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Thank you for your Godly patience.  "Love is patient, love is kind.  Love bears up all things..."
Pastor Amy

Sunday, August 26, 2012 Sermon: "How Lovely"

Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. (Selah) 5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. ^a6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion. 8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! (Selah) 9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed. 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.  

JOHN 6:56-69

⁵⁶"Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever." ⁵⁹He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

⁶⁰When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"⁶¹But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. ⁶⁵And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father."

⁶⁶Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Sermon:  “How Lovely”

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back. 

 

So go the first three stanzas of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Robert Frost’s traveler understood that, he might come back to this fork in the road one day, and try the other choice, but he doubts that he will ever come back.  Similarly, when we have made our choice of way, rarely do we ever have the chance to face the options again.  And once we’ve made our choice, we have regrets one day.  Which is why we find the crossroads a difficult place to be, like Frost’s traveler, wondering, should we take the road less traveled?   

The disciples are at a crossroads – to follow or not to follow Jesus.  They have heard his claims about his true identity.  They have heard his challenge to faith that they are in the presence of the bread from heaven, the Son of Man.  Believe it or not.  Follow him or not. 

Some just cannot accept what he is saying.  The Gospel says that certain ones “turned back and no longer went about with him.”  They took the road more traveled, a way of unfaith.  They just could not believe it, so they chose not to follow anymore. 

And yet there were some who recognized that they were in the right place at the right time, in the presence of the Holy One of God. 

The conflict evident in this Gospel reading is a direct contrast with the utter joy and ecstasy of the Psalmist.  Psalm 84 is overcome with the loveliness of being in the courts of the Lord:  “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!”  It’s a heartfelt reaction.  The Psalmist truly recognizes where he is, unlike some of those disciples.  The Psalmist expresses wonder and amazement – and it’s not just the architecture – that he is truly in the dwelling place of the Lord, the presence of God. 

Perhaps the disciples have trouble with recognition.  And, recognition is a problem for us sometimes.  Perhaps we have trouble recognizing that we are always in God’s presence.  It is most difficult when we are feeling pain, anger, frustration or some other kind of distraction of daily life.  Maybe for you it is the political situation of the Presbyterian Church.  Maybe for you it is a frightening medical situation, or an emergency that makes it hard to remember God’s constant presence.  It would be far easier if the Son of Man would just come back from heaven, make it easy for us to once again believe and take the right direction.

Wouldn’t you follow him, if he came back from heaven? If the Holy One of God actually did show up on your doorstep and convinced you He is really there?  It would make the choice a little more clear-cut if we would just meet him personally, witness the healings, listen to him teach with wisdom, and watch him stand up to the powerful authorities, speaking the truth in love. It would be memorable and a clearer choice to follow.  But, however clearer the choice, the road less traveled is a not always an easy one. 

When we find ourselves in need of God’s presence, we are at a crossroads.  As difficult as it is at times, we have the choice to recognize that we are already in the presence of God.  It’s up to us to do what we need to stay on that path.  After all, we have already met Jesus:  every time we come here and worship, the first time we encountered the Living God that turned our hearts, whenever we meet someone in great need of our help.  Every day is a new opportunity to recognize we are in the dwelling place of the Lord. 

I sat outside on the patio with Mildred the other day and just as we were sitting together, admiring the beautiful clouds, Mickey also dropped in for a visit.  The three of us sat together that balmy afternoon.  It was the first afternoon in a while that wasn’t so oppressively hot to keep us indoors.  I listened to Mickey and Mildred talk about how amazed they are at the beauty of God’s world.  They talked about how sitting in the great outdoors reminded them of God’s glory.   

As we sat under the big blue sky, it seemed like such a simple thing, to recognize the beauty of Creation all around us.  How easily we forget to stop and remember that we are always in the presence of the living God.  It’s a choice we’ve got to make, to recognize that we are in the presence of Holy One of God.  This church is one of those lovely dwelling places that the Psalmist speaks of.  And yet so is that world outside. 

When we’re in those moments which make us forget that we are in God’s presence, those are the times when we most need to stop and nourish our faith.  Don’t let the troubles of this world take that away from you, for there are so many things happening that cause us to forget.  Jesus is God’s presence for us, the Word made Flesh.

So, you have a choice.  Take the road less traveled.  Take time, even just a few minutes, to revel in the wonders of God’s dwelling place.  Maybe it’s a quiet room, or your own backyard or the top of a mountain.  God’s dwelling place is lovely.  It is this world.  It is this church, and other places you go.  Our faith has to be kept strong, so we are able to persevere and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ’s presence to all those others who need to know him too.  It is the road less traveled.  It may be the more-difficult path.  But it is so lovely to be in the dwelling place of the Lord.  As Robert Frost said at the end of his poem:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Amen.

 

 

Sermon: Sunday, August 19th 2012 "Progressive Dinner"

Proverbs 9:1-6

1 Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. 2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls from the highest places in the town, 4 "You that are simple, turn in here!" To those without sense she says, 5 "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight."

JOHN 6:51-58

⁵¹"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

⁵²The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"⁵³So Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; ⁵⁵for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever."

Sermon:    “Progressive Dinner”

Have you ever been to a progressive dinner?

A progressive dinner is when you get with a bunch of people and start out at someone’s house with appetizers.  Then you move on to another person’s house for the salad course.  Then to the next house for the main course, and ultimately having visited each household for a different course of the meal, you end up at the last house for dessert.  I have never done that but always wanted to.  It sounds like fun, so long as everyone is prepared with their dishes ahead of time.   I guess it works best if you live in the same neighborhood. 

But if everything is ready and everyone has the right directions on where to go, it could be a fun way to commune with friends, take your time savoring each individual course of the meal.  And you get to take your time digesting your food along the way without a rush. 

Sometimes we’re in a much bigger rush for things to happen as we want them to.

I felt that way at the County Fair this week.  As I stood by our church’s booth, with handmade God’s Eyes made by our church members gaily-decking the pegboard behind me, and a display that I made that looks like I did it in a hurry (I sort of did), I looked across at the Methodist Church’s display which took up two table-lengths.  They had games for children and jalapeno poppers in a toaster oven.  They had a big beautiful banner hanging behind them and 4 people working the booth.  I must admit, I had an inferiority complex.  Compared to them, our booth was a lot humbler and less-noticeable.  Perhaps I am the only one from our church who felt that way, but I am a bit competitive.  I had high hopes of having lots of people coming by.  I knew better than to entertain delusions of mass conversions to our church, I wanted to see “results.”  The problem was, while we were there to get the word out about our church, that wasn’t the only reason.  We were there to get the word out that there are Christians at this corner of the neighborhood, believers in Jesus, God Incarnate.  We believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and welcome those who seek the same.

Sometimes I can be so short-sighted. 

The reading from John’s Gospel is a continuing saga from last week of the confused Jewish guys. Some of them seem a little short-sighted too.  They quarreled over exactly what Jesus is saying to them.  A few of them took him a bit literally, yet others probably argued that he was just being metaphorical.  Jesus tells them that he is the bread from heaven, and that if they eat his flesh and drink his blood, they have access to eternal life.  Earlier in this chapter Jesus calls them to faith.  Now, he calls them to drink his blood and eat his flesh.  Yuck!  What a turnoff!  Cannibalism was against the Old Testament Law.  They ask, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 

But, those who understood him metaphorically believed he was talking about teaching, forming disciples. 

But what adds to the interest about this chapter is Jesus’ choice of words when he says, “eat.”  He didn’t use the ordinary word for “eat.”  He used a special word that in the Greek means something very intimate.  The special word translated here for “eat,” suggests more than just taking in a meal.  It suggests biting, chewing and nibbling, as if to really relish your food.  It’s not just a narrative story about eating dinner together, but really enjoying it, savoring it, nibbling on it as if it were fine and rich.  Nibbling on it perhaps in bits and pieces as if you feel taken with it.  I imagine a piece of fancy chocolate fudge made just for you, too good and too rich to eat all of it right away.  Nibbling on the teachings of Jesus is much more particular than just taking in a meal.  Perhaps it’s too rich to take in all at once, but requires time to digest, moment by moment.  

Jesus offers us many rich teachings, often so rich they can take a lifetime to digest.  Some are difficult or confusing teachings, like “Blessed are the poor,” or “Pray for your enemies.”

As God forms us into disciples, and as we set out to “make disciples of all nations,” it’s necessary to take it bit by bit.  Perhaps we (and I) need to be patient and understanding that what Jesus offers can be a lot to take in. Some need it in doses.  Offering others the chance to come close to the living God in worship.  Offering the body and blood of Christ, with the power of God’s Holy Spirit is serious stuff, although enriching and wonderful.  But it’s rich and powerful.  Offering others the fellowship we have here is not just a comfortable association of like-minded people but a unity, miraculously made possible by God’s work and our faith and hope.  As we contemplate the opportunities that come to us with inviting others on this journey of discipleship, it’s important to remember that there is such a thing as “too much, too soon.” 

This life in Christ includes a rich meal of teachings before us. As we step forward and take nibbles from the teachings offered us, take time to really digest and consider what God is telling us.  Our different experiences of grief and joy, even the little moments of learning that at first may seem insignificant - all of those things that make up who we are - are part of that rich path of discipleship.  And others are invited on that journey with us.  We are, however, called to patience as we hope in faith.  It’s a progressive dinner.  Savor each of God’s teachings that come your way.  Amen.  

Sermon: August 12, 2012 "Keep Calm and Carry On"

EPHESIANS 4:25-5:2

²⁵So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. ²⁶Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and do not make room for the devil. ²⁸Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labor and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. ²⁹Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. ³¹Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, ³²and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

¹Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, ²and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

 JOHN 6:35, 41-51

³⁵Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

⁴¹Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." ⁴²They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" ⁴³Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

Sermon:    “Keep Calm and Carry On”

“Keep Calm and Carry On.”  That was the message from the British Ministry of Information during the Second World War.  They printed posters, to boost morale.  And these posters were bright red, with big bold letters with the crown and they said, “Keep Calm and Carry On.”  They never officially released these posters because they weren’t supposed to go out unless the Germans invaded British soil.  This sober, British sentiment to “Keep Calm and Carry On” was never seen by most of the public. 

It’s ironic though.  Because now I’m seeing it everywhere.  Most of the posters were destroyed, but since 15 of them were discovered on “Antiques Roadshow,” they have become a phenomenon. Now I see it suggested for your living room in interior design magazines.  You can get it on T-shirts, coffee mugs, key chains.  A friend of mine used it on his Facebook page while his wife was going through chemotherapy.  I saw a number of people at the Summer Olympics wearing the shirt.  There is something “very British” about keeping calm and carrying on even when your life is in extreme danger.  It reminds me of a photo I saw once from London during the War.  A woman and her child are being escorted by a policeman just a couple feet away from a sign that said, “DANGER Unexploded Bomb.”  “Keep Calm and Carry On” was meant to be comforting and encouraging, like the strong, defiant voice of Winston Churchill on the radio. 

The poster isn’t popular just because the Olympics are in London this year.   I think it’s because it speaks to our deeper uncertainties in these unstable times.  These are anxious times, when it’s hard to feel like we have any control over our own destiny.  Sometimes I feel like this world is passing us by: people speak a different language nowadays with Facebook and blogging…   And we’ve discussed amongst ourselves about the younger generation who no longer seek the comfort of our traditional mainline churches. Perhaps we are anxious about how people profess their faith without the traditional views.  Maybe the situation shakes your faith, cause you to wonder whether we’re doing things right, whether we should change our ways.  This might even make us feel angry or pressured to abandon our dearly-held beliefs.  This is not only true in our shrinking church, but as we discern the path of our personal lives.

We have to “Keep Calm and Carry On.”  

Jesus also offers assurance during anxious times.  The First Century Christians were afraid of certain people who had begun to “tighten up” on their “rules” of faith.  The people that John calls “the Jews” were a certain group of Jews, but not all of them.  “The Jews” referred to a group who did not understand that Jesus was the Son of their Creator.  Notice their confusion in the Gospel reading.  They hear him speak of himself as “bread from heaven” but they do not understand.  They can’t see past his genealogy of Mary and Joseph.  They are shaken by his claims to have seen the Father, to be from heaven, but cannot see the possibilities of who he really is.  Perhaps I’m being too judgmental, but, they seemed to be tightened up on their own ways, they seemed to lack a strong enough faith to fire their imagination and courage to listen to Jesus openly. 

It happens to all of us at times.  When we face something different from what we are used to and we have to respond, it is scary.  It is threatening and yet so normal to feel like those Jews facing Jesus.  When lacking a full understanding of a situation or struggling to find a “quick fix” to a problem, it’s like traveling through the wilderness with not enough food and water.  

Except for our faith.  Jesus is calling them to faith.  He calls them to himself for nourishment, for faith in him is like nourishing bread, the staff of life.  He is like the manna given to the Israelites in daily portions to strengthen them as they cross the big scary wilderness.  And yet, he is even more than that.  Like those Israelites who were given manna to live on until they reach the Promised Land, we too are called to have faith. 

Keep Calm and Carry On.  Perhaps we may have to change our approach to how we minister, but all the while we to Keep Calm and Carry On.  Be fed by the certainty that God is with us and that on this journey through the lean times we are to keep on walking in faith.  I like how John Calvin defines faith:  “A firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence towards us, founded upon the truth of the freely given promise in Christ, both revealed to our minds and sealed upon our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” 

This means that although we may feel the push and the pull of what we think we should follow God, and at times feel confused about what the world tells us to do, or what we should do, particularly in this church when we feel the pressure to find more members.  Let’s not let fear get the best of us.  We have to be open to new ideas.  We are a Reformed church, resting on the firm and certain knowledge of God’s benevolence, nourished by Him who is the bread from heaven.  These are the times we most called to trust and follow God’s lead. This means that we might have to try a few new things.  But Keep Calm and Carry On with what we know to be true – so we don’t lose ourselves or lose our personal relationship to Jesus in the process.  We belong to Him who feeds us, bit by bit for the journey. 

 What does that look like?  We are trying new things, but those new things are not foreign ideas to us.  I am waiting for Mesalands Community College to approve us to use their space for a weekly Bible Study/Fellowship Group. We are also planning to share our brand of faith with those who stop by our booth at the County Fair.  There are still some spots open for you.  I am reading a book right now called “Reframing Hope,” by Carol Howard Merritt, a pastor in Washington D.C.  She said that the younger generation is beginning to leave the MegaChurch because not all of them are finding what they really need.  They are not getting “fed” spiritually.  They are hungry to connect with a loving family of faith, who supports their wishes to do meaningful work in the name of Christ.  Some of these people may be right here in Tucumcari, hungry to meet us.  There is hope.  There are possibilities on the horizon.  That is the Good News.  We’ve just got to do two things. Say it with me: keep calm and carry on. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Bread from Heaven.  Amen.  

Sermon July 28, 2012 Seeking Signs

2 Kings 4:24-44

42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, "Give it to the people and let them eat." 43 But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" So he repeated, "Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, "They shall eat and have some left.' " 44He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.

JOHN 6:1-21

¹After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. ²A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. ³Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. ⁴Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.⁵When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" ⁶He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. ⁷Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." ⁸One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ⁹"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" ¹⁰Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. ¹¹Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹²When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." ¹³So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. ¹⁴When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."

¹⁵When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

¹⁶When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷got into a boat, and started across the lake to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The lake became rough because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. ²⁰But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." ²¹Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land towards which they were going.

Sermon:    “Seeking Signs”

Sometimes God takes us by surprise.  We get these pre-set ideas about how He works in us.  We have images of God as healer, friend, teacher, and more.  We know God through the Jesus’ miracles.  We know God through the stories in Scripture.  But sometimes He surprises us.

In John’s story, Jesus surprises people.  The 5,000 people Jesus feeds are filled with wonder and they pursue him, because it’s a sign.  His sign, by feeding them with the few fish and bread they had, reminds them of the prophets of old. 

The Gospel of John doesn’t use the word “miracle.”  He calls them “Signs.”  Signs are suggestions of the presence of God’s kingdom.  This mass feeding is a sign that the Kingdom of God is here, that the man they were waiting for is here.  But Jesus is more than any human prophet.  He IS the Lord.  They get pretty excited about him.  They realize that this is the one for whom they were waiting.  So they seek to “take him by force and make him king.”  The masses expected a great king to come and end all of their hungers, physical and spiritual and political. 

The masses of believers were not too far off from the truth.  We confess that Jesus is the one who is able to end all of our hungers.  But from observing Jesus’ behavior in this story, he’s not ready to be crowned king.  They know that he is the one for whom they yearn, but He gives them the slip and heads for the mountains.

Theories abound as to why he slipped away.  Perhaps they were just a generation seeking a sign but wouldn’t really value him for who he fully is.  Perhaps Jesus knew that they weren’t ready for God’s greater vision – for he was even more than the fulfillment of their political and physical hopes.  If Jesus had given them exactly what they wanted NOW, then perhaps they would not have been open enough to what more he could be to them. 

This says something about our own expectations of Jesus.   We are a lot like those crowds sometimes, seeking signs.  We seek Jesus to heal us and we often have the expectation of a physical healing, or a miraculous recovery from an illness.  It’s because we have an idea of who is to us.  We expect him, our Lord and Savior and King, to satisfy all our hungers.  We aren’t far off.  But at the same time, if what we expect of him is all we expect, then somehow we limit him to just our own imaginations.  If Jesus is our Lord and Savior, meant to satisfy all our hungers, then we might miss out on discovering what more he could mean to us, He is more than we can imagine. 

Jesus exceeded the imaginations of his disciples. 

For the second sign in our reading, he surprises them by walking on water. This is as mysterious as it is compelling.  They are terrified as he approaches the boat.  It’s hard to know why they were terrified;  John does not explain.  In some versions of this story they think they are seeing a ghost.  In others, they are terrified of the stormy sea.  The disciples were probably out on the lake in blustery weather for evening fishing.  As fishermen, it would have to take quite a storm to scare them.  In some appearance stories, like the Book of Revelation, the appearance of Jesus is terrifying when John realizes he is meeting God face to face.  Either they thought he was a phantom, or they were terrified because they realized he was revealing to them his true nature as God. 

So Jesus issues the imperative, “I am.  Do not fear.”  Somehow by telling them this is supposed to reassure them.  Although many of our translations say “It is I…” the Greek is simply two words, “I am.”  For those of Jewish faith, hearing the words, “I am,” may have reminded them of the Creator God who called himself the great “I am” the personal name revealed to Moses from the burning bush:  “I am who I am…I will be who I will be.”  Hearing “I am,” in their native Aramaic would have sounded just like the words Moses heard.  The great words of ultimate finality and firm certainty.  “I am.”  As the Psalmist once wrote, “The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”  Jesus IS the word.  Even if we feel as terrified as the disciples.  Even as hungry for answers and searching for signs as we are, somehow through all that we must remember that God is who God is.  Jesus is the fulfillment of so much more than we expect or think we need, and stretches beyond all things that come to an end.  Through God all things are possible.  So that even our unspoken and unacknowledged hungers and pain may one day be answered, even those that we have yet to see or experience. 

Jesus exceeds our expectations.  He is more than the signs we see before us.

Even when our fears control us, when our hungers and illnesses are so close up and personal, we easily make too many assumptions about who God should be for us.  We may feel doubts when we do not see the healings happen that we expect.  We may feel the fears that are yet to be comforted, until we remember that God is even more than what we immediately expect or immediately think.  He is more than a healer, more than the answer to our prayers.  There is the old adage that goes, “some things happen for a reason.”  Perhaps there is an ounce of truth to that. For we might find that one prayer is unanswered because a yet-larger one is about to be.  Jesus the answer to all the problems that we don’t even know we have.  He is even more than Yes. He is the King and prophet for whom we await.  And he is so much more than that.  Prepare for him to be even more than you could have ever wished for.  His provisions for us go far beyond that which you and I assume.  Exceeding our expectations.  Amen.

Sermon July 22, 2012 "House Rules"

MARK 6:30-34, 53-56

³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

⁵³When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, ⁵⁵and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

EPHESIANS 2:11-22

¹¹So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" — a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands —¹²remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. ¹⁵He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, so that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. ¹⁷So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; ¹⁸for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, ²⁰built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; ²²in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling-place for God.

Sermon:     “House Rules”

In every household there are rules.  See if you can complete the following rules:    

If you open it…close it.

If you turn it on… turn it off.

If you break it… fix it.

If you can’t fix it… call someone who can.  – like Wayne in our case!  

If you move it… put it back.  

There are house rules just like these posted in kitchens across America.  Often they are a bit humorous, but there is truth to them.  They remind us that to take care of one another, we’ve got to take care of the space we share. 

Recently a new sign went up in our bathrooms, because we had to call a plumber a while back. It’s a pretty yellow sign with a little scrollwork design around it, saying, “If it’s not toilet paper, do not flush it down.” I tried to make it sound as nice as possible. 

It got me thinking about rules.  How we state the rules says a lot about what Jesus means to us.  Especially when we are expressing the rules to outsiders.  This puts us in an interesting position.  We want to be hospitable.  But some house rules are very important, even non-negotiable.  What rule is most important? The grace of Jesus?... or the other house rules? It can be a delicate situation, because if we make the wrong choice, our rules can become idols.

Furthermore, we come from different households where the rules are slightly different.  In some households you can’t put your elbows on the table, or yell at someone in another room.  Some people do.  When we come together in fellowship we discover our differences, at times it can be difficult to tolerate. 

There were some problems with understanding the rules in the Ephesian churches.  Many early churches struggled to stick together because they argued over the rule of circumcision. Some members believed you had to be circumcised to be a part of Christ’s church.  Others remained uncircumcised.  The debate estranged the fellowship.  Those who were circumcised believed themselves better qualified, more favored by God.  The debate over the rules sacrificed their unity, distracted them from rule number one:  the rulership of Jesus Christ.  It was in a way, a problem of idolatry. 

          Anytime we place one rule over and above the rulership of Jesus, it is a problem of idolatry.  A Brief Statement of Faith written by the Presbyterian church in 1984, says that one of the ends of the church is to “unmask idolatry.”  This means that whenever we see idolatry happening, whenever the rule of Jesus becomes second place, then we have to correct it and correct ourselves.  It’s not to say that other rules are meaningless.  There are rules we follow because they are correct interpretations of what Jesus wants us to do.  But if ever our caring for one another is compromised, or when we find the light of our faith dimming because we have made other rules more important, when we stick more to rules to the detriment of proclaiming Christ, then maybe we need to take a second look at how we express our house rules.      

This is why, when someone joins our church through an affirmation of faith, we don’t ask specifics, like, do you wash dishes or do you do windows?  We just ask three big questions: “Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?”  “Do you promise to rely on his grace?”  “Do you intend to uphold the ministry of the church?”

They aren’t specific, because of the freedom we too receive through Jesus Christ.  Ephesians reminds us that we too are in need of grace.  We too are called into the same ministries that Jesus did when he walked the earth:  The same kinds of relationships.  Forgiveness when we see it is necessary.  Hospitality when it’s time to open our hearts to those who do not yet know God’s love.  Our perseverance when we have to lay down the house rules.  And there’s more.

Ephesians tells us that the grace of Jesus Christ happened to us so that the “dividing walls of hostility may be broken down,” so that we may “no longer be strangers.”  No longer be strangers to God and no longer strangers to one another.  Grace happened so that God may take up residence among us, that we be built together as the “Household of God.”  It sounds beautiful, but I know that it takes work to be God’s “building blocks”.  A lot happens to keep up the household of God.  Not only the upkeep of the building, but the upkeep of our fellowship.   Some of our relationships are well-maintained.  And some have long been in need of repair.

Did you know that we have 38 members, which is the same number that we were when we began in 1906?  We are no smaller than when we began.  There is room to grow.  That means that there is hope for this household.  Friends, we are not just any non-profit organization.  We are keepers of the kingdom, maintainers of divine worship, living expressions of God’s grace, a household of God.  The letter to the Ephesians brings us back to center on the most important house rule:  the rulership of Jesus Christ over all.  Amen.

Sermon July 15, 2012: "Thanks be to God!"

EPHESIANS 1:3-14

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

MARK 6:14-29

¹⁴King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." ¹⁵But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, "'John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²² When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." ²³And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." ²⁶The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Sermon:   “Thanks be to God!”

           

“Thanks be to God.”  Our standard response, when after hearing the Gospel and we say, “The Word of the Lord,” we say “Thanks be to God!”  But today, you might find it hard to say, “Thanks be to God!” The Scripture you just heard is gruesome.  Scripture includes a lot of gruesome stories.  The Word of the Lord doesn’t always bring us warm, fuzzy feelings;  sometimes the Word of the Lord is disturbing.

This famous story about how John lost his head reads like a soap opera or a Greek tragedy.  Tragedy because of the tangled web of relationships between Herod and his wife.   Herodias wasn’t legally married to Herod, so her motive was to get rid of John who had accused them of adultery.  She wanted her child to be in line for the throne.  And, although Herod seems to have a choice in the matter, he chooses to keep his oath in front of all his guests. 

Also stuck in the tangled web is John, and the daughter.  By the way, the name “Herodias” really means “woman belonging to Herod,” which may be why the wife and daughter have the same name.  But you might wonder who belongs to whom here.  For Herod’s heart was divided in loyalty between his power as king, Herodias, and John whom he revered.  Herod protected John.  Herod grows sick with grief when he discovers his hands are tied by his oath. 

From our point of view, he took his oath too seriously.  From our point of view he made the wrong choice.  Perhaps he should have weaseled out of it, laughed it off, but he didn’t. Keeping an oath, even with tragic consequences, was of great importance in the ancient world.  In his position, if he broke his oath, he could have lost face, possibly lost power over his people.  This is no excuse, just an explanation. 

His oath led to the murder of a great man.  It shouldn’t have gone that way.  So again we might wonder how we can possibly say “Thanks be to God,” for this soap opera just reminds us how entangled we are with evil.

Sir Walter Scott wrote, “O what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive!”  We are indeed tangled, because not only do we sin, we are complicit with the sin of this world, entangled before we understood what was going on. Our entanglement is what John Calvin once called “total depravity.”  It’s like being stuck in a giant spider web, or like those goat heads that stab us in the heels when we walk barefoot in the house.  As much as we are to try to sweep it away, it never seems to go away completely.

We don’t dwell on this tangled web very often, but when we do, it’s sad for us.  We must elect people to office and wonder if we are just “settling” for the “lesser of two evils.”  We aren’t always sure if our investments or purchases support human trafficking, the drug trade or unfair labor practices in the Third World.  There are many Americans who cannot afford anything but the cheap stuff made in sweatshops overseas. I could go on about blood diamonds or metals in cell phones that support human slavery.  We are stuck, my friends.  None of us are pure. 

But there is something here in Mark, which inside of us might rise up a tiny “Thanks be to God.”  I can say, “Thanks be to God” for Herod’s feeling of remorse.  “Thanks be to God” for that glimmer of faith that shows because he’s afraid of Jesus.  This story is an explanation of why Herod feared Jesus.  They believed that prophets could work miracles through others from beyond the grave.  Herod believed John was working through Jesus. The only problem was he had it backwards. It wasn’t God’s prophet working through Jesus.  It WAS God.  Jesus IS God.   Herod’s guilt is a small sign that he believes in something bigger than himself.  Thanks be to God!  Herod had some sort of faith, even though it was diluted by his political alliances.  Fear of Jesus is a small glimmer of faith.  As it says in the Psalms: “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9)

So that’s why we can say, “Thanks be to God!”  Thanks be to God for the remorse we feel, for it’s a marker of our need for redemption.  Our sadness can compel us to go on a deeper search for God’s love.  Our fear of God is a sign that we still have faith.  Even though it’s disturbing to be reminded of our entanglement, when we realize that evil is much larger than ourselves, we can remember that God is bigger than all of it. 

We can’t fix all of the problems.  We have to sweep away what we can and stand up for what we can, but cannot do it alone.  It might help to remember the famous prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”  Remember always that we can depend on God’s grace for our freedom.  The depth of our sadness makes grace all that more precious to us. 

The good news in our reading from Mark is hard to see.  The best you can get from it is Herod’s fear of Jesus, even though he doesn’t recognize Jesus is Lord.  The good news is WE know who is Lord.  This is why we have a prayer of confession every Sunday.  It’s good exercise in remembering our guilt we can receive the gift of God’s enormous grace.  This is the promise that Ephesians talks about:  “⁷In him we have redemption …  and ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people…” Only God can see beyond the tangled web.  Only God is powerful enough to break us out of it.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.