I wanna Know what love is

May 13, 2012

Sixth Sunday of Easter/Mothers Day

Worship Theme: That’s What You Call Love

Acts 10:44-48 a NRSV Bible

1 John 5:1-5 NRSV Bible

John 15:9-17 Common English Bible

“I Wanna Know What Love Is”

The past few weeks, we have been on a journey, looking at the first church and sort of how it began. We have been working our way to Pentecost Sunday, the day that the Spirit…the Counselor…was poured out on the first church…well, when the church actually began. It is only fitting that our subject this morning is love with it being Mothers Day and all. So…the definition of love…Wikipedia says (And I’m only reading part of what it says):

Love is an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment.[1] Love is also a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection; and "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another".[2] Love may also be described as actions towards others or oneself based on compassion, or as actions towards others based on affection.[3]

In English, love refers to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from pleasure ("I loved that meal") to interpersonal attraction ("I love my partner")…This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, compared to other emotional states.

The world is full of all kinds of love but we as Christians have our own “Brand” of love…Love of God in Christ Jesus. Our love is different than the world’s kind of love. Love is something that is hard to define but there is a way that God would have us love…Humanity’s love may change with the times, but God’s love…His type of love…remains for an eternity as well as the way He would have us love, remains the same for an eternity.

I gotta take a little time A little time to think things over I better read between the lines

 In case I need it when I’m colder…

As we heard in the Acts scripture this morning, God’s love encompasses all. The people…the believers…that came with Peter were astounded that even “those people” were included in the “Holy Spirit Download.” Those gentile people. Not just a certain few. Humanity today would have us love only those who are like us, those who agree with us. But God says “No” we are to love all…even our enemies. God’s love tells us we are all of sacred worth but humanity says you are only worth what “we” tell you. How many blessing we miss out on when we decide there should be a dividing line between us and our neighbors…

In my life there's been heartache and pain,  I don't know if I can face it again can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far  To change this lonely life…

We also heard this morning about a love that obeys. We heard that when we love God and when we obey His commands we love all the children of God. It is our love and faith that conquers the world, not our might and strength. God is love and as we love, God’s love is shown in and through us. Society would have us obey their laws that negate and oppress others but God has a more perfect way for us to be…a way that leads to life for all.

I wanna know what love is..... I want you to show me...... I wanna feel what love is..... I know you can show me......

But there is one more piece that I would like to share with you this morning. It is found in John 15 verses 9-17…It’s the other part of the True Vine scripture…It reads: I’m reading from the Common English Bible…

If we are in the True Vine and the Vine in us we will love each other as Jesus loved…sacrificially not just as we love our selves. There’s a turn there in that commandment…to love as Jesus Loves. As we love like this we become friends not servants who know nothing about their master. Our Master shines through us. Jesus loved so much that He laid down His life for you and for me. We are chosen so that we can produce fruit, the fruit of love, for God.

I'm gonna take a little time A little time to look around me.... I’ve got nowhere left to hide

 It looks like love has finally found me....

Beloved workers in God’s vineyard, if we are to be Christ’s light in the world we need to let His love and compassion shine through us. We need to step away from ourselves and step into others lives with the light that breaks through the darkest night…the light that is within us…the light that is not hidden but shines for all to see. Let us go forth and light our world so that all can find the light of our hearts…our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Let us show what love really is…that radical love that kept Jesus nailed to the Cross for you , for me, for all of humanity…

I wanna know what love is..... I want you to show me...... I wanna feel what love is..... I know you can show me......

Amen.

The Gift of New Life

5/11/2012

NEW BEGINNINGS
Each day, each month, each season, we are offered new beginnings.
Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church

All we need to do is ask...

There are those days

(Sight Psalms)

TRANSFORMATION
God, weave the threads of my life into one seamless whole that is pleasing to you.

There are times in our lives when we question who we are...what we are...what we are to be. It is there...in these times...we need to lean evr more closer to our God and trust in His plan for us. His pleasing and worthy plan for our lives...

Amen

“Piety and Production?”

May 6, 2012

Fifth Sunday of Eastertide

Worship Theme: Life in Christ

Acts 8: 26-40 NRSV Bible

1 John 4: 7-12 NRSV Bible

John 15: 1-8 Common English Bible

 

A reading from the Gospel of John . . . chapter 15 verses 1-8 from the Common English Bible… (Read scripture)

Let us pray…

Loving and gracious God, we thank you for your word that is true and eternal. May the spirit that illuminated those who wrote down Your words illuminate our minds so that we may understand and hear the word you have for each of us today. May we have eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart that is open to you. Speak Lord…your sons and daughters are listening.

 

       I don’t know about you but it seems to me that the quality of stuff these days just isn’t like it used to be. It seems to me that the more things that used to last for a long time last only a short amount of time. For instance…let’s take cars. Cars years ago would last way over 100,000 miles and keep going. Now it seems that they barely last to that point before they start falling apart. Before there was a quality to them, now it seems that now there is just a mass production and something was lost. When the production and quality were together there was a good product that lasted for a long time but now it seems that they have taken on a “micro-wave effect.” Get it done quick so that you don’t have to wait…doesn’t matter if they fall apart quick, we can just buy another…

 

       It also seems that in the workforce production is more important than quality. If you can’t do the output then you can be replaced. It doesn’t matter if it is not the quality work that we used to do. Just need to “getter done”. What has happened to work ethics and quality? They worked so well together but now there seems to be a “parting of the ways.” It seems that society has stepped away from the pulse of America…the ethics that founded this country…its life blood so to speak. Quality and production really do work together…unfortunately we have kind of stepped away from that piece of our heritage.

 

       So…what does all of this have to do with being a Christian you may ask…well, we as Christians have our own “quality and production”…but we call it something different. We look at it in more of a “piety and production” angle. Let me try to explain. Unless we as Christians get this right there could be a problem of just piety or just production and that’s not what we are called to do, not one or the other but unless we do both we are sunk…

 

       In the Acts scripture this morning, we heard about Philip. Now Philip was filled with the Spirit (The Spirit abided in him…Christ’s Spirit)) and an angel of the Lord told him to go to Gaza. After he went to Gaza, as he was told, the Spirit told Philip to go over to the chariot of this Ethiopian Eunuch (He abided in the Spirit and did what the Spirit told him to do). Because the two were one, abiding in each other, Philip was bold enough in his witness of Christ to this person who was searching for answers. And what happened because of it? The man believed and was baptized. As we abide in Christ and Christ with us we are emboldened to share , to witness to others therefore fulfilling the Great Commission to “go out and make disciples.”…piety and production working hand in hand…

 

       In the 1 John this morning, we heard that God is love. If we love one another we are born of God and know God. As we love one another God lives in us and we in Him. Without God in us we cannot show God’s love to others. If there is no abiding in each other then there is no witness of God’s love shown in and through us.       Loving and abiding in God produces loving others…piety and production at its best…

 

       Now…the Scripture from John 15 explains it all. You see, Christ is the true vine and we can do nothing unless we abide in Him and He abides in us. There is no production of the “fruits for the kingdom” without Him. What good are we to Christ if we are not “in sync” with Him? If we want to live a life of piety loving God and Christ and production producing fruit  for the kingdom…we need to have both in our lives. The two are indispensible to each other. Unless we live in Christ and Christ in us we are just words with no actions or actions without words. We need both. Abiding in Christ produces good deeds…good works for God. Piety and production joining forces together.

 

 

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to get this right. If we have piety alone we may just become ritualistic and ceremonial in our witness and that is not what we are called to be. If we only concentrate on production we only act the part without any meaning or real motivations…we just go through the motions. We need to put them together…being and doing…piety and production…prayer and work…worship and service. Like a hand in a glove. Out there sharing our witness of the true vine that sus  tains and gives life to all who believe. Let us be offshoots of our production manager…our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

Amen…

“What’s so Good About the Good Shepherd?”

April 29, 2012

Fourth Sunday of Eastertide

Worship Theme: The Good Shepherd Lives

Psalm 23 NRSV Bible

Acts 4:8-12 NRSV Bible

John 10:1-18 the Message Bible

 

Shepherd me oh God beyond my wants, beyond my needs, from day into night… (Sing)

 

A reading from the Gospel of John…John 10 verses 1-18 (read from the Message Bible).

 

Let us pray:

Loving, merciful God, we thank you for the Good Shepherd you have given us in Christ Jesus. We thank you that you watch over the sheep of your pasture and would never let them be devoured. Speak to us this morning in that voice that we all hear and know. Thank you for bringing us to green pastures by still waters. Amen.

 

One of my most favorite children’s songs is Mary Had A Little Lamb. That little lamb surly loved Mary. It followed her every where she went. Even to places that it didn’t belong like to school. It must have known the voice of Mary and so whenever it heard her voice it would run right away to where she was. I am sure she must have taken good care of it because if she hadn’t, it wouldn’t have followed her wherever she went.

So…what’s so good about the Good Shepherd? In the Gospel read this morning, we hear about this Good Shepherd. This shepherd…Jesus…lays down His life for the sheep of His pasture. Jesus laid down his life for the “sheep” of God’s pasture. He took our sin in order for us to enter the green pasture that gives us new life. This shepherd knows His sheep. Jesus knows us…His sheep. We have a shepherd that watches over us and when we cry…when we bleat…in pain and sorrow… in fear, He hears us and is right there to save His sheep. He gathers in his sheep. Jesus gathers us in…His sheep…together so that we may be one flock, not divided like sheep and goats. (What’s so good about the Good Shepherd?)

Shepherd me o God beyond my wants, beyond my needs, from day into night… (Sing)

 

        In the reading of the 23^rd Psalm this morning, we hear about a Divine Shepherd. Jesus is our Divine Shepherd and because He is the Divine Shepherd:

1. We shall not want ® We shall have rest, peace, forgiveness and guidance. (Green pastures, peaceful still waters, with our souls being restored and be led in the right paths.)
2. We need not fear evil ® We have companionship, comfort and concern on our journey. He is with us. His rod and staff gives us comfort. He even prepares a table for us in the presence of those who are our enemies.
3. And in Jesus, we shall dwell in His house forever ® We have that now. We have it in the future – life “forever”.

(What’s so good about the Good Shepherd?)

 Shepherd me o God beyond my wants, beyond my needs, from day into night… (Sing)

 

    The Acts 4 scripture from this morning tells is that there is healing and salvation found in the name of Jesus…in the name of the Good Shepherd. The words healing and salvation come from the Greek word sothenai (sow-than-a-i) which means to be saved and made whole. There is physical healing for the body and a spiritual healing for everyone who calls on the name of the Good Shepherd. We are made whole…we are made one with and in God and each other. When we are one there is peace. (What’s so good about the Good Shepherd?)

Shepherd me o God beyond my wants, beyond my needs, from day into night… (Sing)

 

    We live in a world that has so many things trying to get our attention. There are so many people and things that want us to follow them and it that it can be very confusing. We try to follow what is right but we sometimes come up short. We try to do the right thing but sometimes what we follow leaves us just as empty and fearful as we were in the beginning. We think we hear the voice calling to us but it only ends up being an echo of the hired hand running away leaving us alone and afraid, bleating…crying out for someone to rescue and lead us into peace.

    But we need to attune our ear to the voice of the One who laid down their life for us…the One who will never leave us…the One who is with us wherever we go...the voice of the Good Shepherd. Who is the shepherd that you and I are following? Are we being lead into green pastures with peaceful waters or are we following the leader of the world around us? How can we…you and I…follow the example of the shepherd and not that of the hired hand? It can be hard in a world full of noise and confusion all around us…in a world full of “wolves in sheep’s clothing”…in a world where there are things that call us out of the pasture and into the “dung heap”.

Shepherd me O God beyond my wants, beyond my needs, from day into night… (Sing)

    We are called to follow the True Shepherd…the one who wants us to have a new life, restored and forgiven. We are called to know the Shepherd who calls us out of the darkness and into the light of His pasture. We are called to obey the True Shepherd who asks us to help Him find the lost sheep and to bring them into the sheepfold of His love, His mercy, His grace and forgiveness. We are called to be mirror images of the Shepherd. Kind of like apprentices to the Shepherd…learning from Him and going out to practice what we have learned… Do you know of any lost sheep? Is there anyone around us that needs the healing and restoration found in the One True Shepherd? Brothers and sisters of the pasture…It’s round up time…we…all of Christ’s sheep…need to be out there listening for the sound of those lost sheep bleating in the dark and bringing them back to the one who can make them whole and so that the “Son” (Capital “S”) can shine on their lives. What’s so good about the Good Shepherd? What’s so good is that He came to bring in the least, the lost and the forgotten into the pasture of peace…He came so that we could have forgiveness and redemption…this Shepherd became a sheep…that paschal Lamb… that sin offering for you and for me. That’s what is so good about this Good Shepherd…that’s the message we share with the world around us. Are we ready for the round up?! Now go out there and wrestle some sheep for the Good Shepherd in this world!

 

Amen!

Slow down...

Sight Psalms

Seeing really is believing. We just have to look. Sight Psalms is the work of photographers who seek to express the divine through images. 4/27/2012 NATURE May the glory of nature provide you with what you need today. Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church As we travel the road of life, we need to stop and be refreshed. What better place to stop but in/with God's creation around us. There is nothing more refreshing than to ponder on the wonder and majesty of God's handy work? Stop and smell the roses today...it is good food for the soul...

Live God's simplicity...

WHEN WE BEGIN TO LIVE a spirituality of simplicity, our primary concern ceases to be success and becomes faithfulness. We are called to live with integrity, to express the truth as we perceive it, and to trust in God's ability to use what we offer.

- Elizabeth J. Canham
Heart Whispers

Let's simplify for God...Let us change our focus from the world's definition of success to God's definition of faithfulness...Let us trust in the One who is able to do, in and through us, far more than we ever dreamed possible. Let us dream God's dream...

Into the family...

1 John 3: 1a

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.

God, at the Cross, expanded His family, His children, by adoption. We are no longer strangers but are now Beloved Children of the Most High God...

God answers...

Psalm 4:1

New International Version (NIV)

    For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

 ¹ Answer me when I call to you,
   my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
   have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

God is waiting, with open arms, for humanity to come to Him with their fears so that the healing can begin. What's holding you back...?

All are forgiven...

1 John 2:2

New International Version (NIV)

² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Christ came for all of humanity...not just a select few...

Good News Travels Fast!

Acts 4:33

New Living Translation (NLT)

³³ The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.

As we share the Good News, God will bless our efforts. We may not see the fruit or the harvest of the seeds we plant but we can trust that God will not let that seed lay dormant and die...

Peace!

Psalm 133:1

Good News Translation (GNT)

Psalm 133

In Praise of Living in Peace^[a]

 
    How wonderful it is, how pleasant,
      for God's people to live together in harmony!

They will know we are Christians by our love for one another and how we love and accept others. It's not our words but our actions that make us "Christ-Like" Christians...

Faith blessing

John 20:25

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he (Thomas) said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Not seeing and still believing = Faith. We , as humanity, seem to need to see something in order to believe. If it can't be sen or understood, we don't believe. How unfortunate...to miss out on the blessings of faith...

Believing is seeing...

John 20:19-21

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

¹⁹  On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,^[a] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,“Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Through the Resurrection of Jesus, we can have peace. We can have that peace in knowing we have salvati8on through his rising from the dead. We have a hope and a future and that is what gives us peace and joy.

Light our way!

EMPOWERED

The light has power over the darkness. Where do you find the light that empowers you?

Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church

Jesus!!

Explain it, please!

April 22, 2012

Third Sunday of Easter

Worship Theme: The Cross and Resurrection Explained

Acts 3: 12-19 NRSV Bible

1 John 3: 1-3 NRSV Bible

Luke 24:35-48

A reading from the Gospel of Luke…Chapter 24 …verses 35-48. Listen to and for the word of God...(read scripture)…here ends the reading from the gospel of Luke.

        One of the TV shows I like to watch is CSI. I love how they investigate murders after they happened and find the “who, what, where and when’s” of the event after it happens. It brings into focus things that I may not have seen or understood in the beginning of the show. We all want to know the who's, what's, where's and when’s of our everyday life…especially when the situation doesn’t make sense to us. We want to know and understand the whole picture, not just part of it. And, like the end of the TV show, when we have all the facts we feel that we are in the “know” and it all makes perfect sense to us.

        I am sure that first disciples and the Disciples of Christ today were very confused. Jesus died on the cross; they saw it, and now Jesus was alive, much to their and our delight and confusion. The Cross and Resurrection two of the greatest events in history but they and we at times are confused by these events…

1.    How do you explain what happened?

2.    Who was responsible for these life giving events?

3.    How does and did the Death and Resurrection benefit us and them?

(Sort of the how and why did we become Christians in the first place…?)

My prayer is that after we look at the three scriptures from this morning we might have a clearer understanding…maybe a different view…of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

        The Luke scripture this morning tells about God’s part in this mystery. God knew that humanity needed a Savior but not just any savior humanity need a savior that could restore the relationship that God had with creation in the beginning…a renewing of that relationship that was forged  in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. The prophets, Law Moses and the Psalms talks about a savior that must suffer and die but that was not the end of the story…This Savior would rise from the dead in three days fulfilling all that was written for the forgiveness of sin as well as allowing repentance for humanity. We are “witnesses” for God about this event and we are to proclaim the Savior’s name to all the nations. (God is responsible for these life giving events. Humanity couldn’t do it on its own so God stepped in…once again. As He did so many times throughout the Old Testament)

        The Acts scripture talks about how and what humanity’s part is in the story of the Death and Resurrection. We must repent and turn to God so that our sins, yours and mine, may be forgiven…wiped out…a clean slate. We too are commissioned to share this Good News about these events so that others can also understand and believe. (Sort of like I told the children in the Children’s Message this morning…when you share the good news with one person and they share it with another, you get that domino effect and someday every tribe, tongue and nation will hear the good news. This is part of the how and why we became Christians)

        Now…how does this all affect us as it affected them? The scripture from 1^st John tells it all. We are now called children of God…we have been adopted through and in the Cross of Jesus. We may not know what we will be in the end but we have the promise that all who hope in God through Christ is purified. We have a hope and a future. We have a purpose and a mission. We have forgiveness and redemption. What better benefits can we ask for? To be redeemed, esteemed and called beloved children of God is more than we, you and I, could ever hope for. What major company can give you benefits like that?

        We may never fully understand or be able to explain the events of Christ’s Passion but there is one thing that we do have and that is the hope within us and this hope…will never let us down. It is this hope that we are called to share with the hopeless. It is the light within us that we are called to shine in the darkest places of the world around us. It is the joy that goes beyond all understanding we have…that joy that wells up within us that runs through and out of us onto and into the broken world in which we live…that we are called to share.

        Like in the CSI TV show, we know the who, what, where and why of our faith that we are called to share.

1.    God

2.    The Cross of Calvary

3.    On Golgotha’s Hill

4.    For the salvation of humanity

We are all like those domino’s and as we touch the lives of those around us we start a chain reaction that goes further than we will ever know. It’s like the ripple effect of dropping a rock into the water and the ripples it makes all the way to the shore. We may not see the ripple but when the reaction begins there is no end to it until it reaches its destination. Let us begin a chain reaction today, let us have that domino effect on the world around us. ‘you never know how many dice will fall just from one tender word, just one listening ear, just one outstretched hand. Just imagine the kingdom that will come as we share the news that can spread like wild fire. Christ is risen for you and for me…He has risen in deed.

AMEN!

The best news ever!

April 8, 2012

Easter Sunday

Worship Theme: Life Conquers Death

Isaiah 25:6-9 NRSV Bible

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NRSV Bible

Mark 16:1-8 NRSV Bible

 

 

        A reading from the Gospel of Mark…chapter 16 verses 1-8. The reading is found on page 929 in the pew bible…hear begins the reading of Mark…(Read Mark) the Word of God for the people of God…

(Sponge Bob’s best day ever)

How many of you have ever had such good news that you just couldn’t contain it? I know I have. It seems as if I would explode if I didn’t share the news with someone…be it something about myself or someone else…I just can’t help but spread the news! How about if you had a great idea that would solve so many issues? It might be an easier way to do something or an idea that would help humanity…the possibilities are endless. There is no telling where we might have good news for some one. The only boundary that it may have is our own imagination. We might right now have some good news that needs to be shared. What’s stopping you?

        We have come to the end of our Lenten journey. Last week, we heard the seven last words, or statements, of Christ. We also visited the Upper Room and shared a meal and were given a new command from Christ…the command to love others not as we love ourselves but as Jesus loved and still loves us. We even sat at the foot of the cross and stood with those who stood by when Christ was put to death for all of humanity’s sake. But here…today…we celebrate Christ’s victory over death and joyfully…with enthusiasm…with all of our heart… can say “CHRIST IS RISEN”…YES HE IS RISEN INDEED!

        But is that the end of the story? Are we to just say our thank you’s and good bye’s to the Cross of Calvary? Or, is there something more? My answer is NO! This is not the end but only the beginning of the story, the beginning of the new life…the beginning of a new age. Christ went to the cross not just to save you and me but to save all of humanity and there is so many who need the hope and forgiveness of the cross I just can’t imagine Jesus wanting us to keep it for ourselves. God wants all of humanity to be saved and we are here to share the good news so that it is. That’s part of mine and your mission here…part of the purpose of why we were created…to love, to share, to be Christ for the world.

        There are so many in the world who feel that they have nothing but death ahead of them in life…they don’t know that there is victory over death in Christ and this victory is and will be ours through and by faith. We will all face death at some point in time…we will all experience the death of a loved one at some point on our journey of life and faith…we may even experience death to old things in our lives…death to things that just don’t “work for us anymore.” But, death is not the end…it is a beginning of another chapter in our lives that’s called eternity…death can make new things spring forth in our lives and the lives of others…

        In the Isaiah reading from this morning, the old way had to die in order for God to bring about a new life for His people. In order to spring forth with a new life that would make His people glad and rejoice in His salvation the old life of a shroud being cast over His people…the sheet spread over the nations…needed to be removed. Death needed to be swallowed up forever…now we are not talking about the physical death but the death to the spirit that was present because of sin. Death, O death, where is thy sting?

        This promise was accomplished through the death and RESURRECTION of Christ that we heard about in the Gospel of Mark I just read. Victory over sin and death…victory in Jesus! Even though Jesus had told the disciples He would be back…He would rise again after His death, they still didn’t understand until it was accomplished on the first Easter Sunday morn. Death, O death, where is thy sting?

        And the best news ever was when Jesus was actually seen…in public none the less…by others. These “sightings”; did nothing but only confirm Jesus’ victory over sin and death. They say that seeing is believing and did they ever see. Death, O death, where is thy sting?

        Today, Easter Sunday, is not the end of the story. We have the best news ever to share. There are those out there who haven’t heard the good news and it is our commission to share this news with all who will hear. Are there people in your lives or mine that need a little bit of good news? Are there those around us that are suffering with the penalty of sin that need to be freed from their oppressor? Are there people in our live that are frozen in fear because of their uncertainty of their future of the future of their loved ones? Share the good news…shout it from the roof tops…give others a hope for the future. CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! Christ has conquered death for you and for me…for all of humanity! Alleluia He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!

 

Amen!

One more lesson...

 

Maundy Thursday 

April 5, 2012

Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14 NRSV Bible

1 Corinthians 11-23-26 NRSV Bible

John 13:1-17, 31b-35 NRSV Bible

 

        We have almost come to the end of our Lenten journey together. It has been a rollercoaster ride to say the least. We have been to so many stops on the road. We now enter the upper room where Jesus taught His disciples then and now one of the most important lessons in His ministry. There was one last thing He needed to show them…example for them…before He completed His work on the cross. Jesus took something that they were taught as they grew up…the Pass Over Seder…and turned into something new…something different. They were taught that the Seder was a remembrance of how God delivered the Israelites from the tyranny of the Egyptians. Now this new thing was about remembering Jesus and His teachings…about remembering how Jesus acted and to go and do likewise.

        At this Seder, Jesus did something that a teacher would never have done. Instead of having others wash His feet…instead of claiming the rights of one was above others…Jesus did a new thing. He was the one who washed the feet. Taking on the posture of a servant instead of being served, He taught the disciples and us to live a new way…one that puts others above our selves.

        I can understand how Simon Peter felt…he knew who Jesus was. Peter understood that Jesus was special. Peter felt unworthy of Jesus washing his feet but Jesus told him that if He didn’t, Peter could have no part of what Jesus was doing…this new way of life. In taking on this new lifestyle… of a servant…Jesus also gave them and us a new commandment. To love others not as our self but as Jesus loved. To be willing to put aside self and take up theirs and our own cross and follow Jesus’ example.

        We are called to live in a new and radical way…much different than the world around us as Jesus’ disciples. We are called to love unconditionally. We are called to serve others with the love and joy that Jesus did. We are called into the family business, as beloved children of the Most High God. We are called to be Christ to the world. Imagine what the world would be if we were more interested in the family business than branching out on our own? I wonder what would happen if humanity would return to its original form and walk in the cool of the evening with our God? I wonder what it would be like if you and I would unconditionally be the hands and feet of Christ? Just imagine.

Seven Last Words of Jesus - Into your hands I commend my Spirit

Seven Last Words

April 4, 2012

Into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit

 

Into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit

 

There once was a pastor in a small New England town. He was walking through town when he saw a young boy coming toward him swinging this bird cage. On the bottom of the cage were three little wild birds, shivering with cold and fright. He stopped the lad and asked, "What do you have there, son?" "Just some old birds," came the reply. "What are you going to do with them?" he asked. "Take 'em home and have fun with 'em," he answered. "I'm gonna tease 'em and pull out their feathers to make 'em fight. I'm gonna have a real good time." "But you'll get tired of those birds sooner or later. What will you do then?" "Oh, I got some cats," said the little boy. "They like birds. I'll take 'em to them."

       The pastor was silent for a moment. "How much do you want for those birds, son?" “Huh?? !!! Why, you don't want them birds, mister. They're just plain old field birds. They don't sing. They ain't even pretty!" "How much?" the pastor asked again. The boy sized up the pastor as if he were crazy and said, "$10?"

The pastor reached in his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill.. He placed it in the boy's hand. In a flash, the boy was gone. The pastor picked up the cage and gently carried it to the end of the alley where there was a tree and a grassy spot. Setting the cage down, he opened the door, and by softly tapping the bars persuaded the birds out, setting them free.”Then the pastor began to tell this story: One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. "Yes, sir, I just caught a world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they couldn't resist. Got 'em all!" "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked. Satan** replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to hate and have wars to kill each other. I'm really gonna have fun!"

“And what will you do when you are done with them?" Jesus asked. "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly. "How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked. "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you. You don't want those people!!" "How much? He asked again. Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your blood, tears and your life." Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.

 

Jesus completed His work on earth that Good Friday so long ago. He came here on a mission…a mission of mercy…a mission of love…a mission of hope…a mission of salvation. We have heard about six of His last words…His last statements from the cross. But even from the cross, Jesus was still “doing ministry.”  

 

1.  Father forgive them®He asked for God to forgive them instead of cursing them. And you know what? Jesus didn’t say forgive the people standing around the cross or forgive the people who insulted me…but forgive them…that includes you and it includes me…

2.  Today you will be with me in paradise…even though at the last minute this theif understood who Jesus was…even though it was late in his life. He was still going to be in paradise. It’s never too late. Jesus came for all who are lost…He came to set ALL of humanity free…

3.  Behold your son…behold your mother ® An adoption at the cross. Jesus was showing those around Him about the type of relationship we should be in with each other. We are all part of one family. We are all part of the body of Christ.

4.  My God, My God, why have You forsaken me ® We have a savior who knows the pain of feeling alone. As He cried out “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabacthan”"…He knew what it was like to feel abandoned. We have a Savior who can walk those lonely roads, stay up those fearful nights. We are never alone…

5.  I thirst ® Jesus was the Living Water, and now the water had run dry. He knew what it meant to thirst and knows how to quench our thirst if we only but ask for that drink…if only we would drink deep of the waters of life found in Christ Jesus.

6.  It is finished ® Now it was finished. The curtain was torn…the entry to the holiest of holies was now open for you and or me. It is finished…He came, he sought out, he found and in three days He would conquer…It was finished.

And now…He was done!

7.  Into your hands I commit my spirit ® He was done. He entrusted His Spirit to the One who would raise Him again in three days conquering sin and death.

 

He made a way for you and for me to have the gift of salvation through His sacrifice. 1 cross + 3 nails = a new life for you and for me. My question is this, Have you and I visited Calvary’s Cross lately. Have you and I accepted that gift that freely flows down from heaven. A gift that is so precious that our lives depend on it. I would ask that we would pray this prayer together. If you haven’t accepted that free gift of Easter your life just may depend on it. If you have accepted that gift that was given at “Son-rise” then let us visit the cross again in thanksgiving.

 

Dear Jesus, I believe that through you I am given a new life, a life changed by the sacrifice…by the work of redemption that was done on Calvary’s Cross. Thank you for loving me so much that you would even die for me. What wondrous love is this. Lord, I need you more and more each day. Come into my life and make it whole. Continue to work in me so that God is glorified in and through me. I love you and I need you. You truly were and are the Son of God.

Amen.

“Never A King Like This”

April 1, 2012

Palm Sunday

Isaiah 50:4-9 a NRSV Bible

Philippians 2:5-11 NRSV Bible

Mark 15: 1-39 NRSV Bible

Worship theme: Behold Your King

 

A reading from the Gospel of Mark, Mark 15 verses 1-39, it is found on page 928-29 in the pew Bible…Read passage

          We all have people that we look up to. There are people in our lives that we may even aspire to be like. They seem perfect in our lives but then something happens…something that is unexpected. We may find out that they are not all what we expected. We may find out one of their “dirty little secrets” that leave us disillusioned. We see it TV personalities…in government officials…in our friends and in our families. It can be heart breaking and leave us confused…not sure what to believe any more.

          We are getting towards the end of our Lenten journey to the cross. We have talked about and heard many different things on our journey of faith. We’ve talked about new beginnings and how each season of Lent we can renew our journey of faith…to start a new chapter so to speak…a chapter that is closer to the one that the Author has written instead of our own. We’ve pondered on the promises of the Cross and the price of that promise. We’ve even looked at the ways that laws compel us to meet their demands. And we’ve sat in the throne room and basked in the Amazing Grace our Creator gives to you and to me. We’ve even talked about how Christ had to die in order for you and me to have a new life in Him…a new beginning redeemed and esteemed, ready to follow His “carbon foot print” in the world.

We have now come to the beginning of passion week. The week that changed the fate of humanity…A week that was pretty confusing for those who lived in Jesus’ day. They were expecting a Messiah…someone who would take Rome by storm, but what they got was a humble man who went Golgotha’s Hill and died on a cross…but we can look back in history and know that the cross was not the end of the story but the beginning…

The people were looking for a king that would free them from the tyranny of Rome but what they got was something completely different. They got something that was nothing like the kings of their day…I am sure they thought of King David and was expecting Jesus to be that type of king. In this king there was tragedy and triumph all rolled into one but they couldn’t see it at the time…but at the end of the week they would see victory in the face of death…

In the scriptures that were read this morning, we see how different this king really was. In the Isaiah scripture this morning we didn’t hear about a king who fought back against His oppressors…but we hear of one who turned the other check…did not hide from the insults spat at Him. He was not rebellious and fight as He could of but He trusted in what God was doing in and through Him, even to the point of dying on the cross. There was never a king like this one…

In the Philippians scripture this morning we heard about how a King who humbled Himself and became a slave…and suffered as one. Christ was both human and divine and He didn’t think about being deity but thought about His purpose in life…to bring about a new way of living…a way that leads into the throne room of grace. As a matter of fact, during this week of Christ’s Passion, He became as a slave and washed the feet of the disciples to sow them a new way of living…To live as servants to those around them instead of expecting to be served. He emptied Himself of all that He could be and became that Passover Lamb for you and for me. There was never a king like this one…

And the Mark passage I read this morning…this king, suffered death on the cross. Something that no king would stand for and would not go to the cross without a fight but this king went humbly and quietly. He could have claimed His throne…He could have called down legions of angels to save Him…but He never said a word. The same people who were so excited that their king had come…the ones who shouted loud hosannas in the beginning of the week…by the end of the week were so “disillusioned” that they began to cry “Crucify him” five days later. When Jesus took His last breath…the curtain was torn…the veil began to fade away…even the centurion standing by had to admit that “Truly this man was God’s Son!”…Victory in death…victory for you and for me. There was never a king like this! We have victory in Jesus!

There has never been or ever will be a king like this. Our King is the King of Love…The King of Hope…The King of Joy and the King of Peace. This Passion week begins in loud Hosannas then there is a change in the attitude of the crowd…yes and we were part of that crowd… The loud cries of joy turns into the shouts of anger…shout of despise…shouts of death. And just when it looks like all is lost…just when there looks like there is no hope…just when it looks like humanity will have no savoir…the tide changes to one of victory…no, there has never been a king like this…but then again, our King is the King of kings and Lord of lord. Yes there truly is victory in Jesus!

 

AMEN!

He Had To Die…

March 25, 2012

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Worship Theme: Fruit of the Cross

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NRSV Bible

Hebrews 5:7-10 NRSV Bible

John 12:20-25 NRSV Bible

 

A reading from the book of John…we will be reading John 12 verses 20-23. It is found on page 980 in the Pew Bible. Here begins the reading of the Gospel…

Lately I have been talking about how much I like Spring…I have been talking about how much I love the newness of spring and the new life that burst forth. But, this week, I have been reflecting on the newness…what has to take place in order for the newness of spring? I have been reflecting on the fact that in order for the new life to begin, something had to die…in order to see the beauty of creations spring, it had to die and lay dormant in the cold of the winter until the warmth of the sun came back to bring forth the new life that lay cold and hidden from view. Sometimes…things have to die or change in order to make room for another type of understanding…another type of perception… a new experience in the world around us.

        When I think of dying to and for new life I also think about the Cross and about the newness that it brought to you and to me. We are on a 40 day journey together, one of hope…of reflection…of love and of victory (Yes! We have a victory in Jesus!). In this season of Lent we have pondered on many things as we travel to our destiny of the Cross. We’ve talked about new beginnings and how each season of Lent we can renew our journey of faith…to start a new chapter so to speak…a chapter that is closer to the one that the Author has written instead of our own. We’ve pondered on the promises of the Cross and the price of that promise. We’ve even looked at the ways that laws compel us to meet their demands. And we’ve sat in the throne room and basked in the Amazing Grace our Creator gives to you and to me. It has been a quite the journey…

        But this Amazing Grace came with a price. The price was paid not by us but for us. It was paid by the One who loved us so much that He would not spare His own Son in order for new life to emerge from the darkness. The price was paid on and through the Cross of Calvary. God promised that He would save His people. God promised that His people would not forever live in darkness and He was willing to do anything to bring humanity back into the relationship He envisioned from the very beginning of time. We heard the promise in the Jeremiah scripture this morning. We heard that He was going to do a new thing and that His people would know Him.

        Jesus knew that He was that High Priest that would offer salvation to all who would obey what He taught and accept Him as their Savior. Jesus knew that He would usher in this new covenant that God promised long ago. God heard humanity’s cries for redemption and answered that cry though a babe in a manger who would grow up and become the Passover Lamb for all of humanity…not just a certain few but for all of humanity…Jesus knew the cost of this gift that is freely given to you and to me…He knew that if He was not obedient, as we heard in the Hebrews reading this morning…until the end there could be no real fruit for the Kingdom of God…He knew His time had come…He had to die…we too must also die to self in order to bear that fruit for the kingdom…we too must go the way of our own cross in order  to obtain that eternal life as we heard in the John passage this morning.

We are in the Season of Lent, a time of reflection and a time of change. We are making a pilgrimage to the cross of our Risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Sometimes, dying is a good thing and brings about a good change even though it may be a difficult process. We have our traditions and ways of thinking that at times needs to be exchanged…tweaked a little…in order to usher in newness and sparkle so that Son can shine in and through us. And this can be a very scary and awkward thing. But we have a Leader who knows what it’s like to die to self in order to bring new life…we have a Leader who can bring us from the death of Autumn to the Victory of Spring. The time has come for all of humanity to change. The time has come for Christ’s church to change. The time has come for you and for me to change from what we know and to trust in the newness of spring…God’s spring…as He showers his love, compassion and forgiveness down from the Cross onto all of humanity. Let us spring forth with newness of life and join creations song of new life…given in and through our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Yes…we have Victory in Jesus, our Savior…now and forever…

 

AMEN!