person in the first place…AND God is there to help us get through the pain of realizing that divorce may be the only answer.

It also means that we all must take marriage very seriously and not be so quick to think that getting married will solve all our problems, get us out of a bad situation at home, or give us the perfect opportunity to change our prospective mate into the perfect husband or wife.

Finally, Jesus uses the example of swearing an oath as being sinful to God and man.

“Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’.”

In other words, be trustworthy; be someone whose word counts for the truth.

Show others that you don’t need to swear on your mother’s grave or on a stack of Bibles to prove your honesty – simply BE HONEST all the time and swearing won’t be necessary.

I also believe that he calls us to trust others. We reap what we sow and we will be trusted as we trust other people.

Does this mean you should refuse to swear to tell the truth in a court of law? No, it does not!

That is part of man’s law and we are obligated to abide by it.

It means that we should be trustworthy in our dealings with each other;
it means we should trust God to help us trust other people.

I really think that this portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount challenges us to take a fresh look at all of God’s Law and try to re-imagine what it means in its broadest context.

“Thou shalt not steal”…How does this apply to downloading images or music from the Internet? What about making copies of movies?

“Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy”…How does that relate to sleeping in on Sunday morning, staying away from church because you’re angry with someone, or choosing a picnic over church?

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”…Is there a relationship between this commandment and gossip? What does this have to do with what we say about people from other races, religions, or nationalities from us?

I believe that Jesus wants us to realize that matters of right and wrong cannot be handled with strict rules and legalistic living; doing what’s right goes to the very heart of human life and our relationship with God and with each other.

Yes, God sets high standards; he has high expectations of us; and he offers us the grace we need to live the life he calls us to…Will you accept the challenge?

Holy Land Pilgrimage

2011-02-08T09:38:00.000-06:00

January 24, 2011

To our dear friends and supporters of our ministry,

Our Bishop, Rev. Dr. Robert E. Hayes, Jr., recently announced that he is hosting a trip to the Holy Land for recently ordained clergy and their spouses. The trip is scheduled for July 4-15, 2011. Bishop Hayes visited the Holy Land in 2010 for the first time and realized how it affirmed and changed his ministry. He wants to share that with us. To facilitate this, Bishop Hayes has agreed to pay one third of the cost for the trip and is asking us to raise the other two-thirds. What is also remarkable is the extraordinarily low cost for this journey of a lifetime. The total cost is $3,999.00 per person. This makes our share of the cost $2,666.00 per person, or a total of $5,332.00 for the two of us. While this is truly reasonable for a trip of this caliber, it is still a substantial sum of money for us.

As we prepare for this journey we covet your prayers. We ask that you pray for us as we practice frugality in order to save for the trip expense. We ask that you pray for our safety during the trip. We ask that you join us in praying for our preparedness to receive the great blessings that will come to us as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus and his Disciples. Finally, we ask that you pray for the generosity of people who support our ministry.

We believe that this pilgrimage is a journey God intends for us to make and that God will take us there and bring us back safely. With that in mind, we are stepping out in faith to buy our passports, put down travel deposits, and make other plans for the journey. Our leap of faith includes trusting that God will make a way for this trip to be funded. Our church has established an account where donations are being accepted. The information for this fund is:

FUMC-Holy Land Visit
c/o Great Plains National Bank
P.O. Box 400
Mangum, OK 73554
ATTN: Bonnie Hobbs

Most of all we covet your prayers; any financial assistance will also be greatly appreciated. We are greatly blessed in our ministry and we pray that this trip will enable us to be a blessing in ways that we cannot even imagine.

Thank you and Shalom!

Don and Linda Tabberer

Fulfilling the Law

2011-02-03T11:54:00.001-06:00

Sunday, February 6, 2011, Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Evening Service

Matthew 5:17

“Fulfilling the Law”

Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

This verse has challenged the church for centuries…

This seemingly simple sentence is the source of constant debate over how modern-day Christians should embrace and keep the Law of Moses…

It sounds like Jesus is saying that everything in the Law stands exactly as written.

However, does this really mean that we are supposed to avoid eating pork and that stoning a disobedient child is still okay?

I don’t think so.

So, what does Jesus mean here?

Jesus is clear that he does not intend to abolish The Law…

However, he is equally clear throughout his ministry that he does not affirm the status quo

The key to understanding this passage is in discerning the word “fulfill”

For Matthew the word “fulfill” is complex…

It does not mean merely “to do,” as though Jesus claims that he performs everything required by the Law…

It is not “interpret” either, as if what he offers is only a new interpretation of the meaning of the Law…

It does not mean “sum up,” as though Jesus claims his teaching is only a summary of the Law…

While Jesus does not come to abolish the Law, he is changing it…

His radical preaching tells us that he is re-imagining the Law for a contemporary audience, to fit with their contemporary practice…

Matthew’s theology of fulfillment leads us to understand that the Law and the Prophets point beyond the context of their own contemporaries to a future realization of God’s will.

This is a Messianic Christology that affirms Jesus as the One who teaches God’s will and demonstrates how to live it out in a more contemporary world.

This does not mean mere repetition or continuation of the original Law; it means that the principles of mercy, justice, love, and covenant loyalty are what matters in the Law

Jesus declares that his life and teaching reveal the will of God for the world…

He tells us that it is not strict adherence to the Law that makes us holy…

It is the way we live out the will of God found within the Law that brings holiness…

Jesus exercised great freedom in his living over and against the traditional understandings of the Torah…This caused much discussion about the continued validity of the Law…

The church has wrestled with this issue ever since…

I believe that Jesus’ message is clear – God is not concerned about strict adherence to ancient Law – hear “Pharisee” – rather, God is looking for us to follow his will for the world as it is described in the spirit of the Law

How does this understanding fit into our contemporary culture?

I wonder if it opens us up to new ways to imagine what God’s will is for the 21^st Century

I wonder if this offers new opportunities for tolerance and compassion

I wonder if Jesus is speaking to us about how the principles of mercy, justice, love, and loyalty are what really matters in the Law

I wonder if the spirit of God’s Law might lead us into different ways of treating one another

Certainly, I do not have all the definitive answers to these challenging questions…

Remember, Christians have been debating this passage for two thousand years…

But I want us to be part of the conversation and seek ways to settle in to our own contemporary reading of Jesus’ words: “I come to fulfill the Law.”

What does that really mean for us, I wonder?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…Amen