2013 January 9

Last night I was working on Sunday services focusing on the Baptism of Jesus and also the pericope from Isaiah.  What caused me to stop and reflect on what these two are saying to me, I was struck with what God said after Jesus was praying. From Luke 3:22, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”  What if every time we come to the table of grace to receive the sacrament of communion we were able to hear that we are the son and daughter whom God loves and that God is well pleased.  No matter what we have done, no matter where we are in life, no matter what we feel about ourselves and our worthiness, God loves us and wants to be pleased with us.

The passage in Isaiah talks about the calling home of the exiles.  Previously God listed the wrongs of the people and despite that still loves them and will bring them home.  They will cross through the water and through fire but God will protect and be with them.  Despite their disobedience their sin God still cares for them.

How would our lives be transformed, if we would accept the idea that God loves us as we are?  Would we want to choose better in our lives?  As we struggle with our sins, our lives, our frustrations, our doubts, I know that I need to hear the encouragement that I am not alone and that God is there to be with me.

This Sunday we will be remembering our baptism and receiving communion.  Open our hearts to God’s call in our lives and know we are beloved.

2013 Jan 7

Yesterday we began all of our services including 3 services at Ainsworth and one in Johnstown.  Confirmation also met after the Christmas break.  Sunday was Epiphany and I had been preaching on A Different Kind of Christmas.  This being the twelfth day of Christmas, I continue to talk about making a difference this year in our lives and in the life of the church.

Scriptures were from Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12.  I focused on the idea of the choices that we have regarding the paths we take.  Using Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken, I focused on that we every day are confronted with two paths.  One is well traveled and wide leading to Jerusalem and to King Herod.  The other maybe narrower leading to Bethlehem and King Jesus.  One is the splendor of power, prestige, wealth where the promises that everything you desire can be given to you if you bow before King Herod.  The other path leads to a child born in poverty, who appears no different than you and I.  But the promise the child gives is that if you believe in him, you will have eternal life now and throughout eternity.

It comes down to the choices that you want to make.  Jesus does not promise that you will receive everything that you want, but he does promise to give you what you need to live a life of abundance not of material substance but spiritual substance.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—/ I took the one less traveled by/ And that has made all the difference”

2013 January 4

Often I try to encourage myself and others to reflect on vision and how that connects with our ministries. I try to do this with focusing on what is possible especially if we trust in God’s grace and mercy.  It can be frustrating when I try something that does not work in the way I envisioned it.  I’m sure that can be true for anyone but when you are in the leadership position it is more discouraging. Yet, I know that when something does not work the way I want maybe it was because it was what I wanted and not what God wanted.

I am working on two different sermons for Sunday.  The morning services will be focusing on Epiphany and continues the Different Kind of Christmas by talking about what happens when we take a different path.  Using Frost’s The Path Not Taken talking about the path to the Christ child.  Sometimes the path we think leads to the child may not lead us to him but to an illusion we have of who Jesus is to us.  We may need to be open to traveling a different path in our lives and in our church.  I will be discussing what that may look like in our community.

At the Lighthouse service, I will be starting on Faith with Purpose. Last fall we talked about faith begins at home.  We will be expanding on the concept of our growing our faith today.  Using some of John Wesley’s thoughts about faith, faith of a servant, faith of a child, and faith and works.  We will also look at faith as a foundation of our lives.  In our small groups, we will be looking at how faith has come into our lives and sharing ways of living out that faith.  I would hope that over the spring as we delve into our faith formation, we can develop relationships that can help us grow as disciples and to help hold us accountable to discipleship.

Whether morning or evening, we will use scripture, tradition, experience, and reason as a means to grow theologically.  I am looking forward to this journey.

Shalom

2013 January 2

As I sit here at home recovering, I am working on my sermons for Sunday.  For once Epiphany actually falls on a Sunday.  During Advent, I was preaching on a Different Kind of Christmas based on Mike Slaughter’s book, Christmas Is Not Your Birthday.  The recommendation for Epiphany was a different road.  I also follow a Methodist lay person who blogs as the Naked Alien.  There was something about what he said that I wanted to share.  He uses the lectionary and either reframes it or often will have reflections regarding the scriptures.  Here is what he shared with the story of the Magi found in Matthew 2.

“

When Herod was King, eastern boffins came to Jerusalem after the birth of Jesus. "In our observatory, we saw a new star come to life, marking the birth of your new king. Where might we find him? We want to honor him and pay our respects." Geeks don't always exhibit the best of skills in social graces - King Herod was terrified of this omen.

He stepped out to meet with his own egg-heads and theology nerds: "Where will the Messiah be born?"

"Our studies of the works of the Prophets tell us that it will be in Bethlehem."

Herod then met in secret with his visitors. Feigning to share their interest in science and learning, he discovered from them the exact time and day that the star first appeared. "Here is a pass. Go to the village of Bethlehem. If you find the king, hurry back and tell me. I also want to honor him and pay my respects!"

Wise-men but none-the-wiser, they set out. The star's final position confirmed the Bethlehem hypothesis. They were overwhelmed with the joy of success. They entered the house where the new family was living. Seeing the baby with his mother, they knelt down. In addition to the gold and frankincense that Isaiah had listed on the baby-shower registry, they gave the baby embalming myrrh as well. See what I mean about them not always being socially appropriate or sensitive?

God removed their blinders and they decided it probably wasn't such a good idea to go back to Herod after all, so they snuck out of town the back way singing a song where they pretended to be kings...

Herod was severely pissed-off, so he sent his thugs to kill all the babies in the small quiet village that had always seemed so safe - until hell fell upon them.

(Retelling of Matthew 2:1-12 and 16-18) “

We in telling the story often fail to spend time with the slaughter of the innocents and that the holy family became refugees in Africa.  The birth of our Savior was not a Hallmark event but one that threatened those who felt that prosperity, power, and prestige were marks of being blessed.  Jesus’ family were poor, powerless, homeless and certainly not prestigious. 

So how in telling this story can we be more faithful to our savior?  Are we who live in a society of privilege and who for the most part are prosperous going to react as the magi or King Herod in our choices?

Sunday we will reflect on the different road.  For those who read this check out Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken.

Shalom

2013 January 1

So today starts a new year.  It has been quite the eventful year.  I was watching television prior to the Nebraska game and there was a commercial that stated that rather than this being a day for making resolutions it be a day of commitments to have a healthier life.  Which was ironic, as I have been fighting a sinus infection that has lasted two weeks.  Yet the idea of commitment appeals to me.  I would see it not a physical healthier life but a  spiritual one as well.  Maybe that is why we committed to doing something different with our Sunday 5 pm service.  The focus is on living our faith with purpose.

What if all of us would live our lives with some sense of purpose knowing that we are chosen by God.  Would we live differently if we really believed and acted on that belief?  I would like to think so.  I have seen this year examples of acting for a higher purpose.  I was so disappointed by the election ads for both parties that seemed to exemplify what is wrong in our nation.  Just as my cynicism reached the heights, God showed that what we focused on through the media is not what our country is about.  During the fires this summer, I saw communities put aside differences (no concern about red cups or blue cups) and come together for the greater good.

I pray that this year we can find more that we have in common and focus on the greater good of our nation and our communities.  This is the destiny that our Lord Jesus would want.  Let’s hold each other accountable for the common good of Loving God and Loving Neighbor.