I called my sermon for this week: "Jesus, Elvis, MJ, Sarah, Barack & us".
It seems to me that this story has jesus being so popular, the crowds rush around the lake to find him. No rest for the weary.
How do the most popular people in our society deal with their celebrity status? Do they stay centered like Jesus or do they OD, come unglued, quit, or thrive (Elvis & MJ od, Sarah quits & Barack thrives)(imho)
How bout us? We are popular necessarily, but there are pressures, people pressing in, etc.
Beyond Retreat (going away to a quiet place), what does Jesus or the text instruct us to do to stay centered and strong for the journey?
Earlier in the sixth chapter of Mark, Jesus had sent the disciples with authority to cast out demons. They went in pairs and were able to do much good and cure people. The disciples returned from these travels, gathering around Jesus to share stories of their ministry.
Wisely, Jesus invited the group to retreat to a deserted place for rest. They needed time away from those in need, so they might have vitality and strength to continue to minister. None of them had time to eat, let alone rest.
1. Do you sense the disciples were open to retreating to a deserted place?
2. What is helpful about a retreat?
Our lives can get so busy that we spin out of control. We become human doings, rather than human beings. The disciples were involved in exciting ministry, healing people as they traveled through the villages. They didn’t even take time to eat.
1. Can you relate to these disciples?
2. Describe times in your life when you were too busy to eat.
Jesus invited the disciples to join him on a retreat. He sensed they needed time away in order to continue ministry in the future. He chose a deserted place for the group to gather.
3. Where do you go to find a deserted place?
4. What are your experiences or impressions of participating in a retreat?
5. What are the benefits of a retreat?
Consider those areas in your life needing healing by Jesus. Take a moment of silent prayer as you return to Jesus for healing. In many ways, times of extended silent prayer can become a mini-retreat to restore our spirits until we are able to intentionally get away for a longer period of time.
1. What are some choices you can make for health?
2. How does a healthy lifestyle reflect well on Jesus?
Prayer
Spirit of God, send your healing touch to sooth my spirit, calm my heart, and restore my energy. Amen
Jesus renewed people with the power of his compassion. I like the ancient legend about the monk who found a precious stone, a precious jewel. A short time later, the monk met a traveler, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of his provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the traveler saw the precious stone and, on an impulse, asked the monk if he could have it. Amazingly, the monk gave the traveler the stone.
The traveler departed quickly, overjoyed with his new possession. However, a few days later, he came back, searching for the monk. He returned the stone to the monk and made a request: "Please give me something more valuable, more precious than this stone. Please give me that which enabled you to give me this precious stone!"
One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had. "I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did."
"But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Yoke of Christ
The Yoke of Christ......Matthew 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
There is a wonderful legend concerning the quiet years of Jesus, the years prior to his visible ministry. The legend claims that Jesus the carpenter was one of the master yoke-makers in the Nazareth area. People came from miles around for a yoke, hand carved and crafted by Jesus son of Joseph.
When customers arrived with their team of oxen Jesus would spend considerable time measuring the team, their height, the width, the space between them, and the size of their shoulders. Within a week, the team would be brought back and he would carefully place the newly made yoke over the shoulders, watching for rough places, smoothing out the edges and fitting them perfectly to this particular team of oxen.
That's the yoke Jesus invites us to take.
Do not be misled by the word "easy," for its root word in Greek speaks directly of the tailor-made yokes: they were "well-fitting."
The yoke Jesus invites us to take, the yoke that brings rest to weary souls, is one that is made exactly to our lives and hearts.
The yoke he invites us to wear fits us well, does not rub us nor cause us to develop sore spirits and is designed for two. His yokes were always designed for two. And our yoke-partner is none other than Christ himself.
Running throughout all scripture from the beginning to the end is the theme that ours is a burden bearing Christ. He is not just a Lord whom we burden, and we do, but a Lord who actually solicits our burdens.
Others tell it this way….
Younger, smaller animals were placed next to an experienced animal - often times the younger was so small that the yoke did not even touch the animal the older one did all the work....
as the newer animal grew into the yoke he began to share the load of the more experienced animal - when the first animal was no longer able to continue working the second animal was ready to start the process all over again...
And so, the yoke joins two oxen together to work as a team.
When Jesus invites us to take his yoke and to learn from him, he is inviting us to join him in harness -- to allow him to take the lead -- to let him help us through difficult places -- to let him show us how it is done.
Take MY Yoke Upon You! He says….
There’s an old story about a little boy who was out helping dad with the yard work. Dad asked him to pick up the rocks in a certain area of the yard. Dad looked over and saw him struggling to pull up a huge rock buried in the dirt. The little boy struggled and struggled while Dad watched. Finally, the boy gave up and said, "I can't do it." Dad asked, "Did you use all of your strength?" The little boy looked hurt and said, "Yes, sir. I used every ounce of strength I have." The father smiled and said, "No you didn't. You didn't ask me to help." The father walked over and then the two of them pulled that big rock out of the dirt.
The term "yoke of the law" was familiar to the hearers. The yoke or burden of the Pharisees was more than the people could bear (Matthew 23:4).
Jesus' invitation was not to unbridled freedom, but rather to experience rest by accepting the yoke of Christ.
The stole that many of the elders wear is the sign of the yoke or the burden of ministry around our shoulders.
And so, this Invitation is for you this day... Let the weary and the burdened come to Jesus for rest.
Jesus implied that all humankind are in some way burdened.
There is the burden of our anxieties and of our fears.
There is the burden of our temptations and our responsibilities.
I think of the burden of our loneliness, maybe after bereavement, and the burden people have when they sense that life has no meaning, and above all, there is the burden of our failures and of our guilt.
What a burden they can be!
But Jesus promises to ease our yoke, to lift our burden, to give us rest, and to set us free.
He is the world's supreme burden bearer.
His burden is light. He indeed, helps us carry our load, walking with us, sharing our pain, our joy, our life experience.
& He invites us to “take that yoke”. Bear One another’s burdens & so fulfill the Law of Christ.
This day, receive the mantle, the yoke, the stole of service. It is made just for you.
And even as you are fed, you are called to feed.
Take MY Yoke Upon You! He says, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. Amen.
There is a wonderful legend concerning the quiet years of Jesus, the years prior to his visible ministry. The legend claims that Jesus the carpenter was one of the master yoke-makers in the Nazareth area. People came from miles around for a yoke, hand carved and crafted by Jesus son of Joseph.
When customers arrived with their team of oxen Jesus would spend considerable time measuring the team, their height, the width, the space between them, and the size of their shoulders. Within a week, the team would be brought back and he would carefully place the newly made yoke over the shoulders, watching for rough places, smoothing out the edges and fitting them perfectly to this particular team of oxen.
That's the yoke Jesus invites us to take.
Do not be misled by the word "easy," for its root word in Greek speaks directly of the tailor-made yokes: they were "well-fitting."
The yoke Jesus invites us to take, the yoke that brings rest to weary souls, is one that is made exactly to our lives and hearts.
The yoke he invites us to wear fits us well, does not rub us nor cause us to develop sore spirits and is designed for two. His yokes were always designed for two. And our yoke-partner is none other than Christ himself.
Running throughout all scripture from the beginning to the end is the theme that ours is a burden bearing Christ. He is not just a Lord whom we burden, and we do, but a Lord who actually solicits our burdens.
Others tell it this way….
Younger, smaller animals were placed next to an experienced animal - often times the younger was so small that the yoke did not even touch the animal the older one did all the work....
as the newer animal grew into the yoke he began to share the load of the more experienced animal - when the first animal was no longer able to continue working the second animal was ready to start the process all over again...
And so, the yoke joins two oxen together to work as a team.
When Jesus invites us to take his yoke and to learn from him, he is inviting us to join him in harness -- to allow him to take the lead -- to let him help us through difficult places -- to let him show us how it is done.
Take MY Yoke Upon You! He says….
There’s an old story about a little boy who was out helping dad with the yard work. Dad asked him to pick up the rocks in a certain area of the yard. Dad looked over and saw him struggling to pull up a huge rock buried in the dirt. The little boy struggled and struggled while Dad watched. Finally, the boy gave up and said, "I can't do it." Dad asked, "Did you use all of your strength?" The little boy looked hurt and said, "Yes, sir. I used every ounce of strength I have." The father smiled and said, "No you didn't. You didn't ask me to help." The father walked over and then the two of them pulled that big rock out of the dirt.
The term "yoke of the law" was familiar to the hearers. The yoke or burden of the Pharisees was more than the people could bear (Matthew 23:4).
Jesus' invitation was not to unbridled freedom, but rather to experience rest by accepting the yoke of Christ.
The stole that many of the elders wear is the sign of the yoke or the burden of ministry around our shoulders.
And so, this Invitation is for you this day... Let the weary and the burdened come to Jesus for rest.
Jesus implied that all humankind are in some way burdened.
There is the burden of our anxieties and of our fears.
There is the burden of our temptations and our responsibilities.
I think of the burden of our loneliness, maybe after bereavement, and the burden people have when they sense that life has no meaning, and above all, there is the burden of our failures and of our guilt.
What a burden they can be!
But Jesus promises to ease our yoke, to lift our burden, to give us rest, and to set us free.
He is the world's supreme burden bearer.
His burden is light. He indeed, helps us carry our load, walking with us, sharing our pain, our joy, our life experience.
& He invites us to “take that yoke”. Bear One another’s burdens & so fulfill the Law of Christ.
This day, receive the mantle, the yoke, the stole of service. It is made just for you.
And even as you are fed, you are called to feed.
Take MY Yoke Upon You! He says, for my yoke is easy and my burden light. Amen.
Parable of the Sower
Two ways of looking at this passage:
1. We are the sower: We cast our seeds of whatever sort or variety out into the world.
And, we can rely on the maxim…. “That which you sew, so shall you reap” & “put out positive energy in the world”
If we sew seeds of kindness, justice, generosity, it will come back to us many fold. It will produce harvests of goodness, joy & abundance in our lives.
Like the sower, the seed goes everywhere. There is no narrow sowing in only one place or type of soil.
So, too, we should just cast our seeds freely & generously. Because, you never know who will be receptive.
2. God is the sower & the Divine seed is being sewn in us. What kind of soil is there? Is our soil receptive & cultivated, ready to harvest & grow?
Or is it rocky, trod on & weed filled? Do we water it? Remove the rocks. Take time to cutivate….Be still, worship, Receive. Refresh…
So…one illustration & A couple of Applications:
Illustration first…..
In the church where he worshiped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, this friend had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place.There was no one else, and it was a miserable wet day. The funeral reached the cemetery, and at the gate there was a soldier waiting. An officer, but on his raincoat there were no rank badges. He came to the grave side for the ceremony, then when it was over, he stepped forward and before the open grave swept his hand to a salute that might have been given to a king. The friend walked away with this soldier, and as they walked, the wind blew the soldier's raincoat open to reveal the shoulder badges of a brigadier general.The general said, "You will perhaps be wondering what I am doing here. Years ago Thomas was my Sunday School teacher; I was a wild lad and a sore trial to him. He never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or will be to old Thomas, and today I had to come to salute him at the end." Thomas did not know what he was doing.No preacher or teacher ever does. Keep sowing the seed. We can leave the rest to God,
& Now the Application….
At the recent 4th of July Parade, both in Lansdowne & East Lansdowne, a small group from the church walked as a presence from the church.
Not only was it “letting our light shine”, but also…sewing seeds in the world.
We made over 1000 invitations and handed all them out.
We scattered them. We didn’t know the condition of the “soil of their souls”.
Ours is not to judge. Ours is to serve. One might ask: Did it work?
That is a tough question with no easy answer. So, I leave it in God’s hands.
My favorite phrase is: “We are not called to be Successful, we are called to be Faithful”!
So, I’ve made a bunch of Invitations now for you! Remember, you were commissioned last week with the Yoke of Christ.
Now go & serve. Now go & Sew.
Invite, Encourage, Be a Shining Example of Faith & Love.
And always remember. “It is more Blessed to Give then to Receive.”
There is a story about an old man who always had witty and wise answers for people who asked him anything.
Once, a smart-aleck came to him with his hands covering something he was holding. He told the sage that he had a small, newly hatched bird in his hands.
He challenged the old man to tell him whether the bird was alive or dead. He, of course, planned to prove the old man wrong, because if he said the bird was dead, he would simply open his hands to expose a perfectly healthy baby bird. But if he said the bird was alive, then he would crush the bird before opening his hands. The old man proved wiser than he thought, because he said, "The bird is whatever you choose him to be."
And that's the way it is with the kingdom of God. The choice for the kingdom to live or die is within your grasp. What do you chose?
I invite you to choose abundant generosity.
I invite you to choose :
A life of giving, blessing & caring
Of…. sewing seeds of hope, wisdom, justice & love.
And, I invite you to open yourselves to the Divine Word.
“Take time to be Holy, Speak oft with the Lord.”
Allow God’s seeds to root & grow in you.
Cultivate and nurture your inner garden. Water the seed. Rake away the rocks. Don’t let the weeds choke and take over.
Practice His Presence, for in so doing, God can work in you…to produce a harvest….
30-fold, 60-fold or 100-fold.
Abudance is ours to have & share. To give & receive.
Do so freely, abundantly & joyfully…
this day & always.
1. We are the sower: We cast our seeds of whatever sort or variety out into the world.
And, we can rely on the maxim…. “That which you sew, so shall you reap” & “put out positive energy in the world”
If we sew seeds of kindness, justice, generosity, it will come back to us many fold. It will produce harvests of goodness, joy & abundance in our lives.
Like the sower, the seed goes everywhere. There is no narrow sowing in only one place or type of soil.
So, too, we should just cast our seeds freely & generously. Because, you never know who will be receptive.
2. God is the sower & the Divine seed is being sewn in us. What kind of soil is there? Is our soil receptive & cultivated, ready to harvest & grow?
Or is it rocky, trod on & weed filled? Do we water it? Remove the rocks. Take time to cutivate….Be still, worship, Receive. Refresh…
So…one illustration & A couple of Applications:
Illustration first…..
In the church where he worshiped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, this friend had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place.There was no one else, and it was a miserable wet day. The funeral reached the cemetery, and at the gate there was a soldier waiting. An officer, but on his raincoat there were no rank badges. He came to the grave side for the ceremony, then when it was over, he stepped forward and before the open grave swept his hand to a salute that might have been given to a king. The friend walked away with this soldier, and as they walked, the wind blew the soldier's raincoat open to reveal the shoulder badges of a brigadier general.The general said, "You will perhaps be wondering what I am doing here. Years ago Thomas was my Sunday School teacher; I was a wild lad and a sore trial to him. He never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or will be to old Thomas, and today I had to come to salute him at the end." Thomas did not know what he was doing.No preacher or teacher ever does. Keep sowing the seed. We can leave the rest to God,
& Now the Application….
At the recent 4th of July Parade, both in Lansdowne & East Lansdowne, a small group from the church walked as a presence from the church.
Not only was it “letting our light shine”, but also…sewing seeds in the world.
We made over 1000 invitations and handed all them out.
We scattered them. We didn’t know the condition of the “soil of their souls”.
Ours is not to judge. Ours is to serve. One might ask: Did it work?
That is a tough question with no easy answer. So, I leave it in God’s hands.
My favorite phrase is: “We are not called to be Successful, we are called to be Faithful”!
So, I’ve made a bunch of Invitations now for you! Remember, you were commissioned last week with the Yoke of Christ.
Now go & serve. Now go & Sew.
Invite, Encourage, Be a Shining Example of Faith & Love.
And always remember. “It is more Blessed to Give then to Receive.”
There is a story about an old man who always had witty and wise answers for people who asked him anything.
Once, a smart-aleck came to him with his hands covering something he was holding. He told the sage that he had a small, newly hatched bird in his hands.
He challenged the old man to tell him whether the bird was alive or dead. He, of course, planned to prove the old man wrong, because if he said the bird was dead, he would simply open his hands to expose a perfectly healthy baby bird. But if he said the bird was alive, then he would crush the bird before opening his hands. The old man proved wiser than he thought, because he said, "The bird is whatever you choose him to be."
And that's the way it is with the kingdom of God. The choice for the kingdom to live or die is within your grasp. What do you chose?
I invite you to choose abundant generosity.
I invite you to choose :
A life of giving, blessing & caring
Of…. sewing seeds of hope, wisdom, justice & love.
And, I invite you to open yourselves to the Divine Word.
“Take time to be Holy, Speak oft with the Lord.”
Allow God’s seeds to root & grow in you.
Cultivate and nurture your inner garden. Water the seed. Rake away the rocks. Don’t let the weeds choke and take over.
Practice His Presence, for in so doing, God can work in you…to produce a harvest….
30-fold, 60-fold or 100-fold.
Abudance is ours to have & share. To give & receive.
Do so freely, abundantly & joyfully…
this day & always.
Weeding Your Garden
Pulling Weeds - Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Last week we talked about planting seeds. This week we're talking about pulling weeds. The two go together. Every gardener knows that planting seeds is the easy part of having a successful garden. It is much more time consuming to weed that same garden. And it's hard work. As someone has said: "When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant."
There is a corollary to that truth: "To distinguish flowers from weeds, simply pull up everything. What grows back is weeds."
I know if you look at my backyard…..there are plenty of weeds….Not just in the lawn, but in flower boxes are more distressing, more obvious & annoying.
We all know how annoying weeds can be. They seem to come from nowhere and are hard to get rid of.
They require toil & effort to remove…though pesticides can do it quite effectively…that is if you don’t mind a toxic approach.
So, the best way is to pull it from the root. But, that’s a lot of effort.
And…you can’t always tell what is what, at least when the plants are young.
Hence, the parable about the wheat and the “tares” or weeds. Tares is a more “old English” term that was used in the King James Version.
In Palestine at the time of Jesus, everyone would have been very familiar with the wheat plant. They also understood Tares, a particular weed that was quite prevalent.
Using these common elements of life, Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God.
So, what was he probably referring to? Well…he does give an explanation in the second part of the passage.
Essentially, he was referring to what I call:
“Life Together”
That term was coined by Deitrick Boenhoeffer. Then later, by writer & priest Henry Nowen.
Each talked about the dynamics and challenges of “being together in community”. Think about it.
What are the ways that “weeds” can crop up…
1. Within the self. (The Shadow) (Evil within)
2. Within the inner community…or church.
3. Within the whole world.
Basically….weeds are considered evil, corrupt, problems, temptations, challenges.
Whenever we gather as a group, there will be dissention, people with different ideas, differences, other perspectives.
It’s easy to look around and cast a disparaging eye toward those who are different. We might even put them down or use some form of privilege to lord it over others.
But, who is to say who is the weed and who is the good plant?
It’s easy to be judgmental, hypocritical, mean.
Maybe Jesus wants us to be a little more gracious, a little more understanding about difference, a little more cooperative and patient.
Within a certain community, there might be differences….racially, culturally, perspectives, etc.
I think Jesus is saying…don’t judge. Who can determine who is a weed and who is a flower or plant? Only God knows.
Same thing with the larger population. With the larger society.
In Jesus’ time, it would have been easy to see the Romans as weeds.
The parable might have been about the weeds of different sects within the Jewish world.
The Wisdom of Jesus instructs:
We can’t determine who is evil; who is a weed; who is unworthy.
Ours is not to judge our neighbor. Ours is to live in community & be a light unto all the world.
You can’t always tell who is what. So, live in the world and let God do the sorting at the end of the age.
For example, One person’s Terrorist is another person’s Freedom Fighter. It might be easy to look at Arabs or Muslims or others and cast aspersions.
But, from their perspective, they see dominant culture as evil…as Empire and Corrupt.
Who’s right? Only God knows! Let the Divine do the judging. Have the Patience & Wisdom to see.
Finally…end with this story...You Need 100 Points
Thee is a story about a minister who had a strange dream. He dreamt that he had died and was trying to get into heaven. When he approached the pearly gates, St. Peter told him he needed 100 points to get in. Proudly the minister said, "Well, I was a pastor for 43 years." "Fine," said St. Peter, "That's worth one point." "One point? Is that all?" cried the minister. "Yes, that's it," said St. Peter."Well," said the pastor, "I visited lots of shut-ins." St. Peter responded, "That's worth one point." "I worked with young people," said the pastor. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "I developed a number of excellent Scout programs," said the minister. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "You have four points now. You need 96 more." "Oh no," said the minister in a panic. "I feel so helpless, so inadequate. Except for the grace of God, I don't have a chance." St. Peter smiled and said, "Grace of God-- counts for 96 points. Come on in!" If not for God's Grace, we are all weeds. All are inadequate, all, fallen. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Learn to live in community with generosity, acceptance and love....where patience is its own reward and the gardens of community can can grow & prosper. Amen.
Last week we talked about planting seeds. This week we're talking about pulling weeds. The two go together. Every gardener knows that planting seeds is the easy part of having a successful garden. It is much more time consuming to weed that same garden. And it's hard work. As someone has said: "When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant."
There is a corollary to that truth: "To distinguish flowers from weeds, simply pull up everything. What grows back is weeds."
I know if you look at my backyard…..there are plenty of weeds….Not just in the lawn, but in flower boxes are more distressing, more obvious & annoying.
We all know how annoying weeds can be. They seem to come from nowhere and are hard to get rid of.
They require toil & effort to remove…though pesticides can do it quite effectively…that is if you don’t mind a toxic approach.
So, the best way is to pull it from the root. But, that’s a lot of effort.
And…you can’t always tell what is what, at least when the plants are young.
Hence, the parable about the wheat and the “tares” or weeds. Tares is a more “old English” term that was used in the King James Version.
In Palestine at the time of Jesus, everyone would have been very familiar with the wheat plant. They also understood Tares, a particular weed that was quite prevalent.
Using these common elements of life, Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God.
So, what was he probably referring to? Well…he does give an explanation in the second part of the passage.
Essentially, he was referring to what I call:
“Life Together”
That term was coined by Deitrick Boenhoeffer. Then later, by writer & priest Henry Nowen.
Each talked about the dynamics and challenges of “being together in community”. Think about it.
What are the ways that “weeds” can crop up…
1. Within the self. (The Shadow) (Evil within)
2. Within the inner community…or church.
3. Within the whole world.
Basically….weeds are considered evil, corrupt, problems, temptations, challenges.
Whenever we gather as a group, there will be dissention, people with different ideas, differences, other perspectives.
It’s easy to look around and cast a disparaging eye toward those who are different. We might even put them down or use some form of privilege to lord it over others.
But, who is to say who is the weed and who is the good plant?
It’s easy to be judgmental, hypocritical, mean.
Maybe Jesus wants us to be a little more gracious, a little more understanding about difference, a little more cooperative and patient.
Within a certain community, there might be differences….racially, culturally, perspectives, etc.
I think Jesus is saying…don’t judge. Who can determine who is a weed and who is a flower or plant? Only God knows.
Same thing with the larger population. With the larger society.
In Jesus’ time, it would have been easy to see the Romans as weeds.
The parable might have been about the weeds of different sects within the Jewish world.
The Wisdom of Jesus instructs:
We can’t determine who is evil; who is a weed; who is unworthy.
Ours is not to judge our neighbor. Ours is to live in community & be a light unto all the world.
You can’t always tell who is what. So, live in the world and let God do the sorting at the end of the age.
For example, One person’s Terrorist is another person’s Freedom Fighter. It might be easy to look at Arabs or Muslims or others and cast aspersions.
But, from their perspective, they see dominant culture as evil…as Empire and Corrupt.
Who’s right? Only God knows! Let the Divine do the judging. Have the Patience & Wisdom to see.
Finally…end with this story...You Need 100 Points
Thee is a story about a minister who had a strange dream. He dreamt that he had died and was trying to get into heaven. When he approached the pearly gates, St. Peter told him he needed 100 points to get in. Proudly the minister said, "Well, I was a pastor for 43 years." "Fine," said St. Peter, "That's worth one point." "One point? Is that all?" cried the minister. "Yes, that's it," said St. Peter."Well," said the pastor, "I visited lots of shut-ins." St. Peter responded, "That's worth one point." "I worked with young people," said the pastor. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "I developed a number of excellent Scout programs," said the minister. "That's worth one point," said St. Peter. "You have four points now. You need 96 more." "Oh no," said the minister in a panic. "I feel so helpless, so inadequate. Except for the grace of God, I don't have a chance." St. Peter smiled and said, "Grace of God-- counts for 96 points. Come on in!" If not for God's Grace, we are all weeds. All are inadequate, all, fallen. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Learn to live in community with generosity, acceptance and love....where patience is its own reward and the gardens of community can can grow & prosper. Amen.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
A Cup of Cold Water
Picture for me….a blistering hot day. You’ve been working or playing sports.
You take a break and the one thing that you most want….
Is a big cup of cold water.
There’s nothing quite like it.
For me, getting a cup and putting lots of ice in it…then shaking or stirring it to get it really cold….really quenches the thirst.
We know at a deep level, the kind of satisfaction that a cup of cold water can bring.
Now…think about the visual image of providing that cup of cold water.
What do you think of?
Maybe, the picture of a well at a farm somewhere….Where the buckets goes way down and a ladle is there to scoop out the water to quench your thirst.
Or, perhaps….it is the trainer at a football game that is giving the athletes something to drink while they’re sweating like crazy.
One of the images I think of is in the movie: “Ben Hur”. Maybe you recall.
Ben Hur has been struggling for personal meaning…even after he established himself as a big star in the world at that time. He of course, was a Chariot Driver. The chariot scene is one of the all-time best.
But, toward the end of the movie….he happens into Jerusalem. The city seems empty and he’s trying to figure out where everyone is.
He walks around and stumbles on the Via Delorosa. There the crowd is watching as a procession goes by.
The procession: A young man carrying a cross.
Ben Hur remembers that man. He was the same one who taught the crowds on on the side of the hill.
He was the same one who made a blind man see.
And so, Ben Hur….who we all know is Charlton Heston, watches and the man stumbles down the path….lugging the cross that weighs him down.
The very same cross that he will soon die on.
It is near mid-day. He is exhausted, beaten, crushed under the weight of the cross.
And, just in front of Ben Hur, this stranger…one Jesus of Nazareth collapses….collapses from the weight of the cross.
Ben Hur, immediately rushes over to a bucket of water. He brings it over to Jesus and ladles out a dipper of water.
He lovingly helps Jesus have a drink of cold water.
Of course it is only a movie, but the image of that care and hospitality is memorable.
For we all recall the words of Jesus how he says…
“when you do it to the least of these, you do it unto me.”
Today’s passage implores us to show that kind of hospitality.
“A Cup of Cold Water”: literally or symbolically.
We all know the literally…how a cup of cold water can be a life-saver. It can be soothing, healing, energizing. Life-giving.
Symbolically….it can be the same thing.
Giving A Cup of Cold Water…..
Can be seen symbolically in many ways.
It suggests to us: Hospitality, Generosity, Compassion, Healing, Heart.
This is the stuff of faith. The stuff of faith sharing.
So…how might we do this? Both individually & congregationally?
I know recently, we had a bad experience here of “sharing a cup of cold water to a stranger”
Probably many know how we tried to provide shelter, food and a decent dose of humanity to one who had no home or place to be.
How were we rewarded? By being broken into. By opening ourselves to theft and heart-ache.
Instead of being rewarded somehow, we got bitten
So, what can we say to all this? Should that stop us from caring? From showing hospitality? From sharing a cup of cold water to a stranger?
All’s I can say is…remember Jesus’ words about being “wise as serpents & gentle as doves”.
Clearly, we lock things up and have to be cautious with our belongings, our building and ultimately….our humanity.
But, being burnt can not deter us from discipleship.
Jesus said on the cross: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”
Yes, caring makes us vulnerable. Ministry does not guarantee success. Faithfulness is not always returned with the results we want or expect.
But, that’s life. That’s “The Cost of Discipleship”.
Praise God however, that we can put our trust in One who is ever faithful to us. One in whom we know will never fail.
The Lord Jesus will never fail us. And, just when we get on our high-horse about those who don’t respond to our caring & giving. …..Just remember, we too have failed. We too, have sinned & fallen short of the Glory of God.
Research show, a growing church is one that expresses “Radical Hospitality”. One that is expressing “love in action”. Let us be that church.
“Where’s the Ladle?”
You take a break and the one thing that you most want….
Is a big cup of cold water.
There’s nothing quite like it.
For me, getting a cup and putting lots of ice in it…then shaking or stirring it to get it really cold….really quenches the thirst.
We know at a deep level, the kind of satisfaction that a cup of cold water can bring.
Now…think about the visual image of providing that cup of cold water.
What do you think of?
Maybe, the picture of a well at a farm somewhere….Where the buckets goes way down and a ladle is there to scoop out the water to quench your thirst.
Or, perhaps….it is the trainer at a football game that is giving the athletes something to drink while they’re sweating like crazy.
One of the images I think of is in the movie: “Ben Hur”. Maybe you recall.
Ben Hur has been struggling for personal meaning…even after he established himself as a big star in the world at that time. He of course, was a Chariot Driver. The chariot scene is one of the all-time best.
But, toward the end of the movie….he happens into Jerusalem. The city seems empty and he’s trying to figure out where everyone is.
He walks around and stumbles on the Via Delorosa. There the crowd is watching as a procession goes by.
The procession: A young man carrying a cross.
Ben Hur remembers that man. He was the same one who taught the crowds on on the side of the hill.
He was the same one who made a blind man see.
And so, Ben Hur….who we all know is Charlton Heston, watches and the man stumbles down the path….lugging the cross that weighs him down.
The very same cross that he will soon die on.
It is near mid-day. He is exhausted, beaten, crushed under the weight of the cross.
And, just in front of Ben Hur, this stranger…one Jesus of Nazareth collapses….collapses from the weight of the cross.
Ben Hur, immediately rushes over to a bucket of water. He brings it over to Jesus and ladles out a dipper of water.
He lovingly helps Jesus have a drink of cold water.
Of course it is only a movie, but the image of that care and hospitality is memorable.
For we all recall the words of Jesus how he says…
“when you do it to the least of these, you do it unto me.”
Today’s passage implores us to show that kind of hospitality.
“A Cup of Cold Water”: literally or symbolically.
We all know the literally…how a cup of cold water can be a life-saver. It can be soothing, healing, energizing. Life-giving.
Symbolically….it can be the same thing.
Giving A Cup of Cold Water…..
Can be seen symbolically in many ways.
It suggests to us: Hospitality, Generosity, Compassion, Healing, Heart.
This is the stuff of faith. The stuff of faith sharing.
So…how might we do this? Both individually & congregationally?
I know recently, we had a bad experience here of “sharing a cup of cold water to a stranger”
Probably many know how we tried to provide shelter, food and a decent dose of humanity to one who had no home or place to be.
How were we rewarded? By being broken into. By opening ourselves to theft and heart-ache.
Instead of being rewarded somehow, we got bitten
So, what can we say to all this? Should that stop us from caring? From showing hospitality? From sharing a cup of cold water to a stranger?
All’s I can say is…remember Jesus’ words about being “wise as serpents & gentle as doves”.
Clearly, we lock things up and have to be cautious with our belongings, our building and ultimately….our humanity.
But, being burnt can not deter us from discipleship.
Jesus said on the cross: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”
Yes, caring makes us vulnerable. Ministry does not guarantee success. Faithfulness is not always returned with the results we want or expect.
But, that’s life. That’s “The Cost of Discipleship”.
Praise God however, that we can put our trust in One who is ever faithful to us. One in whom we know will never fail.
The Lord Jesus will never fail us. And, just when we get on our high-horse about those who don’t respond to our caring & giving. …..Just remember, we too have failed. We too, have sinned & fallen short of the Glory of God.
Research show, a growing church is one that expresses “Radical Hospitality”. One that is expressing “love in action”. Let us be that church.
“Where’s the Ladle?”
The Rock of Faith
There is a popular television commercial about a pickup truck which has been on the air for several years.
The song that is sung during the ad includes the words, "like a rock."
The symbolism of those words refer to the toughness, durability and dependability of the truck.
Whenever I see one of those trucks that song comes to mind. Obviously the General Motors Corporation has succeeded in enabling me to make the connection with the concept that this particular truck has a rock-like image.Rock-like images are theological too. There are numerous references to God as the "Rock."
In Psalm 89, for example, it reads, "God only is my rock and my salvation."
In Deuteronomy 32 it says that "God is the Rock and God's work is perfect."
Isaiah said to "look to the rock from which you were hewn." (Is. 51)
And of course the most famous saying is in the New Testament when Jesus says to Peter, "and on this rock I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18)Here in Matthew, Jesus is saying that the way to be in the kingdom of God is to be as one who builds his/her house on a rock rather than sand.
Foolish people build their houses on sand which makes them vulnerable to storms.
On the other hand, wise people build their houses on the rock which means they can withstand the storms of life.
One of the most striking features of Israel is the geography & terrain…
Rocky hillsides, while the valleys, where the rivers run, are sandy because of erosion coming down from higher ground.
A village builder in Jesus' day had two choices.
They did not excavate foundations. You built a house in the valley on sandy soil or on a rocky hillside.
One was easier than the other. Hillside builders planned for the worse; valley builders hoped for the best.
And if the winter rains come in a rush, a dry creek bed or water quickly becomes a torrent that sweeps all away.
Hard rain, strong winds, and flash floods: it blew and beat on both houses.
They look alike, but when the storm passes only one remains. Same materials, different foundations.
When the storms & troubles of this life come to you….., upon what is your foundation built?
A final image that I think we can all relate to..
Back in the year 1174, an Italian architect by the name of Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: a bell tower to beautify the Cathedral of the city of Pisa.
The tower was to be a cylindrical, eight-story, 185-foot-tall building with arcaded stories, a fine example of Tuscan Romanesque architecture.
There was just one "little" problem. During construction, the builders discovered that the soil around the Pisa Cathedral was much softer than they had anticipated.
The foundation Pisano had designed for the building was far too shallow to adequately support the structure.
Before long, the whole building had begun to tilt, and continued to tilt, until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again.
It would take 176 years in all to complete construction on the Tower of Pisa, and throughout that time, the builders tried many different ways to compensate for the "tilt" of the Tower.
The foundations were shored up and reinforced; the upper levels of the tower were built on at an angle to try to at least make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked.
The Tower of Pisa has continued to stand for over 800 years now; it now leans more than 18 feet away from center position. Even with all our modern technology, this building can never be made perfectly straight.
Architectural specialists predict that eventually the structure will fall down because Bonnano Pisano didn't do enough research into the soil composition around the building site.
How's the foundation of your life doing this morning? Is it rock?
The song that is sung during the ad includes the words, "like a rock."
The symbolism of those words refer to the toughness, durability and dependability of the truck.
Whenever I see one of those trucks that song comes to mind. Obviously the General Motors Corporation has succeeded in enabling me to make the connection with the concept that this particular truck has a rock-like image.Rock-like images are theological too. There are numerous references to God as the "Rock."
In Psalm 89, for example, it reads, "God only is my rock and my salvation."
In Deuteronomy 32 it says that "God is the Rock and God's work is perfect."
Isaiah said to "look to the rock from which you were hewn." (Is. 51)
And of course the most famous saying is in the New Testament when Jesus says to Peter, "and on this rock I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18)Here in Matthew, Jesus is saying that the way to be in the kingdom of God is to be as one who builds his/her house on a rock rather than sand.
Foolish people build their houses on sand which makes them vulnerable to storms.
On the other hand, wise people build their houses on the rock which means they can withstand the storms of life.
One of the most striking features of Israel is the geography & terrain…
Rocky hillsides, while the valleys, where the rivers run, are sandy because of erosion coming down from higher ground.
A village builder in Jesus' day had two choices.
They did not excavate foundations. You built a house in the valley on sandy soil or on a rocky hillside.
One was easier than the other. Hillside builders planned for the worse; valley builders hoped for the best.
And if the winter rains come in a rush, a dry creek bed or water quickly becomes a torrent that sweeps all away.
Hard rain, strong winds, and flash floods: it blew and beat on both houses.
They look alike, but when the storm passes only one remains. Same materials, different foundations.
When the storms & troubles of this life come to you….., upon what is your foundation built?
A final image that I think we can all relate to..
Back in the year 1174, an Italian architect by the name of Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: a bell tower to beautify the Cathedral of the city of Pisa.
The tower was to be a cylindrical, eight-story, 185-foot-tall building with arcaded stories, a fine example of Tuscan Romanesque architecture.
There was just one "little" problem. During construction, the builders discovered that the soil around the Pisa Cathedral was much softer than they had anticipated.
The foundation Pisano had designed for the building was far too shallow to adequately support the structure.
Before long, the whole building had begun to tilt, and continued to tilt, until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again.
It would take 176 years in all to complete construction on the Tower of Pisa, and throughout that time, the builders tried many different ways to compensate for the "tilt" of the Tower.
The foundations were shored up and reinforced; the upper levels of the tower were built on at an angle to try to at least make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked.
The Tower of Pisa has continued to stand for over 800 years now; it now leans more than 18 feet away from center position. Even with all our modern technology, this building can never be made perfectly straight.
Architectural specialists predict that eventually the structure will fall down because Bonnano Pisano didn't do enough research into the soil composition around the building site.
How's the foundation of your life doing this morning? Is it rock?
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Two stories to start my “worry sermon”
There were two men shipwrecked on an island. The minute they got to the island, one of them started screaming and yelling, ‘We’re going to die! We’re going to die! There’s no food! NO water! We’re going to die!”
The second man, in a quite relaxed manner, propped himself up against a palm tree. He was acting so calmly, it drove the first man crazy. He began to shout, ‘Don’t you understand? We’re going to die!”
The second man replied, “You don’t understand. I make $100,000 a week.”
The first man looked at him quite dumbfounded and asked, “What difference does that make? We’re on an island with no food and no water. We’re going to DIE!”
The second man, with great serenity, answered, “You just don’t get it. I make $100,000 a week, and I tithe 10 percent of the $100,000 to the church. I have no worry whatsoever. My pastor will find me!”
And…Here is a classic church bulletin-blooper:
Don't let worry kill you off ‑ let the church help.
Surprisingly, worrying isn’t just a modern American thing.
It is as ancient as humanity itself.
Course, back then…when living on the edge, you had to worry about food for the day. Would you catch a rabbit or bird to eat. Would the elements wipe away your house & home.
Today, we worry more about gas prices, rent, mortgage payments, jobs, pensions & heath-care issues.
In all these, we can obsess & stress.
I know I worry about things..my kids being out late at night. Will they grow up to be responsible adults? Have I done the best for them?
Am I the son, husband, dad or pastor I am supposed to be?
Will the church grow, will we meet the budget, will we be the living Christ for a broken world?
It’s easy to worry. In a way…Faith & Trust are harder.
And, as we look at this issue, what we don’t want to say is….Not worrying means…not doing anything.
When I first looked at the passage, I was realizing it was on Memorial Day weekend.
My first thought was…the soldiers who fought and died in wars to protect our freedom….didn’t just say…
“Oh, I’m not going to worry about Hitler” or Stalin, or that the Japanese bombed us. I’m not going to worry about economic ruin or injustice.
And then…just bury their head in the sand.
Valiant soldiers died for us…so we don’t have to worry.
I can only imagine the worry in a foxhole or a ship before war. I can only imagine the worry before a big battle or impending launch.
But worry didn’t immobilize those brave ones.
And, worry need not immobilize us. Worry didn’t mean …taking no action. It just means putting it into the proper perpective.
Jesus said…look at the birds…they neither sew nor reap. Look at the lilies of the field. They neither toil or fret. God takes care of them. Be not anxious for tomorrow, let today’s anxiety fill today.
This is not a call to abandon work or effort or action.
It is a call to work hard and trust even harder.
Toil & Sew & Reap as the Lord gives you ability & strength.
But let Go & let God.
Birds work hard for their food. So should we.
Churches, countries, homes don’t just exist but happenstance.
They exist because of initiative, vision, passion, love & care.
Worry & anxiety are to be expected. But, focus on it…only for today.
As someone put it: “Don’t live to eat. Eat to live.”
We were made for a mission. There is a greater mission for our lives than eating and drinking and nesting. In the words of Jesus, we were put here to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (V.33).
And all these things will be added unto you.
Work Hard & Trust Harder. Be thankful for the sacrifice of others….. For the worry and toil & care that were given to make us what we are.
So..live in praise, in thanksgiving & in abiding countenance of God’s Love & Grace. Amen.
There were two men shipwrecked on an island. The minute they got to the island, one of them started screaming and yelling, ‘We’re going to die! We’re going to die! There’s no food! NO water! We’re going to die!”
The second man, in a quite relaxed manner, propped himself up against a palm tree. He was acting so calmly, it drove the first man crazy. He began to shout, ‘Don’t you understand? We’re going to die!”
The second man replied, “You don’t understand. I make $100,000 a week.”
The first man looked at him quite dumbfounded and asked, “What difference does that make? We’re on an island with no food and no water. We’re going to DIE!”
The second man, with great serenity, answered, “You just don’t get it. I make $100,000 a week, and I tithe 10 percent of the $100,000 to the church. I have no worry whatsoever. My pastor will find me!”
And…Here is a classic church bulletin-blooper:
Don't let worry kill you off ‑ let the church help.
Surprisingly, worrying isn’t just a modern American thing.
It is as ancient as humanity itself.
Course, back then…when living on the edge, you had to worry about food for the day. Would you catch a rabbit or bird to eat. Would the elements wipe away your house & home.
Today, we worry more about gas prices, rent, mortgage payments, jobs, pensions & heath-care issues.
In all these, we can obsess & stress.
I know I worry about things..my kids being out late at night. Will they grow up to be responsible adults? Have I done the best for them?
Am I the son, husband, dad or pastor I am supposed to be?
Will the church grow, will we meet the budget, will we be the living Christ for a broken world?
It’s easy to worry. In a way…Faith & Trust are harder.
And, as we look at this issue, what we don’t want to say is….Not worrying means…not doing anything.
When I first looked at the passage, I was realizing it was on Memorial Day weekend.
My first thought was…the soldiers who fought and died in wars to protect our freedom….didn’t just say…
“Oh, I’m not going to worry about Hitler” or Stalin, or that the Japanese bombed us. I’m not going to worry about economic ruin or injustice.
And then…just bury their head in the sand.
Valiant soldiers died for us…so we don’t have to worry.
I can only imagine the worry in a foxhole or a ship before war. I can only imagine the worry before a big battle or impending launch.
But worry didn’t immobilize those brave ones.
And, worry need not immobilize us. Worry didn’t mean …taking no action. It just means putting it into the proper perpective.
Jesus said…look at the birds…they neither sew nor reap. Look at the lilies of the field. They neither toil or fret. God takes care of them. Be not anxious for tomorrow, let today’s anxiety fill today.
This is not a call to abandon work or effort or action.
It is a call to work hard and trust even harder.
Toil & Sew & Reap as the Lord gives you ability & strength.
But let Go & let God.
Birds work hard for their food. So should we.
Churches, countries, homes don’t just exist but happenstance.
They exist because of initiative, vision, passion, love & care.
Worry & anxiety are to be expected. But, focus on it…only for today.
As someone put it: “Don’t live to eat. Eat to live.”
We were made for a mission. There is a greater mission for our lives than eating and drinking and nesting. In the words of Jesus, we were put here to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (V.33).
And all these things will be added unto you.
Work Hard & Trust Harder. Be thankful for the sacrifice of others….. For the worry and toil & care that were given to make us what we are.
So..live in praise, in thanksgiving & in abiding countenance of God’s Love & Grace. Amen.
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