Preacher Steve's Soapbox

January 8 - February 26 at Union Chapel

2012-01-03T11:45:00.001-05:00

An eight week survey of the eight major branches of Christianity:

Orthodoxy
Roman Catholicism
Lutheranism
Presbyterianism
Anglicanism
Baptists
Pentecostalism
Methodism

Sunday, December 11

2011-12-08T11:57:00.000-05:00

9:00 Service:

St. Nicholas - The First Super Hero
Bring the kids!

11:00

Christmas Cantata

November Sermons

2011-10-25T10:48:00.000-04:00

November 6: All Saints - Special Presentation by Judy Kesselman

November 13: Veterans' Day

November 20: Thanksgiving

October Sermon Series

2011-09-29T14:12:00.002-04:00

October 9, 2011 - When Dreams Become Nightmares

October 16, 2011 - Wisdom and Finances

October 23, 2011 - Cultivating Contentment and Simplicity

October 30, 2011 - Consecration Sunday

October 2: "Forward in Faith"

2011-09-29T14:09:00.001-04:00

Join us for Homecoming as we salute the past and look forward to the next decade!

Three Simple Rules

2011-09-08T16:13:00.000-04:00

Sept. 11    Do No Harm
Sept. 18      Do Good
Sept. 25      Stay in Love With God

A Wise Man Once Said...

2011-08-09T10:14:00.000-04:00

August 14 The Beginning of Wisdom

August 21 Wisdom and Friendship

August 28 Wisdom at Work

Sept. 4 Wisdom at Home

What happens when we die?

2011-05-14T21:06:00.000-04:00

Today, we’re starting a new, short sermon series called, “What happens when we die?” Today, we’re going to be talking about the Christian understanding of eternal life. Next week, we’re going to talk about heaven, hell, and divine judgment. Two weeks from now, Marcia Roberson will speak to us about how to survive death… by that I mean: how to survive the loss of someone close to you.

Palm Sunday - When the Cheering Stopped

2011-04-16T14:42:00.000-04:00

Throughout the season of Lent, we’ve been taking a walk through the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life. We started with the Last Supper, and when we finished up last week, we were just at the point where Jesus was about to be crucified. We’ll pick that story up at the service on Thursday night. Today, we’re going backward. The Last Supper was on a Thursday night. We’re moving back five days to Palm Sunday, which was at the beginning of that week.

Jesus had spent Saturday night in Jericho. They got up early that morning and set out for Jerusalem. It was a sixteen mile hike over rough terrain, so it took them a good six hours to get there. When they arrived, Jesus hopped onto a donkey and rode into the city while mobs of people waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” It sounded just like the scene that the prophet Zechariah described when he said:
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,

The people were hoping that Jesus would be their Messiah... a new king who would drive the Roman occupation force out of Israel and restore the independent monarchy. They were shouting Hosanna, which means, “Save us now!”

What happened?!

The Torture of the King

2011-04-09T13:23:00.002-04:00

This is the fifth week in our Lenten sermon series, 24 Hours that Changed the World. Every week, we’ve begun with a recap of what Jesus had done thus far in the series of events. But this week, I want to begin with a recap of what everybody else had done thus far.

It all began when Judas Iscariot went to the Chief Priest of the Temple and offered to sell him the information they needed to arrest Jesus when no one else was around. Then, Judas went to the last supper and, having betrayed Jesus, sat in the seat of honor at the dinner table. That night, Peter promised that he would never betray Jesus, but he was lying to himself. When Jesus was arrested, all of the disciples fled. Peter followed at a distance, but lied about who he was when people recognized him as one of Jesus followers. The Sanhedrin held a kangaroo court for the purpose of convicting Jesus of blasphemy. Some of the council members disagreed, but they kept their mouths shut out of fear. Jesus was then taken to Pilate, the Roman governor, and charged with treason. Pilate didn’t want to crucify Jesus, but he was a careerist and wanted to keep the peace more than he wanted to preserve justice. So he deferred to the crowd, and the crowd wanted Jesus’ blood.

That’s where we pick up the story today. Jesus was flogged, mocked, and sent to the cross. That one sentence sums up the entire lesson. Jesus was flogged, mocked, and sent to the cross. It sounds like very little content. But if you know what those few words mean, you know that it’s an awful lot of content.

Lent is a dark season in the life of the Church, and the mood in Lent is intentionally somber. That’s because the purpose of Lent, and the purpose of these sermons, is to help us recognize the sin in ourselves, and to move our hearts to repentance. That’s why we keep coming back to trying to see ourselves in the story. This week, we’re entering into the darkest, most grim part of that story. This Sunday, and on Holy Thursday, our focus will be on the torture of the King of Kings.

Jesus, Pilate, and Barabbas

2011-03-31T10:04:00.000-04:00

This week, I will be preaching on Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. First, we will talk about the personalities of the three men at the center of the story. Then we will talk about the decisions we make today, and how that affects the way our leaders behave. Our focus scripture will be:

Mark 15:1-15 (NIV)

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.

“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”

But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.

“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.

“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.

“Crucify him!” they shouted.

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Courtroom and the Courtyard

2011-03-26T13:33:00.000-04:00

This week, I will be preaching on Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin. Jesus was killed because those in power were afraid of him. We will take a look at the people involved and the various reasons why they were scared. Then we will take a look at ourselves and how we behave when we're fearful.

Courage is not the absence of fear. The absence of fear is stupidity. Courage is the willingness to do the right thing even when we're terrified.

Our focus scripture will be:

Mark 14:53, 55, 61-68, 70-72 (NRSV)

They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled… Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death… The high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

Jesus said, “I am; and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?” All of them condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” The guards also took him over and beat him.

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, “You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.” But he denied it, saying, “I do not know or understand what you are talking about.”

After a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.” But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, “I do not know this man you are talking about.” At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Betrayal in the Garden (belated... again)

2011-03-26T13:28:00.000-04:00

My posts have been behind schedule lately, and I apologize for that. I'm preparing to move to a new appointment, and my life is very busy at the moment.

Last week, I preached about the way Jesus was tested by the Devil in the Garden at Gethsemane, where he prayed after the last supper. Being not only fully God, but also fully human, Jesus did not want to suffer. So he prayed an honest prayer that should serve as a model for our prayers today: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but thy will be done."

Our focus scripture was:

Luke 22:39-46 (CEV)

Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as he often did, and his disciples went with him.

When they got there, he told them, “Pray that you won't be tested.”

Jesus walked on a little way before he knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you will, please don't make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want.” Then an angel from heaven came to help him. Jesus was in great pain and prayed so sincerely that his sweat fell to the ground like drops of blood. Jesus got up from praying and went over to his disciples. They were asleep and worn out from being so sad. He said to them, “Why are you asleep? Wake up and pray that you won't be tested.”

24 Hours That Changed The World - The Last Supper (belated)

2011-03-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

I know this is late - I've already preached the sermon - but I can't stand having an incomplete sermon set posted on my blog. Here it is belated:

On March 13, I preached on the last supper. Jesus used the event to transform, for Christians, the Passover Seder into the Lord's Supper. The Passover Seder is a ritualistic meal that enables every generation of Jews to experience freedom from slavery and bondage. The Lord's Supper is a ritualistic meal that allows every generation of Christians to experience freedom from slavery to sin and death.

Our focus scripture was:

1 Corinthians 11:23b-26 (NIV)

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

The Life of a Circuit-Rider

2011-03-05T12:34:00.000-05:00

This week I will be preaching on the only thing I can think about right now: My upcoming transition. I will be leaving Walkersville UMC for a new appointment this summer, and this week I'm going to preach on the itinerant nature of Methodist ministry.

My focus will not just be on the life of itinerant pastors (although that will dominate it), but also on the way all Christians are called to "move on" in life. The focus scripture will be:

Hebrews 11:8-9 (Contemporary English Version)

Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he left for a country he had never seen. Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the Promised Land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise.

Conversations With an Atheist: The Case for God

2011-02-19T16:16:00.000-05:00

People don’t choose to disbelieve in God so much as they choose to disbelieve in a certain image they have of God. They get those images from watching Christians. If people are repelled by what they believe God to be, we are at least partly to blame for that.

After a recap of what we’ve been talking about for the past six weeks, I'm going to briefly the describe the god that I don't believe in.

Then I'm going to explain the God I do believe in and the Church I've given my life to.

Our focus scripture will be 1 Peter 3:15-16 (CEV)

Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope. Give a kind and respectful answer and keep your conscience clear. This way you will make people ashamed for saying bad things about your good conduct as a follower of Christ.

Conversations with an Atheist: God and Suffering

2011-02-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Romans 8:28 (NIV ©1984)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If God is good, loving, and all-powerful, why do bad things happen to good people?

Some people believe that God is in control of everything that happens to everybody. They deal with this problem by denying that it happens: Either the people weren't really good, or the thing that happened wasn't really bad... it was God's will.

Other people believe that, if God exists at all, God simply isn't involved in life on earth.

Both of these are extreme positions and, as is usually the case with extreme positions, both are wrong. This Sunday, we'll talk about why they're both wrong, and look for a third option. I hope to see you then!

Super Church Sunday

2011-02-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

I will not be preaching this week, folks. Our sermon will be provided by former FSU Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden, courtesy of the "Get Choached!" video series by Victor One.

Coach Bowden will be talking about how his life and career have been guided by God, the Bible, and the Church.

I hope to see you all there!

Conversations With An Atheist: The Bible's Disturbing Passages

2011-01-27T14:09:00.000-05:00

In this week's sermon, I will be dealing with three obstacles to faith that many people wrestle with. All of these obstacles pertain to reading the Bible:

1. Factual errors and internal inconsistencies.
2. Acceptance of slavery and other abusive practices.
3. The perception that the Bible depicts a violent God.

In dealing with these topics, we will discuss what the Bible is, how the Bible should be read, and the nature of Divine inspiration.

Our focus scripture for the week will be:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NRSV)

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Conversations With An Atheist: "Just" War?

2011-01-21T12:07:00.000-05:00

This week, I will preach on the third topic in our series - religious wars and violence in the name of God. We will be discussing several questions that many of us have:

1. Does religion cause violence, or cure it?
2. Is the Bible a violent book?
3. Does the Bible depict a violent God?
4. The three most common philosophies of warfare:

a. Pacifism.
b. Militarism.
c. Just War Theory.

The bulk of our discussion will be a brief "history of violence" looking at how religion played, or didn't play, a role in the conflict.

Finally, we will look at some of the things the Bible has to say about violence. Our primary scripture lesson for the week will be:

Matthew 5:38-45 (Contemporary English Version)

You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.

You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong.

Conversations With an Atheist - When Religion Goes Bad

2011-01-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

This week, I will preach the second sermon in the series: "When Religion Goes Bad." I'm sure that everyone has had at least one really negative experience in a church. I know I have! This week we're going to talk about hypocrisy, church scandals, and all of the things that can give Christianity a bad name.

Many, but not all, of these incidents fall under the general category of "abuse of power." That particular sin obviously exists wherever there is power... not just in the church. But the church, especially the United Methodist Church, has ways of dealing with bad behavior that many other groups lack.

Our focus scripture will be:

Matthew 5:13-16 (Contemporary English Version)

You are like salt for everyone on earth. But if salt no longer tastes like salt, how can it make food salty? All it is good for is to be thrown out and walked on.

You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lamp stand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

Conversations With an Atheist - Religion and Science

2011-01-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

I made a New Year's resolution: Keep up with the blog this year!

This Sunday, I will begin a new sermon series, loosely based on Adam Hamilton's popular sermon series: "Conversations With an Atheist."

This sermon series is designed to engage people who struggle with either believe in God or with supporting organized religion. Obstacles to faith that we will be discussing over the course of the series are:

1. The scientific worldview vs. the religious worldview.
2. Religious scandals and other negative experiences people have in church.
3. The relationship between religion and violence.
4. The Bible's disturbing passages.
5. God and suffering.
6. The case for God.

This week, I will give a brief overview of the series, and will then focus on the first topic.

I know that the people who follow this blog are not part of the target audience of the sermon series. Nor is most of the church. However, we ALL know people who struggle with these issues. It is my hope that some of these people will be invited to church for this series. It is also my hope the series will equip everyone for better, deeper conversations with these people.

This week's scripture lesson is:

Acts 17:24-28 (Contemporary English Version)

This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be.

God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are.

A Review of "The Shack" by William P. Young

2010-08-26T22:49:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that I definitely recommend reading the book because it’s a great conversation piece. But my overall review would have to be mixed. I think I’ve discerned five major points in The Shack that Young wants to make about God. Three of those points are very good, and two are seriously flawed.

I’ll start with the positives, which in my mind outweigh the negatives. The primary purpose of The Shack is to discuss how relationships within the Holy Trinity should model our personal relationships, and it succeeds in doing so. Young’s hero, Mack, responds to a personal invitation from God the Father, who goes by “Pappa,” to spend the weekend with him at the shack where Mack’s young daughter was murdered. Mack spends the weekend having long talks with Pappa, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, naturally, appears as a young Jewish man. The other two appear in various other human and quasi-human forms, while making clear that only Jesus is truly human. Mack learns a lot about himself, but also about the Triune God and the nature of sacred trust.

I have read a number of evangelical reviews of The Shack that take strong exception to Young’s view of the Trinity, calling it heresy. To put it bluntly, most of these critiques betray a shocking and pathetic ignorance of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the Nicene Creed, and the New Testament. Don’t get me wrong… Young’s imaginative portrayal is not perfect. I’ve never seen or read one that is. Nor would I attempt to write a better one. I could not.

Most Christians simply don’t think enough about the Trinity. Evangelicals tend to focus exclusively on Christ, charismatics on the Spirit, and liberals on a loosely understood “parent-God.” However, the Bible makes it clear that when Jesus prays, he’s not talking to himself like a lunatic. Jesus and the Father are having a true conversation, and yet both are God. Then, the Holy Spirit is poured out, which is also God. Taking this Triune God seriously is not Tritheism, as the critics claim.

The second point Young makes is on the nature of evil and how it works in with God’s plan. Young’s understanding of evil matches mine very closely. Since I’ve preached on this several times, I’ll try to be brief here. God neither causes nor wills neither sin nor evil. However, by giving us freedom to love or not love, God has self-imposed limits on the degree to which he can stay our hands. The Miracle of redemption is God’s power to use our sins to fulfill his purposes.

This leads to Young’s final good point: Our sin is the result of our fierce independence, which is a form of self-idolatry. We each want to be our own god, yet we blame God when this leads to chaos.

Thus far, this is all very good stuff. But Young also makes two serious errors. One was the topic of last week’s sermon. Young makes the argument that religion is about rules, and rules are bad. Christianity, on the other hand, is about the relationships people have with each other and with God. Relationships are good. But rules hurt relationships. Therefore Christianity is not a religion. It’s something else… something better.

I believe that Young has taken this position for two reasons. One is that Young has clearly misunderstood both Jesus and Paul. The other is that Young has been wounded by people with religious authority who use rules as weapons. But religion, and Christianity is a religion, is full of rules. Those rules were given to us by God. God did not consider them to be a necessary evil. The Bible says that God’s law is a blessing.

The only problem Jesus and Paul had with the Law, if you could call it a problem, is that the Law, in and of itself, does not hold the power of salvation. Following the list of “don’ts” will not save us from evil. Rules are a part of our faith, but they are not the entirety of our faith. The Law of God prevents us from doing harm so that loving relationships can be possible.

Finally, Young claims that the Church is just another human institution and, therefore, just as broken as any other human institution. He even goes so far as to say that the Church is a human invention. To make that claim, you have to ignore parts of Matthew, the whole book of Acts, and most of the Epistles. As broken as the Church is, Jesus did indeed invent it and charge it with acting on his behalf.

Young’s disillusionment with the institutional church is not just a sideline in the book… it’s a theme that runs throughout. The hero, Mack, is a seminary graduate. Yet Mack repeatedly makes the claim that everything he learns in the shack is a shocking revelation that never would have been discussed in Sunday School. Really? Hmm.

While Young’s images are creative and the plot is original, there is positively nothing new about the ideas he puts forward. It would be tempting to say that Young is simply ignorant of what seminarians actually study. However, Young holds a degree from a Bible College, so I can’t say that. Unless…

Young is writing from the perspective of a former fundamentalist in the independent church tradition. His Biblical education was done in that setting. Based on the comments the book makes on churches, combined with the theologically naïve but vitriolic public response by some independent pastors, I have to wonder: What on earth is going on in these independent churches? I think it’s very telling that, since The Shack was published, William P. Young has stopped attending church altogether. He says that churches don’t know how to handle wounded people. That’s sad. I thought that was why we were here.

Good Samaritan & ASP

2010-07-07T20:02:00.001-04:00

This week, the gospel lesson is the story of the Good Samaritan.

Luke 10:25–37

An expert in the Law of Moses stood up and asked Jesus a question to see what he would say. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to have eternal life?”

Jesus answered, “What is written in the Scriptures? How do you understand them?”

The man replied, “The Scriptures say, `Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’ They also say, `Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’”

Jesus said, “You have given the right answer. If you do this, you will have eternal life.”

But the man wanted to show that he knew what he was talking about. So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbors?”

Jesus replied:
As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side. A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.” Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbor to the man who was beaten up by robbers?”

The teacher answered, “The one who showed pity.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same!”

Reflections:

This week, we will be commissioning our mission team for the Appalachia Service Project. The last week in July, about 50 members of our church, mostly youth, will be repairing houses in Hancock County, Tennessee. When paired with our gospel lesson, the question that comes to the front of our minds is the same one that the Pharisee asked: "Who is my neighbor."

I know I harp on this a lot, but studies show two persistent patterns in American religiosity:

1. Active Christians sin just as much as everybody else.
2. Active Christians are far more philanthropic than anybody else.

Why is #2 true? I can think of two reasons, the first of which has also been proven statistically:

1. Christians believe the poor and the suffering are their personal responsibility, while secular people believe that they are the government's responsibility, if anyone is responsible at all.
2. Christians are being transformed by Christ, and that transformation is a transformation of love.

Missions are, or should be, an expression of love for others. How does this conviction affect the way Christians relate to other people... both locally and across the rest of the world?

Marriage Celebration

2010-06-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

This week, we will be celebrating marriages in church. I've asked married couples to e-mail me and tell me:
1. Where & when you were married.
2. Your secret to a happy marriage.
3. You list of "never do this..."

The basis of the Christian doctrine of marriage is Genesis 2:7-8 & 18-25 -

The Lord God took a handful of soil and made a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing. The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.

The Lord God said, "It isn't good for the man to live alone. I need to make a suitable partner for him." So the Lord took some soil and made animals and birds…. None of these was the right kind of partner for the man. So the Lord God made him fall into a deep sleep, and he took out one of the man's ribs. Then after closing the man's side, the Lord made a woman out of the rib.

The Lord God brought her to the man, and the man exclaimed, "Here is someone like me! She is part of my body, my own flesh and bones. She came from me, a man. So I will name her Woman!”

That’s why a man will leave his own father and mother. He marries a woman, and the two of them become like one person. Although the man and his wife were both naked, they were not ashamed.

What does this mean to you?

Father's Day and the Still Small Voice

2010-06-16T13:05:00.000-04:00

Opening Thoughts:

This Sunday is Father's Day, and the lectionary reading is the story of Elijah hearing the still, small voice of God. I've been asking myself what, if anything, this piece of scripture has to do with fatherhood. The first thought that came to mind was this: Around dinner time each night, I enter a mood in which "still small voices" are the only kind of voices I want to hear. Don't get me wrong... I love the action and adventure of raising four kids. But at a certain point in the evening, usually between six and seven, I've had enough chaos. I don't exactly want quiet. I just want calm. Soothing words. Loving words. Comforting, encouraging words.

However, when Elijah heard the still small voice of God, it was none of those things:

1 Kings 19:1–15a

Ahab told his wife Jezebel what Elijah had done and that he had killed the prophets. She sent a message to Elijah: “You killed my prophets. Now I’m going to kill you! I pray that the gods will punish me even more severely if I don’t do it by this time tomorrow.”

Elijah was afraid when he got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there, then walked another whole day into the desert. Finally, he came to a large bush and sat down in its shade. He begged the Lord, “I’ve had enough. Just let me die! I’m no better off than my ancestors.” Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep.

Suddenly an angel woke him up and said, “Get up and eat.” Elijah looked around, and by his head was a jar of water and some baked bread. He sat up, ate and drank, then lay down and went back to sleep.

Soon the Lord’s angel woke him again and said, “Get up and eat, or else you’ll get too tired to travel.” So Elijah sat up and ate and drank.

The food and water made him strong enough to walk forty more days. At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, and he spent the night there in a cave. While Elijah was on Mount Sinai, the Lord asked, “Elijah, why are you here?”

He answered, “Lord God All-Powerful, I’ve always done my best to obey you. But your people have broken their solemn promise to you. They have torn down your altars and killed all your prophets, except me. And now they are even trying to kill me!”

“Go out and stand on the mountain,” the Lord replied. “I want you to see me when I pass by.” All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks. But the Lord was not in the wind. Next, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

Finally, there was a gentle breeze, and when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. The Lord asked, “Elijah, why are you here?” Elijah answered, “Lord God All-Powerful, I’ve always done my best to obey you. But your people have broken their solemn promise to you. They have torn down your altars and killed all your prophets, except me. And now they are even trying to kill me!”

The Lord said:

Elijah, you can go back to the desert near Damascus. And when you get there, appoint Hazael to be king of Syria.

Closing Thoughts:

So... Do I use this scripture lesson, or abandon it for something more pertinent to fathers, like I did on Mother's Day? What do you think, dads?

In fact, while I'm at it, why don't you e-mail me and let me know what you would like hear about this Sunday? What needs to be said? What needs to be heard? We want to build strong families. That means helping dads be better dads, and helping the rest of the family be better at loving dads. Any thoughts?

June 13 - Naboth's Vineyard

2010-06-09T20:46:00.000-04:00

1 Kings 21:1–21

Naboth owned a vineyard in Jezreel near King Ahab’s palace. One day, Ahab said, “Naboth, your vineyard is near my palace. Give it to me so I can turn it into a vegetable garden. I’ll give you a better vineyard or pay whatever you want for yours.”

Naboth answered, “This vineyard has always been in my family. I won’t let you have it.”

So Ahab went home, angry and depressed because of what Naboth had told him. He lay on his bed, just staring at the wall and refusing to eat a thing. Jezebel his wife came in and asked, “What’s wrong? Why won’t you eat?”

“I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or to let me give him a better one,” Ahab replied. “And he told me I couldn’t have it.”

“Aren’t you the king of Israel?” Jezebel asked. “Get out of bed and eat something! Don’t worry, I’ll get Naboth’s vineyard for you.” Jezebel wrote a letter to each of the leaders of the town where Naboth lived. In the letters she said:
Call everyone together and tell them to go without eating today. When they come together, give Naboth a seat at the front. Have two liars sit across from him and swear that Naboth has cursed God and the king. Then take Naboth outside and stone him to death! She signed Ahab’s name to the letters and sealed them with his seal. Then she sent them to the town leaders.

After receiving her letters, they did exactly what she had asked. They told the people that it was a day to go without eating, and when they all came together, they seated Naboth at the front. The two liars came in and sat across from Naboth. Then they accused him of cursing God and the king, so the people dragged Naboth outside and stoned him to death. The leaders of Jezreel sent a message back to Jezebel that said, “Naboth is dead.”

As soon as Jezebel got their message, she told Ahab, “Now you can have the vineyard Naboth refused to sell. He’s dead.” Ahab got up and went to take over the vineyard.

The Lord said to Elijah the prophet, “King Ahab of Israel is in Naboth’s vineyard right now, taking it over. Go tell him that I say, `Ahab, you murdered Naboth and took his property. And so, in the very spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, they will lick up your blood.’”

When Elijah found him, Ahab said, “So, my enemy, you found me at last.”

Elijah answered:
Yes, I did! Ahab, you have managed to do everything the Lord hates. Now you will be punished. You and every man and boy in your family will die, whether slave or free.

Reflections:

When we read this, we are outraged at the abuse of royal power. (Isn't it great to know that democracies are never abusive? Yeah, right.) However, being neither noble nor elite, it's easy for us to assume that this story has no direct moral teaching for us. However, as I recently heard a Russian bishop say, "In Russia, you learn early that you don't need much power to figure out how to abuse it."

We all have authority over someone in some setting. Do we always use that power the way God intended?

Memorial Day

2010-05-27T22:07:00.000-04:00

This week, we will be remembering all those members of our church and community who have died in military service. Looking over the list of names that have been submitted, the majority of them are from the World War II era. Of the lectionary lessons, the one that fits best is:

Romans 5:1-5

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God's undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that's not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.

Reflections:
The possible links between these verses and the sacrifices of military service are obvious to me. I'm wondering what heart-strings they pull in you. Do any of you have a story you'd like to share? I know that he comments function is not working on this page, but I don't know why. Please e-mail me.

Pentecost

2010-05-20T10:22:00.000-04:00

This week, Marni will be preaching. The scripture lesson is:

Acts 2:1–21

On the day of Pentecost all the Lord’s followers were together in one place. Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there. The Holy Spirit took control of everyone, and they began speaking whatever languages the Spirit let them speak. Many religious Jews from every country in the world were living in Jerusalem. And when they heard this noise, a crowd gathered. But they were surprised, because they were hearing everything in their own languages. They were excited and amazed, and said:

Don’t all these who are speaking come from Galilee? Then why do we hear them speaking our very own languages? Some of us are from Parthia, Media, and Elam. Others are from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, parts of Libya near Cyrene, Rome, Crete, and Arabia. Some of us were born Jews, and others of us have chosen to be Jews. Yet we all hear them using our own languages to tell the wonderful things God has done.

Everyone was excited and confused. Some of them even kept asking each other, “What does all this mean?”

Others made fun of the Lord’s followers and said, “They are drunk.”

Peter stood with the eleven apostles and spoke in a loud and clear voice to the crowd:
Friends and everyone else living in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I have to say! You are wrong to think that these people are drunk. After all, it is only nine o’clock in the morning. But this is what God had the prophet Joel say,
“When the last days come,
I will give my Spirit to everyone.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will have dreams.
In those days I will give my Spirit to my servants,
both men and women, and they will prophesy.
I will work miracles in the sky above
and wonders on the earth below.
There will be blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
The sun will turn dark,
and the moon will be as red as blood
before the great and wonderful day
of the Lord appears.
Then the Lord will save everyone who asks for his help.”

Mother's Day Sermon Kernel

2010-05-06T10:34:00.000-04:00

Opening Comments:

I’ve been thinking about my last post. My thought process seems to have had an underlying (faulty) assumption that women serve a de facto nurturing role in organizations. I don’t want to get into a psychological / sociological debate on this, but I think we all know that some people, men and women, are more nurturing than others.

Over the past several decades, the roles of men and women have changed dramatically… and the roles of mothers and fathers have changed along with them. Some of these changes have proven to be easier than earlier generations would have guessed because people have a tremendous ability to adapt. Other changes have proven quite stressful because gender identity continues to be important to people, as well it should. We want freedom and equality, but we want to find a way to have it without being truly gender-neutral. Nobody wants to be physically androgynous… nor do we want our gender identity to rely wholly on our appearance. That would be shallow and superficial. We want to be “good people.” We want to be good men, women, fathers, and mothers… but what does that mean?

What does the Bible say about this? That’s a very good question. It’s truly hard to say. Biblical writers were inspired by God to bring God’s message to bear on the culture of the time. (Good preaching today is supposed to do the same thing.) That means that scripture is a mixture of the world as they knew and the world as God wanted it to be. Not having been there with them, sometimes it can be difficult for us to know when the Bible is confronting norms versus simply reflecting norms.

For example: Proverb 31 is on the Top 40 list for Mother’s Day readings:

Proverb 31:10-31

A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find! Her husband depends on her, and she never lets him down. She is good to him every day of her life, and with her own hands she gladly makes clothes. She is like a sailing ship that brings food from across the sea. She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and for her servants. She knows how to buy land and how to plant a vineyard, and she always works hard. She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night. She spins her own cloth, and she helps the poor and the needy. Her family has warm clothing, and so she doesn't worry when it snows. She does her own sewing, and everything she wears is beautiful. Her husband is a well-known and respected leader in the city. She makes clothes to sell to the shop owners. She is strong and graceful, as well as cheerful about the future. Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful. She takes good care of her family and is never lazy. Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says, “There are many good women, but you are the best!” Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the Lord deserves to be praised. Show her respect-- praise her in public for what she has done.

Reflections:

Much of this passage probably doesn’t surprise many of us. It fits well with gender stereotypes. However, much of it does not. It’s clear that women of that era were not just sitting around knitting socks for their hubbies… they shared important responsibilities in the management of the family business. How do these verses translate into modern life? I don’t know. But one thing is clear: God wants good women to be praised.

If only that was a simple task. Everyone who’s ever been praised knows that much of what passes for praise is only lip service. Verbal praise, whether it’s done in public or in private, must be matched with actions that make a person feel valued. The sticking point in today’s culture continues to be that men and women don’t make each other feel appreciated… mainly because men and women require very different forms of affirmation to feel appreciated. We truly are wired differently. But yet we continue to expect our spouses and friends to appreciate the kinds of affirmation that we ourselves desire. This is one case were “do unto others as you would have done unto you” will not work. We should stop expecting it to work and stop being frustrated when it does not. It’s just not helpful.

Loving others means learning what they need to feel valued (preferably without resorting to mind-reading) and giving it freely and without reserve. That’s what everybody wants.

OK… Now let me have it. I truly want feedback on this before I take it to the pulpit.

Easter 6 - Mother's Day

2010-05-05T19:09:00.000-04:00

Scripture

Acts 16:9–15

During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. We were sure that God had called us to preach the good news there.

We sailed straight from Troas to Samothrace, and the next day we arrived in Neapolis. From there we went to Philippi, which is a Roman colony in the first district of Macedonia. We spent several days in Philippi. Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came. One of them was Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira and sold expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the Lord God, and he made her willing to accept what Paul was saying. Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, “If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home.” Finally, we accepted her invitation.

Reflections:

This week is Mother's Day, and that will be the theme of the sermon. What does this passage have to do with motherhood? I'm not sure yet, but I think the key is this: Lydia was one of several women in who became wealthy patrons of the early church. At one point, it apparently was the norm that churches were hosted in the homes of widows or matrons. "Motherhood" has had a special role in the life of the church from the very beginning. I would love to know more about what that role was like.

Easter 5

2010-04-29T16:42:00.000-04:00

Apologies:

I'm sorry I'm posting so late... I'm in the process of migrating computers and PDAs, and it's taking a lot more time and energy than I expected. Now I remember why I avoid buying new equipment until I absolutely have to!

This week's scripture is:

Revelation 21:1-6

I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea. Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband.

I heard a loud voice shout from the throne:

God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever.

Then the one sitting on the throne said:

I am making everything new. Write down what I have said. My words are true and can be trusted. Everything is finished! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the life-giving fountain to everyone who is thirsty.

Reflections:

My staff has pointed out (accurately) that my political rant from earlier in the week fits perfectly with this scripture. I will do some praying and see if this is really where God wants me to go with this. Here is the question: Are we obligated to live as though the Kingdom were already here, or should we be pragmatic? I know my answer. What's yours?

Off-Topic Rant on Immigration & Arizona

2010-04-27T09:45:00.000-04:00

The state of Arizona has passed the strictest illegal immigration legislation in the history of the United States. The law is controversial for many reasons, but I will limit my diatribe to one: The law criminalizes the willful sheltering and transport of illegal immigrants. Sheltering or transporting more than six illegals is now a felony. It would appear that most of the large main-line churches in Arizona are now guilty of conspiracy to commit a felony, because most minister to and provide transportation for illegal immigrants.

Most of the established denominations, including the United Methodist Church, have followed a practice of non-compliance with immigration enforcement for years... in some cases, decades. Why is that?

Ironically, Pat Buchanan has just unwittingly hit the nail on the head: His current op/ed piece is entitled, "Whose Country Is It?" Exactly. Evangelicals, like myself, have long insisted that the United States is "God's Country." Some believe that means that we have been chosen for a special purpose, like ancient Israel, while others mean it more loosely. I find it very interesting that those on the extreme right only refer to the U.S. as God's Country when it is convenient to do so. When being the people of God means sacrificing for the greater good, they suddenly start talking about "our country."

God is not part-time, and neither are his people.

Being God's country, especially if we believe in American Exceptionalism, means that our nation does not exist for our own benefit. We exist for the benefit of others, and that should be our guiding moral question in every area of national policy.

Ancient Israel was God's Country. I suggest that people study its history. It always had open borders, and protections for immigrants were in the legal code from the earliest days of the Old Testament. In fact, the nations that didn't have open borders did not fare particularly well when judged by God. If you don't believe me, read up.

World Malaria Sunday

2010-04-22T13:08:00.000-04:00

This week, Marni will be preaching on World Malaria. The sermon will be done in coordination with our “Nothing But Nets” fundraiser.

Acts 9:36–43

In Joppa there was a follower named Tabitha. Her Greek name was Dorcas, which means “deer.” She was always doing good things for people and had given much to the poor. But she got sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Joppa wasn’t far from Lydda, and the followers heard that Peter was there. They sent two men to say to him, “Please come with us as quickly as you can!” Right away, Peter went with them.

The men took Peter upstairs into the room. Many widows were there crying. They showed him the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made while she was still alive.

After Peter had sent everyone out of the room, he knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body of Dorcas and said, “Tabitha, get up!” The woman opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet.

Peter called in the widows and the other followers and showed them that Dorcas had been raised from death. Everyone in Joppa heard what had happened, and many of them put their faith in the Lord. Peter stayed on for a while in Joppa in the house of a man named Simon, who made leather.

Marni’s initial thoughts from Season of the Spirit:

This story begins with the author of Acts identifying Tabitha as a mathetria, which means disciple (technically, disciplette - female). No other New Testament person is identified this way. She worked with the widows in the community. Disciples of every time and place are called to witness to Christ’s saving love through their compassionate words and deeds. Such life-giving acts send ripples through the ever-widening community of those who follow the Good Shepherd. What might we learn from Tabitha and Peter about life-giving service?

Easter 3

2010-04-15T16:32:00.002-04:00

I hope you all like the new template... I think it's pretty cool. This week, I will not be preaching, so I'm not posting a reflection. Mary Dennis will be preaching on Acts Chapter 9, and the theme will be her Native American heritage.

Easter 2

2010-04-07T11:42:00.000-04:00

Acts 5:27–32

When the apostles were brought before the council, the high priest said to them, “We told you plainly not to teach in the name of Jesus. But look what you have done! You have been teaching all over Jerusalem, and you are trying to blame us for his death.”

Peter and the apostles replied:

We don’t obey people. We obey God. You killed Jesus by nailing him to a cross. But the God our ancestors worshiped raised him to life and made him our Leader and Savior. Then God gave him a place at his right side, so that the people of Israel would turn back to him and be forgiven. We are here to tell you about all this, and so is the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to everyone who obeys God.

Reflections:

On Easter Sunday I said that it was personal interactions with the risen Christ that transformed the disciples from students, and bad students at that, into believers in the resurrection and heroes of the faith. You may remember that Peter once promised Jesus that he follow him anywhere… even into the face of death. But only a few hours after the Last Supper, Peter lied three times… denying that he even knew Christ because he was scared for his life.

That was before Peter met the resurrected Christ.

In this passage from The Acts of the Apostles, Peter and the others are brought before the council. This is the same body that had conspired in the plot to kill Jesus, and the apostles knew it. But this time Peter is fearless. He says that giving witness to what he has seen is a matter of obedience to God.

The word translated as obey is the Greek word peitharecho. It literally means to follow or to do first. In other words, Peter’s priorities have changed, and he’s putting first things first now, rather than putting himself first. We all have a hard time doing that. What are your particular challenges when you try to set priorities as a disciple?

Easter

2010-04-02T16:59:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry that I haven't had time to write a full post this week... Holy Week is very busy. Those of you who plan to attend Walkersville UMC services this week should try to watch the 1950 film "Harvey" starring Jimmy Stewart. Have a blessed holiday!

The new donkey/colt

2010-03-25T09:52:00.001-04:00

Several folks have made comments about the significance of the donkey that had never been ridden. (There is some debate as to whether it was a donkey or a colt.) If it was a donkey, the significance is this: Kings rode noble steeds out of a city in time of war. They rode donkeys into a city in time of peace. This would have been a clue that Jesus did not see himself as a revolutionary in the militaristic sense. But there is added significance: Animals that had never been ridden were prized for ritualistic purposes, both religious and political. The fact that Jesus was the first to ride it made Jesus special from the donkey's perspective, and the donkey important from Jesus' perspective.

Thanks for reading!

Palm Sunday

2010-03-24T20:59:00.000-04:00

Luke 19:28–40

When Jesus had finished saying all this, he went on toward Jerusalem. As he was getting near Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples on ahead. He told them, “Go into the next village, where you will find a young donkey that has never been ridden. Untie the donkey and bring it here. If anyone asks why you are doing that, just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ “They went off and found everything just as Jesus had said. While they were untying the donkey, its owners asked, “Why are you doing that?”

They answered, “The Lord needs it.”

Then they led the donkey to Jesus. They put some of their clothes on its back and helped Jesus get on. And as he rode along, the people spread clothes on the road in front of him. When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. They shouted,
“Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory to God.”
Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!”
But Jesus answered, “If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting.”

Reflections:

When I was in seminary, my preaching professor once said, “When you’re standing in the narthex shaking hands after the service, and everybody’s telling you how much they liked the sermon, never let it go to your head. The same people who praise you on Sunday will crucify you on Friday.”

That’s an old joke preachers tell. I used to chuckle at it but, over the years, reflecting on that joke leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth. Jesus’ suffering during his last week was horrific. To compare it with a preacher’s ups and downs seems somewhat disrespectful to me. However, that joke does capture the irony of Palm Sunday. The “triumphant entry” is a very brief snapshot of joy.

This event took place during Passover, the national celebration of Israel’s freedom. During that time of year, Jerusalem’s population swelled due to both the religious pilgrims and the soldiers sent to monitor the pilgrims. It’s my understanding that the military installation overlooked Jesus’ point of entry. It’s no wonder that the people who were invested in the status quo watched nervously as Jesus and his disciples entered the city. Imagine what it would be like if the United States were occupied by a foreign power, and some charismatic leader was hailed as the “New George Washington” as his motorcade entered D.C. on the Fourth of July. That would definitely get the attention of the occupation force. It would also make collaborators nervous.

If you were in this story, who would you be? A disciple? An onlooker? A Pharisee? A Roman? Before you answer that question, you might want to think about how the rest of Holy Week plays out. Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Sometimes, it causes me to tremble…

My other blog is updated.

2010-03-18T15:59:00.002-04:00

This week's topic: "Preaching for Popularity." The link is up top.

Lent 5 - March 21, 2010

2010-03-17T21:14:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 43:16–21

This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the desert
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen,
the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.

Reflections:

There are two major acts of deliverance that serve as the focal points of the Old Testament. The Exodus, the deliverance of the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt, is the central miracle of the first half. The end of the Exile, God’s deliverance of the people from captivity in Babylon, is the central miracle of the second half. This message from the prophet is part of the prolonged announcement that the second miracle is about to take place. When he says, “Forget the former things,” he means that this new deliverance would supplant the memory of the former, and be the new benchmark for Israel’s history.

But it means more than that. From the moment the Hebrew people left Egypt to the time they finally inhabited the Holy Land, they waxed nostalgically about earlier times. They did the same during the Exile. This is only natural and, to Israel’s credit, if they had not made a habit of rehashing their history from a theological perspective, we would have no Old Testament. However, there is a time to look back, and a time to look forward. “Do not dwell on the past.” We seem to always need prompting from God to move from one to the other.

Additionally, this reminds us that we should not always expect God to work in the same way. “See, I am doing a new thing.” The end of the Exile was nothing like the Exodus, and the way God works among us today is different still. Our minds must be open if we are to perceive it.

Thank You!

2010-03-13T21:55:00.002-05:00

I would like to thank everyone who's been taking the time to read these posts, and especially those who have left comments. I really appreciate the input.

My other blog...

2010-03-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

You may notice that I've added a link to my other blog: "How to Build a Mega-Church Without Being Religious." It is a satirical book I'm writing, which will be posted one chapter at a time, serial style. I would love to hear comments from you. Bloggers often say that they learn more from comments on their blog than they do from rejection letters.

If you like the book, feel free to share it with others, but use discretion. I'm not sure how many people would "appreciate" my brand of religious humor.

Thanks for reading!

Lent 4

2010-03-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32 (NIV)

Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable:
There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’” So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. “Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.”

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

Reflections:

Traditionally, this parable has been called “The Prodigal Son.” Lately, it has more commonly been called “The Forgiving Father.” It is generally accepted that the father represents God, the younger son represents sinners and social outcasts, and the older son represents the pillars of religious community. If this is the case, most church folk should place themselves in the shoes of the older son, which means that it’s preaching at us. However, with all parables it’s healthy to ask, “Which person in this story is me? What does that tell me about my relationship with God?”

This parable is unfinished in that the ending leaves us with unresolved issues. Why hasn’t the father ever held a party for the older son? Why does the father rush to embrace the younger son before he knows what his son’s motives are? Is the family ever going to be reunited, or will they remain estranged, as so many families do? These questions are left unanswered because they are directed at us. At any given time, we are each one of the characters in this story. What will we do next?

Lent 3

2010-03-03T15:15:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 55:1–9 (CEV):

If you are thirsty, come and drink water! If you don't have any money, come, eat what you want! Drink wine and milk without paying a cent. Why waste your money on what really isn't food? Why work hard for something that doesn't satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and you will enjoy the very best foods.

Pay close attention! Come to me and live. I will promise you the eternal love and loyalty that I promised David. I made him the leader and ruler of the nations; he was my witness to them. You will call out to nations you have never known. And they have never known you, but they will come running because I am the Lord, the holy God of Israel, and I have honored you.

Turn to the Lord! He can still be found. Call out to God! He is near. Give up your crooked ways and your evil thoughts. Return to the Lord our God. He will be merciful and forgive your sins. The Lord says: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours.”

Theme: Open Invitation

In this passage from the prophet Isaiah, God is inviting the exiled Israelites in Babylon to return to Jerusalem. God promises to bless them if they will rebuild the Nation. The passage seems to be modeled after Proverbs 9 (NIV):

Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.

She has sent out her maids, and she calls
from the highest point of the city.

"Let all who are simple come in here!"
she says to those who lack judgment.

"Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For through me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

In this Proverbs 9, the homes of two “women” are compared. One woman is Wisdom personified, and the other is Folly. Both have dinner tables laid out with the finest meats and wines. The food of Folly, however, has been acquired dishonestly and causes suffering. The “simple” are people who have not yet firmly chosen how they will live their lives. (As opposed to the wise and the foolish, who have already chosen.) The path of Wisdom is the path that will allow them to experience God’s blessings.

So then, the question is this: Why does Isaiah 55 reference Proverbs 9? God is not asking the people to earn blessings. Nor is God trying to reward or punish certain behaviors. The blessings are simply there, freely given. To enjoy them, all one has to do is follow the path that leads to them. For the Israelites in Isaiah’s time, that meant returning to Jerusalem and rebuilding the nation. What does it mean for you?

Lent 2 - More Reflections

2010-02-24T10:27:00.001-05:00

I found an interesting article on Luke 13 in The Christian Century. It adds an interesting perspective to the hen image. Keep in mind that the "chicks" Jesus is talking about are the people who want to kill him.

Barbara Brown Taylor writes:

If you have ever loved someone you could not protect, then you understand the depth of Jesus’ lament. All you can do is open your arms. You cannot make anyone walk into them. Meanwhile, this is the most vulnerable posture in the world --wings spread, breast exposed -- but if you mean what you say, then this is how you stand.

Given the number of animals available, it is curious that Jesus chooses a hen. Where is the biblical precedent for that? What about the mighty eagle of Exodus, or Hosea’s stealthy leopard? What about the proud lion of Judah, mowing down his enemies with a roar? Compared to any of those, a mother hen does not inspire much confidence. No wonder some of the chicks decided to go with the fox.

But a hen is what Jesus chooses, which -- if you think about it --is pretty typical of him. He is always turning things upside down, so that children and peasants wind up on top while kings and scholars land on the bottom. He is always wrecking our expectations of how things should turn out by giving prizes to losers and paying the last first. So of course he chooses a chicken, which is about as far from a fox as you can get. That way the options become very clear: you can live by licking your chops or you can die protecting the chicks.

Jesus won’t be king of the jungle in this or any other story. What he will be is a mother hen, who stands between the chicks and those who mean to do them harm. She has no fangs, no claws, no rippling muscles. All she has is her willingness to shield her babies with her own body. If the fox wants them, he will have to kill her first.

Which he does, as it turns out. He slides up on her one night in the yard while all the babies are asleep. When her cry wakens them, they scatter. She dies the next day where both foxes and chickens can see her -- wings spread, breast exposed -- without a single chick beneath her feathers. It breaks her heart, but it does not change a thing. If you mean what you say, then this is how you stand.

Lent 2 - February 28

2010-02-23T15:55:00.000-05:00

Luke 13:31-35 (CEV)

At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “You had better get away from here! Herod wants to kill you.” Jesus said to them:

Go tell that fox, “I am going to force out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and three days later I’ll be through.”

But I am going on my way today and tomorrow and the next day. After all, Jerusalem is the place where prophets are killed. Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed the prophets and have stoned the messengers who were sent to you. I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn’t let me. Now your temple will be deserted. You won't see me again until the time when you say,

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Reflections:

“Seasons of the Spirit,” which is our worship planning resource, titles this week’s theme, “Strong and Tender.”

Strong refers to Jesus’ courageous disregard of the Pharisees’ warning. He is going to continue to do his work, even if it kills him.

Tender refers to the image of the hen trying to gather her chicks under her wings.

Johnny Cash’s song about Judgment Day, “The Man Comes Around,” references this verse. He sings, “The Father Hen is gathering his chicks.” I’ve played that song for two different Bible studies in recent weeks, and so far nobody’s noticed the oddity of that line: There is no such thing as a Father Hen. Jesus is using a gender-bending image. God is both paternal and maternal. I don’t know that I want to get into a gender discussion in my sermon, but I am intrigued by the very real dilemma that many of us face: We tend to view Jesus as being primarily strong or primarily tender, but not both.

Personally, I tend to err on the side of strong. I tend to view Jesus as being my boss more than my savior or friend. This is undoubtedly due to my role as a pastor, but that doesn’t make it healthy.

What about you? Do you see Jesus as being both strong and tender? Are you able to emulate and balance both traits in your discipleship? Is this a gender issue in the 21st Century, or are we past that?

Anyone can post comments now!

2010-02-22T09:40:00.000-05:00

I didn't realize that the default setting dictated that only registered users could post. I appreciated the fact that some of you registered! I have changed the settings so that anyone can post now. We'll stick with that as long as we don't have any problems. I will post this week's content tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Lent Week 1 - February 21

2010-02-18T10:31:00.000-05:00

This week is the first Sunday in Lent. The Gospel lesson is:

Luke 4:1–13 (CEV)

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’”

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

Eugene Peterson writes:

Wherever there is a people of God, there are enemies of God. Pastoral work that seeks to build up the community of faith cannot afford to be innocent about [enemies]. Only by ignoring the reality of [enemies] can we suppose that building the community of faith can be accomplished by budgeting for more advertising, by developing better communications, or by training in more sophisticated organizational management.

My reflections:

Peterson is absolutely right. The Bible makes it clear that there have always been people and other forces that have stood in opposition to what God is trying to accomplish in the world. A healthy church should have a strong twofold message making clear:

1. There are things that we stand for.
2. There are things that we stand against.

Most churches seem to focus on one or the other. Do we have a healthy balance?

2010-02-18T09:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my blog! I'm just getting started, so please be patient!