You can heal

 

Acts 3:11-19: 

¹¹ While the healed man clung to Peter and John, all the people rushed toward them at Solomon’s Porch, completely amazed. ¹² Seeing this, Peter addressed the people: “You Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why are you staring at us as if we made him walk by our own power or piety? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of our ancestors—has glorified his servant Jesus. This is the one you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, even though he had already decided to release him. ¹⁴ You rejected the holy and righteous one, and asked that a murderer be released to you instead. ¹⁵ You killed the author of life, the very one whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ His name itself has made this man strong. That is, because of faith in Jesus’ name, God has strengthened this man whom you see and know. The faith that comes through Jesus gave him complete health right before your eyes.  ¹⁷ “Brothers and sisters, I know you acted in ignorance. So did your rulers. ¹⁸ But this is how God fulfilled what he foretold through all the prophets: that his Christ would suffer. ¹⁹ Change your hearts and lives! Turn back to God so that your sins may be wiped away.

 

As our scripture today begins, Peter and John have been called, along with the other disciples to go into the world to spread the gospel, offer forgiveness of sins and to follow in the footsteps of Christ’s ministry of healing and wholeness.  At this point in our story they have already received the Holy Spirit but what they aren’t sure of at this point is what all this really means for their lives. 

They have walked with Jesus, learned from Jesus but they aren’t sure where they go from here.  They aren’t hiding in locked rooms any more but their vision of their future is still a bit hazy.  So they go and do what they know how to do- worship.  They go to the temple like they have done all their lives- waiting in the familiar surroundings of Jewish life for their future to become clear.  As they approach the temple they notice a man sitting on his mat.  They have seen him before. 

He is there every time they come to the temple for worship.  He can’t walk so his family carries him here to the Gate Beautiful to beg.  This is an all too familiar scene among the hustle and bustle of life in Jerusalem.  But for some reason, something is different on this day.  Peter and John see this man and they have compassion for him.  They may have felt pity in the past but today the emotion is compassion.  They want to do something to help to make a difference in his life.  But they don’t have what the man is asking for.  Instead they feel compelled to offer this man a touch. 

Not many people would have been willing to touch this man who was considered dirty, unclean and worthy of only pity.  Most people would have passed by- maybe throwing him a coin or two but never really seeing him or taking the time to speak to him much less recognize him as a child of God, but Peter and John do. 

Not only do they have compassion for him they see him for who he is, a brother in Christ, and they want him to know that he is seen and acknowledged.  So they get his attention and offer him something more valuable than a few coins- the ability to walk.

This is where our scripture picks up today.  The man has been healed in the name of Jesus and he is now running around the temple like a mad man; jumping and twirling, shouting and praising God.  This gets everyone’s attention- they know this man he has been lame all his life, they pass by him every day and now he is running like he has never been sick.  This couldn’t have been an accident or a coincidence.  It had to be something divine.  But who are these people who have performed this amazing miracle? 

The crowd swarms around them wanting to know more about who they are- they want to lift them up on a pedestal and give them credit and praise for healing this man.  And maybe seek healing for themselves.

We all do this same thing.  We all need healing to some extent or another.  We seek healing from the medical profession.  We ask our friends who have undergone a medical procedure about their experience.  We want to know who the doctor was who healed them- hopeful that they can offer the same healing for us.  We listen to people like Dave Ramsey on the radio, hoping to glean some of his wisdom so we can find financial healing. 

We spend time with family and friends or go to a therapist when we need emotional healing.   When we need spiritual healing we go to church or listen to a preacher on TV.  That person just seems to always have the answers so we send them money or buy their latest book hoping that it will offer us healing. 

We all need healing.  But as Peter surveys the crowd he realizes that we by nature look in the wrong places for healing.  Instead of looking to God and the gifts of God we seek healing and intervention from other people; a person, pastor, new charity or new family that will save us.  The crowd in Jerusalem thought Peter and John would be their saviors and heal them too.  But Peter quickly redirects their attention.  He tells them- we are not the ones who healed him- God did that- not us!  They are not the healers, God is and it is this healing in the name of Jesus that will bring healing to all the world.  Peter and John are just the avenue for God’s grace and love. 

As Peter surveys the growing crowd he sees in them the same need for healing present in our world today.  Not all of them need physical healing- most don’t.  He recognizes in their excitement a desperate sense of brokenness.  People are hungry; both for food and for spiritual nourishment.  People are thirsty; both for clean water but also for living water. 

People are broken; they have broken relationships, broken promises, broken hearts and they seek to know the God of Love who will never leave them and never stop loving them.  They are lost; wondering what the purpose of life is, what direction their life should take.  Their community is broken; they are arguing, pointing fingers of blame and accusation when what they need is simply a place to belong; a place where they are loved and accepted for who they are quirkiness and all, a place where even their messiness is seen as a source of beauty.     

They are looking to Peter and John to fix all this brokenness and more but Peter realizes as his compassion for them grows that he is not the one with the solutions.  He wants them to know the truth- that is isn’t them, they aren’t miracle workers.  It wasn’t the power or skill of a person at all that offers healing but God. 

This is not always an easy word to hear.  After all, some in that very temple were the ones who had called for the crucifixion of the person they were claiming had in fact done the healing.  Their leaders had demanded the death of Jesus over the release of a convicted murderer and they still didn’t recognize Jesus as God. 

Peter’s compassion and desire for them to know the truth forces him to confront the events of the recent past.  They had all denied and rejected the one who could offer true healing.  Peter’s words may sound harsh as he spreads out the accusations against them.  His words are forceful:  you rejected!  You denied!  You killed! But part of the problem with our ability to seek healing is that sometimes we don’t even know we are broken. 

Peter knows this first hand.  The reason he can have compassion for them is because he is one of them.  His accusations are not fingers pointed in blame but a finger pointing to himself too.  He sees his own rejection of Jesus in the context of the Jewish community’s rejection of Jesus. 

As the crowd called for Jesus’ death, Peter was busy denouncing that he had ever even known Jesus.  Peter sees his own rejection of Jesus as an even greater betrayal because he knew better and did it anyway. 

We have to face those parts of our lives which we have hidden away, chosen to ignore or down played as “well everyone does it” before we can know what to ask God to heal.  We act in ignorance.  We make bad choices when we don’t have all the information and sometimes we make bad decisions anyway.

Peter is guilt ridden and lost until he faced this truth about himself.  He was not able to accept the healing from Jesus until he was willing to face his own faults and admit them to God.  Peter is trying to help the crowd see this too.  Peter’s willingness to see his own faults and failures is what makes him credible and relatable to those he is trying to convince.

The world is in desperate need of healing and we are looking in all the wrong places to find it.  Politicians, self-help books, TV evangelists and financial gurus are not the source of our healing.  True healing comes from Christ alone. 

Peter and John were not the source of healing power, they are just the mouth pieces, the worldly representatives of Christ.  And that is what the church is today.  We, as the church, are descendants of our forefathers and mothers in the faith.  We are the current representatives of Christ called to offer healing in Jesus name to the rest of the world. 

Our community, our world is desperate for the healing power of Jesus.  And God has called us to offer this healing touch by offering a word of compassion, welcoming strangers in to our lives, offering a sense of belonging and connection to those who are lonely and seeing people as more than just needy and broken; but as children of God.  But Just like Peter, in order to offer healing in Jesus name, we also need to see the brokenness in our own lives.  We need to look deep within ourselves as individuals and as a community so that we can seek healing from God for ourselves but also so that we can see and relate to the brokenness in the lives of others.  

We all make mistakes but God uses those mistakes and mess-ups to make great things happen.  As we acknowledge our own weakness, God can use that to open doors to others who feel inadequate or unworthy of God’s love.  Even the mistake of the crucifixion of Jesus is one that God can use. 

The death of Jesus was not the end.  Even though sin was powerful enough to kill the author of Life, God refused to let that be the final word.  Life has dominion over death.  Grace has power over sin.  Love is greater than contempt and hate. 

The supposed death of one would bring the opportunity for healing for all the world.  Recognizing how this has worked in our own life will be a powerful witness to the rest of the world to the truth of what the resurrection means for us and for the world. 

God is calling you and this church to be that witness to the rest of the world.  It is how we respond as faithful representatives of Christ.  We are called to be a channel for the healing and restorative power of Jesus Christ in a broken and desperate world.

 

Maundy Thursday... by request

Maundy Thursday

April 2, 2015

Love’s Chapel/ Webster UMC

Welcome:

Opening Prayer

Hymn:  What Wondrous Love is This?                                            P 292

Prayer:  Holy and Merciful God.  You humbled yourself to the form of a servant, shared meals with sinners and washed the feet of those who called you master.  Be present with us this Holy Thursday as we remember your love, your life, your death and prepare for your resurrection.  As feet are washed, wash not only our feet but cleanse those inner most parts of our hearts which we try so desperately to keep hidden.  As the holy meal is shared, nourish us; mind, body and spirit so that we may serve you more fully.  In the name of the most Holy one let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen 

Scripture reading                                                                        John 13:1-17

Hymn:  Lord Who’s Love Through Humble Service            p 581

Message                                                                                     You are loved

Jesus time had finally come.  He knew that after this moment everything would change.  Like sending a child off to college or those last precious moments you share with a loved one who is dying…. Your mind races.  What have I forgotten to tell them?  What important life lesson or wisdom have they forgotten or misunderstood?  Do they really know how much I love them?

These thoughts are probably going through the mind of Jesus as he prepares for these last moments with the disciples.  They of course don’t recognize just how important this night is.  They have celebrated Jewish festivals with Jesus before.  To them, it’s just another Passover.  Sure, Jesus has talked a lot about dying lately but he says weird things all the time, it is part of his charm- it’s Jesus. 

But, as they all begin to gather around the table, they realize quickly that this is no ordinary meal.  Jesus stands up from the table, walks over to the basin for washing feat but instead of washing his own or calling a servant of the home where they are staying to do it, he takes off his robe and ties a towel around his waist.  The disciples look around at each other with confusion.  What is he doing?  They quickly begin to protest.  No, Jesus, it isn’t right.  You are our teacher, our master, this is not the way it is done! 

Jesus is preparing to do the one thing that will allow him to not only tell them but also show them how much they are loved.   He could have just told them or written them a poem.  He could have bought them something but none of that would have measured up.  He is the gift.  He was preparing to offer himself as the ultimate gift for all of humanity so he wanted to do the same here- offer himself, his service, his humbleness, his care and his compassion.In one action, washing their feet, he conveyed all of this. 

Feet have never been considered something of beauty or something to be cherished.  They are simply a tool, a part of our bodies that thankfully serve a purpose, but it isn’t much of an honorable one.  We don’t like people to touch our feet, especially when they are dirty.  We worry that they may smell or we stress over the fact that they have become arthritic or they developed bunions, calluses, corns or toenail fungus.  We put our feet through a lot.  They carry all of our weight, we use them and abuse them in sweaty, uncomfortable shoes or walk around barefoot exposing them to the dangers of hot asphalt and sharp rocks. 

People in Jesus time were no different, in fact it was probably worse.  They ritually washed their hands on a regular basis but their feet were often neglected.  The shoes they wore didn’t protect them from the elements.  It was hot and dusty. Walking was their primary form of transportation and this exposed them not only to dust but to garbage and waste.  Their feet were dirty, they didn’t want to touch their own feet, much less allow someone else to touch them. 

But this was exactly the point.  The disciples may not have understood just how powerful this gesture was but we can.  Jesus was telling them and us not only about his role of servant leadership but of the depths and expanse of his love.  

We spend a lot of time and energy trying to hide the parts of ourselves that we don’t like from the rest of the world.  We cover it up, pretend it doesn’t exist, blame our faults on others, or dress it up trying to make others think we like it.  But all this covering up and hiding is exposed in the light of God’s love. 

Exposing our feet to someone else to wash is scary and vulnerable but Jesus is telling us that we are so loved, that event these parts that we try to hide are loved too.  They are part of who we are.  We are washed clean at our baptisms but this doesn’t mean we have been made perfect.  There are still parts of us that are dirty and foul but Jesus loves us anyway and given the opportunity, Jesus will cleanse these parts of us too. 

One of my favorite parts of the story of these last moments with Jesus is the fact that Judas was present.  Scripture tells us that all those around the table would deny Jesus and scatter when the time of Jesus fulfillment came but it specifically points out in all four gospels that Judas was there.  The one who would ultimately betray him and turn him over to be killed was present having his feet washed, sharing in the meal.  Even Judas was loved. 

There is nothing you can do that will make God love you less.  There is nothing about you that will ever make God stop loving you.  You are loved.  You are loved.  You are loved. 

Allow Jesus to see all of you, allow Jesus to cleanse all of you.  This was his parting message to his disciples and to us.  You are loved.   Accept this gift, cherish it and go and do likewise. 

 

Foot washing liturgy (Adapted from "A Footwashing Liturgy" by Reggie M. Kidd

Leader:  O prince of Peace, O Friend of Sinners, we praise you and give you thanks, because you laid aside your power as a garment and took upon yourself the form of a slave.

People:  You became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  You allowed yourself to be born to die in our place, you allowed your own feet to be anointed for death.  You allowed a sinner to wash your feet with her tears.  For God chose what is low and despised in the world to bring to nothing things that are.  Send the Spirit of truth to keep alive in us what Jesus taught and did, that our words may carry his good news and that our lives may bear the shape of the cross of the One who lives and reigns with You and with the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever.  Amen

Foot washing

Holy Communion

Scripture:  John 31-35

Hymn:  I want to Walk as A Child of the Light                                   p 490

re-center, re-energize, reconnect

Weary, tired, exhausted, and pulled in a million different directions.  In demand.  Everyone is looking for you!  You’re the go to person, right hand man, the one with all the answers, on-call 24/7, Mom, Dad, wife, husband, sister, brother, friend, neighbor, confidant, student, teacher, boss and employee.  You are called upon to fix everything; broken shelves and broken hearts, you heal with a kiss and encourage a broken spirit. 

You are the driver, cook, designer, decorator, and cleaner.  You find what’s lost and blamed for losing what can‘t be found.  You’re the medic and the Chaplin.  Help me, I need you, where are you, come here, go there, bring this, take that….. it never seems to end.  Even coming to church can seem like just one more thing on the to-do list.

Whew!  I am exhausted just thinking about it!  How many of you have ever felt this way or feel this way now?  Some weeks I look at my to-do list and I just want to cry.  Life gets overwhelming. 

We often feel guilty in those times for taking time for ourselves, for stepping away from the hectic pace of our life obligations to take care of ourselves.  A long walk, sleeping in, an hour to read a book for fun, coffee with a friend, or watching a movie can feel like a luxury.  People depend on us.  We worry, stress and get run down.  It’s exhausting.

When we feel that way, it can be comforting to see Jesus feel the same way.  Often, we focus so much on the divinity of Jesus that we forget that he was human just like us in many, many ways. Our story today is one of those examples.  

That evening at Sunset, as soon as the Sabbath was over, as soon as it was possible people started looking for Jesus.  They had heard all about how he had taught with authority and cast out the demon in the synagogue earlier that day.  His reputation was spreading fast, everyone was talking about him and everyone wanted a piece of him. 

The whole town gathered near the door of Simon Peter’s house as they brought their loved ones to see Jesus.  They brought everyone they could find who was sick or thought to be possessed by a demon.  The mentally ill, epileptic, lepers, people who are paralyzed, mute, deaf, blind…..

Imagine the emergency room at a hospital after a natural disaster or crash on the interstate.  People are everywhere.  There is no place to sit, people are straining to catch a glimpse of Jesus the healer, pushing and pulling people out of their way, trying to be next in line.  There are so many people for Jesus to touch and with each one that passes he is getting more and more tired.  This didn’t start until sundown and unlike everyone else who has been resting all day, Jesus has been teaching and preaching.  As this scene continues late into the night Jesus seeks an escape. 

Just like us, Jesus felt hungry, tired, overworked and exhausted.  He couldn’t even walk down the street without people groping and grabbing at him.  Sometimes he needed to get away too.  He needed to find a corner of peace, solitude and quiet, a time to re-center his life, re-energize and reconnect with God. 

We as fully human people often forget this reminder from Jesus.  In our effort to be independent we don’t like to ask anyone for help- we don’t’ want to bother anyone else with our problems so we keep it to ourselves.  We think: Why should we place our problems and burdens on others?  They have their own problems to deal with anyway. 

In this attempt at being independent we even forget to take our problems to God.  God has loads of stuff going on.  There is war, famine, genocide and poverty.  People are dying and starving.  My problems are nothing compared to that- why would God take time out of that busy schedule to help me? 

That is where Jesus differs from us.  He knows what we have forgotten and what Isaiah reminded us today.  God surpasses our human capacity to handle problems.  God knows you and cares for you just as much as everyone else.  God is not limited in the capacity to care like we are. 

Isaiah asks “Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless.”

It is ok to not have it all together.  You don’t have to understand it all to be loved by God.  God is working in all things, even when we can’t see it or understand it ourselves. 

We all have those “Calgon Take me away!” moments when we are at our weakest and most vulnerable.  It is in these moments when we can acknowledge the limitations of our humanity and allow ourselves to fully experience the power, grace and awe of God. 

We forget that person who offered to help.  We forget that God wants us to relinquish our fear and our worries over to God.  We forget that it is God’s desire to be in a relationship with us and this isn’t possible if we don’t share our burdens with the one who offers healing. 

Jesus knows this.  Even though he is all powerful and offers healing and wholeness to all who seek him, he knows he can’t do it alone.  He can’t do it without being a part of that divine relationship with the Almighty that makes him God. 

This connection, this relationship is what gives him strength, nourishes him for the journey ahead, and what gives him the ability to see the bigger picture of what he is trying to accomplish.

This is the other thing Jesus teaches us in this passage.   He is resting when the disciples come looking for him.  It is the proverbial toddler who won’t let you go to the bathroom in peace.  They won’t let him have any peace and quiet.  Simon Peter doesn’t want Jesus to rest.  He wants Jesus to get back to work. 

There are more people waiting at his house who need healing, more people seeking to hear a wise word from him.  Simon Peter misunderstands that in order to do the work, Jesus needs this time away, nor does he understand the work of Jesus goes beyond this one small town.   

Jesus doesn’t just get re-energized so that he can go back to the fray.  There will always be people who need him.  He re-energized and re-centered his life so that he could remember the bigger picture and get a renewed perspective on his life and ministry.

Our job as parents, teachers, friends and all the hats you wear is more than just putting out fires and doing what other people demand of you.  The bigger picture for your life is the work of shaping lives, teaching and empowering others to learn and grow on their own so they can see the big picture too. 

It is easy for us, not just as people but also as Christians to spend our whole lives putting out fires.  The work of the family and community still needs to get done but if all we do is put out fires, if all we do is fill cracks, rearrange the furniture, and make things appear beautiful than we can get too busy to do the real work of Christians. 

We can spend all our energy on fixing and putting out fires making a to-do list that will never end that we fail to notice that the foundation is crumbling and forget to look for the big picture of what our job as Christians really is.  

Yes, Jesus still offered words of wisdom, yes he still healed those who came to him but as he did this, he went out into the world to share the story of the love, peace and healing power of God. 

That is still our call today. To share the story of Jesus and his love. 

I know you are overwhelmed.  I know you don’t feel like there are enough hours in the day.  I know your family, health, work and even the church can bog you down with laundry lists a mile long and it seems there is constantly a new fire to put out, a new thing to add to your list of things to fix and I know how easy it is to burn out. 

Maybe it is time to stop.  Maybe it is time to spend more time praying and less time doing for a while.  Take a break.  Reconnect with the God who loves you, even when you don’t have it all together and don’t have all the answers. 

Seek healing and wholeness in a solid foundation of a relationship with God who never grows tired of loving you or guiding your paths.  Remember what the big picture is, ask God to help you find it if you’ve never really known what that is.  What is the goal and purpose for your life- outside of what everyone else thinks you should be doing?  

Well-meaning people place demands on our lives all the time, just like they did to Jesus, but what is God calling you to do?  How are you being led by God to see, experience and participate in the bigger picture goals of life and ministry? 

Does your to-do list match up with what God is asking you to do?  Maybe it is time to reconnect and realign our goals with God’s purpose to introduce people to Jesus and to offer the healing love of Christ to the world. 

second chances

Jonah 3:1-10

I have a tendency to be a control freak!  There I’ve said it.  I also know most of you well enough to know that I am not alone in this.  There is no shame in it- it is just the way we are.  I may be biased but think most people can relate.   We want to know what to expect and what our future looks like.  We plan vacations with the perfect itinerary.  We have 5 and 10 year plans for school, career, family, money and retirement.  We research, prepare, and execute.  We have it all worked out. 

But, then, life happens.  Situations change, plans fall through, other people don’t cooperate with these plans.  People get sick, storms happen, we win the lottery or lose a job, we don’t like these moments of flux because it reminds us that our sense of control is a delusion.   Being the control freak that I am, when I am not in control, I really want God to be. I want God to be predictable and to fall into my sense of understanding who God is.  But God’s idea of being in control doesn’t always make sense to me and I struggle to figure God out. 

On one hand, because I like to have a plan, I want God to have a steady and fixed plan too.  I want this especially when my own life seems out of control.  But on the other hand I want God to listen to my prayers, respond when I am in need.  When I see the chaos of the world around me I really want God to be flexible and do something to change the course of the world.    There are some people in this world who believe that God has a very strict plan that cannot and will not be altered.  They believe that the days of earth’s existence are numbered and even that God has planned out the number of each of our days.

They trust that God is all knowing and everywhere.  We don’t do anything without God’s permission and God already knows what we will say and do. They even believe that God already knows who is saved and who is damned.  They believe that God’s plan is in motion and we are just along for the ride.  They believe that we are kind of like Jonah- You can run but you can’t hide from God.  Like it or not you will do what God wants. 

You see, God had already called Jonah to go to Nineveh once and the first time he took off running for the hills.  He ran to the farthest place away from Nineveh he could find…. A port city on the coast of Israel.  Nineveh is thought to be near current day Iraq so this was no short distance, especially on foot or horseback.  Jonah was serious about getting away.  But God pursued Jonah and will not allow him to have a peaceful life until he submits to God’s will. 

I honestly don’t mind this perspective because it means God has a plan- I just need to figure out what it is and do it.  But is this really the way the world works?  Do we not have any say about our lives and our future?  Is our willingness to play along the only thing we have control over?

No!  I can’t believe that.  Too many other things happen in life to believe that.  Scripture tells us that even though God has the final say- we do have to contribute and we do have some control over our destiny. 

Consider our story today about Nineveh.  Jonah begs God to save him, concedes to God’s will and walks all the way back from current day Tel Aviv to Bagdad to perform his job as a prophet.  I imagine he does it a little begrudgingly too, tired from travel and still peeved at God for chasing him down and making him do this.  So, he walks 1/3 of the way into town, yells out once “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”  Then he turns around, walks out of town.  “Alright God,  I did what you told me to do, now I am going to go up here on the side of this little hill and watch as you do your thing-  This should be worth my trouble to watch you destroy this city.

But then the strangest thing happens.  Nineveh doesn’t respond the way Jonah expects with apathy and hostility.  In fact, people who don’t even know God actually respond to this crazy man screaming on the street corner.   They immediately begin to repent of their sins.  They take off their nice clothes and put away their rich foods and beg for mercy.  And God changes God’s mind.  

Wow!  How does this happen?  God is God and the God Jonah thought he knew wouldn’t change his mind.  God had a plan right? This seems like a lot of trouble if God knew they were going to change their ways anyway- why not just make them do what God wants without Jonah?  Why not just snap your fingers and fix Nineveh and let Jonah get his destiny at the bottom of the sea?  This all knowing, all seeing, in control of everything God changes his mind just because a people say they are sorry? 

Yes, that is exactly what happened--God is not a puppet master.  We aren’t simply characters in God’s eternity long screen play.   We have a say and we have control.  This isn’t the only time that God changes God’s mind.  God can be reasoned with- Moses convinces God to not destroy the Israelites after they built the golden calf to worship. Abraham pleads with God to not destroy any righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah and God relents allowing Lot and his family to escape. 

The New Testament tells us to pray, ask God for what we need and to be persistent in our prayers.  We know these stories- it is why we pray.  We believe that when we pray something happens, God hears, and God considers our needs.  We don’t always get what we think we want but we get a voice.  God gives us free will.  God has not written all the pages to the book of our lives. 

Nineveh knew that their destruction was well deserved.  God had every right to do as God pleased.  But, they felt the convicting grace of God on their hearts and not only one or two people but the whole city repented and turned their lives around.  In fact, the city was overthrown, not because of God’s wrath but because they accepted personal responsibility for their actions and begged God for mercy. 

The reason God relented and the reason God rescued Jonah from the raging storm is because God is a God of second chances.  Jonah got a second chance because in the depth of his despair he cried out to God and God heard his prayers.  Nineveh got a second chance because it cried out and God heard their prayers.  And God is ready and willing to give you a second chance too and for most of us we are asking God not for a second chance but a third or fourth or tenth chance.  It won’t always be fun. 

Jonah endured the troubled stormy waters of the sea and days of darkness and uncertainty.  Nineveh spent time in rough sackcloth and ashes, fasting and praying in fear and uncertainty if Jonah’s prophecy would come true.  Your opportunity for another chance may not be pleasant either but you will come out the other side better because of it. 

There is a balance of power between us and God.  We aren’t in control of everything but we are also not at the mercy of a God who is inflexible and unforgiving.  God is in control but we have a role to play.  We get to decide how we will respond to God and to the circumstances of the life that surrounds us.  We can seek to be in a relationship with God or not.  We can live through the troubles of life without the calming, loving and peaceful presence of God or we can wallow in our suffering.

But God always wants us to choose God.  God wants us to ask for another chance.  God is pursuing us, seeking to be in a relationship with us and is willing to go to the ends of the earth to bring us back to that relationship.  

What kind of second chance do you need? For what do we as individuals, as a church, as a community need to repent?  Are you willing to do what it takes to change your life around?  God is willing to do God’s part; offering you love and forgiveness many times over. 

Maybe you are being called to offer a second chance to someone else.  Maybe you see the circumstances of life that surround you and you are being called to help others begin again.  God is calling you to leave the fear and anxiety behind, accept a life full of the peace of Christ and share that with others.  Everyone deserves a second chance even Jonah, even Nineveh, even you. 

Rhythm of Life

Luke 2: 21-40     Rhythm of life

Life is full of ups and downs.  Like the rise and fall of ocean waves, life never seems to stand still.  As I read this passage I got that feeling for each of the people participating in this part of the story of the early days of Jesus’ life. 

Jesus was born under the least ideal conditions.  Joseph and the pregnant Mary had traveled 80 miles, from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the only place to rest and deliver the baby was among the foul smelling residents of the barn.  They must have felt really horrible in these immediate moments after his birth.  What kind of life can I offer this child if I can’t even manage to find a suitable place for him to be born?  

Their minds are full of the questions and insecurities many parents consider as they bring children into the world.  They won’t even be able to afford the traditional sacrifice of a Lamb at his dedication to God at the Temple.  They will only be able to offer the cheaper alternative of doves or pigeons.  What kind of life will we have?  This may have been an emotional low for them as they ponder a future as a family.

Then the shepherds came and reminded them of just how special this child is.  They may not have material blessings but they have been blessed beyond measure with a child that is special and destined for greatness.

Jesus is now 8 days old.  He is proving to be strong and healthy.   Mary has recovered well from the delivery and they are able to travel the 6 miles from Bethlehem to Jerusalem for his dedication and Mary’s ritual cleansing. 

The words of the shepherds have reminded them of the message of the angel they saw 9 months earlier; that this child is God’s and name him according to the angel’s instruction.   Things are beginning to look up.

Then in walks Simeon.  He isn’t a priest.  He is just an ordinary man who is faithful to God.  He has watched as the Roman government has occupied his homeland and hijacked his faith. 

He sits near the temple observing how it seems people are becoming less and less committed to their faith and to God.  People aren’t coming to worship like they used to.  People aren’t performing the religious rituals anymore.  His world seems to be falling apart around him.  He struggles to find hope in his circumstances. 

Then the Holy Spirit rests on him and tells him he has not lived his life in vein.  He will be rewarded for his dedication to his faith and to God.  The Holy Spirit tells him that he can have hope because the messiah has come.  Even though he is getting old, he will not die without hope. 

So, he too joins the rising of joy in the life of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.  But in the midst of his exuberant prophecy about the greatness of Jesus we again sense the rise and fall of the rhythm of life.  

Jesus will be a savior to many but will also be opposed by many.  He will bring light to the darkness but there will be those who don’t want light to shine on the darkness of their hearts.  Jesus is destined for greatness but also for pain and heartache.  And despite the joy of the moment he reminds Mary that there will come a time when her heart will break too. 

We see this same pattern in Anna’s life too.  At one point in her life, all seemed to be going as planned.  She had married as a young woman, just as she should.  But life quickly fell apart.  She was not only unable to conceive a child but she became a widow only 7 years after her marriage.  With no son and no husband, her future became bleak.  Her only real option then was to work for the temple. 

She cooked and cleaned, hosted and welcomed people to the temple, helped care for the worshipers and offered hospitality to all who came.  She dedicated her life to God fasting and praying night and day, reliant on the generosity of the worshipers and dependent on their tithes and sacrifices for her support. 

It wasn’t an easy life for Anna.  But she is rewarded for her dedication.  After probably 60 years of dedication and service her prayers for a messiah have been answered.  She sees for herself the face of her Lord.  She is so overjoyed with this revelation from God that she can’t contain her excitement.  She tells everyone she sees about the redemption of Jerusalem. 

Christmas season always reminds me of this rhythm of life too.  The joy of decorating comes to an end and the tree and all the lights need to come down.  We spend so much time, energy and money on shopping for just the right gift and wrapping it perfectly with no torn edges and perfect bows only to have them ripped open in seconds and put aside in moments as people eagerly await their next gift or place their gifts on a shelf. 

There is joy in spending time with family and friends; the laughter of children, reminiscing, sharing meals and old stories, catching up and getting updates about the lives of those whom we care so deeply.  

It is a special part of the holiday season.  But then, the dinner is over, wrapping paper to be recycled, dishes to wash and the house now sits empty and quiet all over again. 

The memories flood in of Christmases past, old traditions no longer celebrated, loved ones who are unable to be there this year; those who have died or distanced themselves from the family.  The worries of paying the credit card bills begin again and all the concerns that had been buried under the noise of the holiday find their way back to the surface.

It is the up and down, rise and fall of the rhythm of life.  We know that there will be joy and there will be sorrow, it is all a part of life.  It is what gives us hope when times are difficult and causes us to live cautiously when times are good. 

But our scripture today and the life of Jesus reminds us that we actually have it backwards.  Our scripture states that the rhythm we experience is not the rise and fall but is instead the fall and rise.  We have it backwards.

 Mary and Joseph may have had their low moments but this moment ends with Joy.  Simeon may have felt despair as he saw the world has he knew it crumble around him but he exclaims that because of Jesus, he can die in peace.  Anna may have been depressed because her life didn’t turn out the way she had envisioned as a youth but because of Jesus, she has found joy in her old age. 

Even Jesus himself will face the waves of life the lows and highs but we know that not even the low of the cross, the excruciating death he will face will be the end of his story or ours. 

Through Jesus, Simeon, Anna, and all the saints that go before us, we know that even in the darkest moments, there is light.  Even the loneliest nights will be followed by day.  Even when we fall we believe in a God who will raise us up.  When we hit rock bottom we know of the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Christ.  Even in death we find life. 

The rhythm of life is not the rise and fall but the fall and rise.  The lows will always be followed by the highs.  Life is not ruled by Newton’s law of gravity, and the idea that what goes up must come down.  But instead is ruled by the law of the Lord and the forces of love, peace, compassion, and Jesus Christ who risked participating in our ebb and flow to prove God’s love for us so that we might find hope and joy in spite of the challenges we face.  Jesus is not just an example of a life for us to imitate.  He is life and through him we can see the hope and promise of a future better than we can ever imagine and this allows us to experience joy in the face of all life’s circumstances.

For this we give thanks at Christmas and always:  Christ was born, Christ died, but Christ rose again so that we may have life and a hope that this is not the end of our story.   

be moved

Mark 1:4-11

John seems to appear out of nowhere in Mark.  There is no sweet story of Elizabeth and no introduction of who this person is.  He just appears in the wilderness.  Preaching to anyone and everyone who will listen and it seems people were responding. 

Our scripture says: all of Judea and Jerusalem were there.  Now I am sure this is an exaggeration to some extent but he was getting enough attention that the other gospels tell us that Herod has him arrested and killed. 

People are desperate for an answer to their problems.  John stands in the wilderness.  In the middle of the same river their ancestors crossed to reach the Promised Land.  But time has changed all that.  What once was serene countryside flowing with milk and honey is now a bustling city surrounded by poor peasants trying to make ends meet. 

It is dirty and dusty, and the freedom they anticipated has been co-opted by Roman soldiers.  They are forced to pay taxes to Creaser and the tax collectors often took advantage of them, forcing them to pay more than they really owed.  The Roman guards are taking their cut too- taking bribes and harassing people in the streets just for the fun of it.    This was not the paradise they envisioned.

The world we live in isn’t exactly what people envisioned either.  Where is the easy life the people at the turn of the 20^th century imagined we’d accomplish by now?  We don’t have robot maids to clean our homes, personal helicopters to take us to work, or food in pill form.  While many of what was predicted has come true like frozen dinners and microwaves life isn’t the dream land many envisioned. 

Instead we are facing our own wilderness in many ways- fears of the future invade our thoughts: planes disappear without warning, race riots break out in the streets while people of color and police alike fear for their lives.  Newspapers and marathon runners are targets of religious zealots. Children often don’t even feel safe at school.  This is not the promised land we imagined. 

But here John is, standing in the in between- standing between the past, the wilderness and our future and our hope.  John reminds us that the promises of God, unlike the promises and predictions of man, are steadfast and true. 

John is offering the world a reminder that there are second chances.  There is repentance and forgiveness.   There is an opportunity to be right with God.  With God’s help we can turn our lives around, we can leave our old lives behind and seek a new life with Christ.  There is reason to hope and yet this future isn’t exactly what it seems.

Jesus enters the picture and we see this beautiful image of promise.  Jesus rises up out of the waters of baptism and he is greeted by the heavens opening, the dove lighting on his shoulder and the gentle voice of God saying “You are my son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness!”  We have imagined this moment to be so perfectly serene, artists have painted it and maybe that is exactly what those who were there saw that day? 

We like this sweet image of Jesus at his baptism because we want our experiences of the Holy Spirit to be the same.  We want baptism to be this awe inspiring, up lifting and joyous occasion.  We want to have our sins forgiven, our slate wiped clean and all the negative things we have thought and done to be washed away. 

We believe that the baptism of Jesus and our baptism binds us with God and that God claims us as God’s children just as God claimed Jesus that day in the Jordan River.  We want to be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and rest in the promises of God.  We want the beauty of this moment to fill our lives and last forever so that we can live in joyous harmony as a friend of Jesus and a child of God.

(turn) But, is this vision really what Jesus saw and felt?  The heavens were split open, torn, separated in an instant.  It isn’t slow and gradual like a cloud passing in the sky- it is fast and furious!  The voice of God in the Old Testament was always booming and awe inspiring; forcing people to turn away.

The spirit came flying down on him bringing the message of God; like a dove swooping down to grasp a morsel of food than gently floating down from the heavens!  More like a roar of thunder and a clap of lightening than the sweet sunny beautiful day the artists envision. 

This seems more likely because as soon as the voice of God ends- Mark tells us the spirit forced Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. This doesn’t sound so peaceful and sweet to me! 

When the Spirit comes upon you it is impossible to stay where you are.  Even Jesus is forced to move to enter into a life of service and ministry.  We don’t know much about the life of Jesus up until this point other than his birth and that he is growing in wisdom and favor but after this- there is no denying that Jesus has a mission and this is only the beginning.  As soon as he is baptized his life is changed forever!

No longer is he just the son of a carpenter but he is the son of God!  No longer is he learning at the feet of Rabbis and helping Joseph build things, he is now the teacher and he will be tearing down the earthly kingdom and rebuilding God’s kingdom! 

This is not a cushy promotion… Yes he will be the light of the world.  He will show love to those who have never experienced his type of unconditional love.  Yes, he will heal the broken hearted and sick.  Yes, he will show us a life like we have never seen before. 

But, it isn’t that the baptism of Jesus puts an end to the wilderness.  Instead, Jesus enters the wilderness. He will be tempted by Satan, rejected by his own community, chased out of church, chastised for loving those in need, forced to live off the generosity of a few dedicated people, followed by throngs of people yet only able to trust a few-----

He will be betrayed and denied by his best friends, put on trial by those religious leaders who should have recognized him, sentenced by a hasty and unjust mob and murdered in a gruesome, humiliating and painful way.   This was what followed the baptism of Jesus: the highs and lows of being in ministry for God and this is what our baptism is all about too. 

We say we want to be like Jesus but this is what it means to be like Jesus; to be a child of God.  It means we don’t take refuge from the wilderness.  We follow Christ into the wilderness. It means we love the lost, even if it means we get taken advantage of.  It means we trust, even when we know we could be betrayed.  It means we give everything we have, not just our extras to those who have nothing.  It means loving God with not just our minds but our whole body, our whole heart and all our strength.  It isn’t about what is in it for us.  Jesus didn’t just accept his title of the Son of God and go home- back to life as he knew it.  God announced that Jesus was already loved and the happiness of God before he ever did anything.  Jesus and God were good- but the Holy Spirit motivated and moved Jesus and Jesus refused to let his relationship with God be enough. 

The Holy Spirit called, forced Jesus to go and do what needed to be done for us to truly share in this brotherhood and fellowship with Christ.  Baptism was only the beginning. 

John tells us that Jesus will baptize us in the Holy Spirit but in Acts the Holy Spirit is seen as flames of fire!  Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is not just a beautiful moment between you and God.  It is not just recognition that you are a child of God.  It isn’t just membership into the family of believers.  It isn’t just God forgiving you of your sins.

It is this but it is also the beginning of your ministry.  It is the acknowledgement that you are part of a family that is bigger than just you or even this church.  It is a promise to seek the welfare of others before you look out for your own best interest.  It means loving until it hurts. 

It is allowing the fire of the Holy Spirit to move you into places that might be uncomfortable.  It is about moving outside of our comfort zone so that we can do the ministry of Jesus.  It is about being the hands and feet of Jesus even when our own feet are tired and our hands are blistered. 

Is that what you really want?  Is that what you intended at your baptism; to experience the holy movement of the Spirit?  Are you willing to follow where the Holy Spirit is leading you?  Is this church willing to follow in the footsteps of Christ and put the baptisms of the people here into action? 

This isn’t a question I can answer for you.  The Holy Spirit moves in each of us in different ways and it is up to us to listen and respond in faith.  We as Christians profess to put our faith, hope and trust in God but are we willing to live into that? 

I ask you this morning to begin praying about what the Holy Spirit is leading you and this church to be.  How is God leading you to introduce others to Christ?  How is God calling you to make a difference in this community or in this world? 

Jesus was never alone as he lived into his baptism.  Although he went to scary places and faced frightening obstacles he knew he was never in this by himself.  He had the encouragement of his disciples, the support of people who loved him and were willing to follow him.  He had his relationship with God that allowed him to see each new day no matter the challenges and he had the hope of a future kingdom not yet seen on this earth. 

God promises to provide us with the same as we live into our baptisms.  We have the support and encouragement of our local church and our denomination that will help us follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  We are surrounded by people who love us and who want to go with us on our journey.  And we have our relationship with Jesus who has been there, knows our hearts, our gifts and our struggles and is willing to walk beside and go with us as we follow wherever the Spirit leads. 

How is the Holy Spirit is leading you to express your faith, hope and love for Jesus and the world through your actions?  Allow yourself to be overcome and washed with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and allow it to lead you in new and exciting directions.  

the journey with

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 

There is no denying the fact that we live in an instant gratification, results oriented society.  Our stomach grumbles so we must eat now!  This is why there is a fast food restaurant on nearly every corner.   We get upset when politicians take too long to keep their campaign promises.  What do you mean you haven’t solved all the world’s problems in your first six months in office? What are we paying you for anyway?   We fall victim to get rich quick schemes because we want our money to grow faster so we can retire early.   We take diet pills and drink really horrible smoothies that taste like dirt so that we can lose weight faster.   And if we don’t lose 10 pounds in the first week we are off to some other fad diet.  We live in a world where we want what we want, we want it now and we don’t really want to have to work to get it.  Or maybe we have worked really hard at our jobs, at church or with our families and we get frustrated when things don’t turn out the way we expect or get the appreciation we think we deserve.  What do you mean I have worked this hard and now I have been over looked for a promotion?  I did all this work, and no one even said a measly thank you! It’s not fair!

The church doesn’t escape this part of our culture.  Often times, we only want to do things if we think it will get measurable results like an instant boost in attendance, membership and giving.  We have charities we support but we want to see pictures and hear stories of how they use our money.  We give our time, energy and money but when we don’t see instant results we begin to question…what’s the point?   We want to know how our actions will have an impact.  It is a natural thing to feel this way. 

I know I get frustrated sometimes when I show up for a mission event and they don’t have something specific planned for me to do.  I want to be able to see the results of my efforts as much as anybody else.  Even when I know the point is to just be present with someone I feel like I should be doing something- what can I do to help?  Can I bring you dinner?  Can I help clean your house?  Even prayer sometimes turns into something I can “do” for someone else.   We don’t feel right if we aren't busy and getting results- even if that result is just a thank you or a smile.

Knowing that we live in a culture and a church that feels this way and encourages us to feel this way and knowing that it is easy for me to get caught up in this I was a little put aback to read our scripture for today. 

God sends Moses to the highest peak in the mountains between the wilderness and the Promised Land.  It is a sight for sore eyes!  You can almost imagine what Moses saw. The barren land behind him where they had to depend on God for every meal and in front of him lush green valleys full of date trees, olive trees, pomegranates, Almonds,   grapes… my mouth waters just thinking about it.  Instead of dry parched land he sees rivers and the Mediterranean Sea in the distance.  He is standing on a mountain in what is now modern day Jordan and is able to see every mile of what we now know of as Israel.  He can see a whole country from his vantage point- his country for his nation!   This is perfection; the land flowing with milk and honey.  Then God says the kicker… Thanks for getting our people here but you can’t have it. 

What do you mean I can’t go in?  I would be so angry at God if I were Moses.  I would think…I have worked so hard to get these complaining, aggravating and rough necked people here and now you’re telling me I can’t actually go in? I have spent 120 years following you and doing what you tell me to do and now my pay check’s going to bounce?  This isn’t fair!   I just want to taste one grape, one drop of honey then I will know that it has all been worth it. 

But this isn’t a surprise to Moses.  If I had remembered what came before I wouldn’t have been surprised either.  Moses is told 40 years earlier that he will never enter the Promised Land.  If you remember, they had already arrived at this place once, 40 years earlier.  They sent in spies to scope out the land and yet they didn’t trust God enough to deliver them so God sends the Israelite people back into the wilderness for 40 more years.  Moses knew all along that he would never taste the honey, never walk on lush green pastures, never swim in the rivers of the Promised Land and yet he continued to lead the people of God anyway.   Maybe he thought God would change his mind.  Maybe he thought if I lead them well enough, if I don’t mess up any more, if they start doing what God wants then I will be allowed in.  Maybe Moses was thinking this but I think Moses probably understood what we struggle so hard to comprehend… it isn’t about the results it is about the journey,  it is about following God, loving people, and living into the life that God has so graciously given us. 

This is not an easy thing to understand.  When we go to the local soup kitchen to serve dinner for example… it isn’t about serving dinner.  Yes, it is about providing a service to people who are hungry but it is more than that.  It is about spending time with people who may never feel valued and all of a sudden they see your love for them and Christ in your presence and that you genuinely care about them and recognize that they are valued then their world is changed.  We may not see it.  We may fuss because it is the same people coming in day after day, year after year.  We may think- what’s good does this really do if they still need these services? Their life situation may not have changed but being loved despite their life conditions is heart and soul changing…Sending pencils to students or thank you notes to teachers at the Elementary school may not result in visitors in our church.  We may never even know if they get them but the simple act of freely and unselfishly doing something kind and loving changes not only the receiver of the gift but the giver as well.  

When I go to Venezuela, there are days when I “do” stuff like paint in the clinic or take them things that they cannot find in the stores like Ibuprofen and laundry detergent and yes, I can look at those things and say… look at all the good we did… but I often find that the ministry really happens in the car on the way to the children’s home, at the lunch table or while trying to learn Spanish and teach English with my new friends.  This is when real ministry happens- I may never see some of them again but in our time I saw Christ in their lives and I hope and pray they saw Christ in mine. 

I imagine Moses did cry out “It’s not fair” to God and when that didn’t work, maybe he then tried to use the dependence card.  Lord, you know how easily distracted they are.  We both know they are going to struggle when they get to the Promised Land.  They need me Lord!  How will they ever survive without me? But this wasn’t going to work either.  At some point Moses had to learn to trust God and trust the Israelite people to use what they had learned.  Joshua was going to be their leader now and no, he was no Moses but it was time for new leadership in a new world and time to trust that God will go with them even when Moses can’t.  Maybe they would squander all that Moses felt like he had created.  Maybe they would waste all the gifts God was giving them in this new paradise.  Maybe they would but maybe it was time to let them do it own their own anyway. 

Our missionary and I talked recently about how to gauge whether or not we had made an impact on the lives of people we meet on mission trips or even while serving in our own community.  Sometimes it is easy- we see a ditch that has been dug, a wall that has been built or cans of food donated.  But often times we are simply planting seeds.  Burying the love of Christ deep in a person’s soul for someone else to water and God to harvest at a much later date. 

Sometimes people resent the fact that what we build doesn’t get used in the way it was intend to be used or we feel that the gift is being abused or the giver taken advantage of and for some that is extremely frustrating.  But our job as Christians, as peopling caring for God’s people is not to dictate their faith or how they use the gifts they have been given but to simply give the gift.  And there is joy in the giving, just knowing that you have shared God’s love with someone else.  Moses is the ultimate missionary.  He spent his life proclaiming the word and will of God to people desperate to know God better.  He spent years walking beside them, going through the wilderness with them, teaching, guiding, shaping and loving a people who at times didn’t really want his kind of love.  But because he walked those 40 years just like they did; He was hungry when they were hungry, thirsty when they were thirsty and tired when they were tired, he could understand their misery.  He walked alongside those he intended to help showing love and compassion not only in the easy times when manna and quail were plentiful but when the desert sun dried their throats and their feet became blistered on the sun scorched earth.  And when it was time for his life to end, he put his faith in God that the work he had begun would be continued through Joshua in new ways he may have never imagined. 

God is not calling us to a check list of obligations that need to be accomplished.  God is calling us to a lifelong commitment to be his missionaries in this world- to walk with those who desperately need a relationship with Christ.  Not just to show up and offer assistance and doing thing for “those people” but to live, work and play with them; building relationships with people whose only contact with Christ may be through you and who need to know they are loved by Christ as much as we do.   

Like Moses there may never be a tangible reward for this life of ministry but the joy comes in serving, in knowing you are living life the way God intended for you to live it, and trusting that God can do amazing things in and through us if only we are willing.