Friendly or Welcoming

How many of you, without looking at your bulletin, can tell me what is said, at top, about our church? It’s the part that’s in italics just above the other part that tells us what Sunday this is in the church year. When was the last time you looked at it and really thought about what it says about us?
For those of you who haven’t peeked and don’t really know for sure what I’m talking about it says, “We are a positive friendly group of faithful followers of Jesus Christ, who invite young and old to be a part of our fellowship.”
How many of you remember when this was written? Pastor Gerry Oliver worked with us as we developed this mission statement. Like quite a few mission statements that were created they are often forgotten and not really thought about too much, and that’s really kind of sad. Sad, because the people who constructed this really put some thought into it.
The one part I want us to reflect on today is the friendly group. Think back to when this was put together; what were we thinking about when we decided to use the word friendly? What does being friendly really mean?
The gospel lesson you heard read today from Matthew said that, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me,…” or in some translations it says, “Whoever receives you receives me,…” or they might use the word accepts in place of welcomes or receives. But you notice that it doesn’t once say anything about being friendly does it. So what is the difference between being friendly and being welcoming? Are they the same thing? Is it possible to be friendly and not be welcoming? Think about that for a minute.
Now think about the actions of Jesus as he traveled among the people. Was he just friendly or was he genuinely welcoming?
Now before I go too far let me say that being friendly is not a bad thing. It’s just that I believe Jesus expects us to be more than just friendly. If we are just friendly we aren’t stepping very far outside the box. We aren’t being stretched very far.
Being friendly, I believe, is shaking someone’s hand and saying, “I’m sure glad you came to worship with us today,” and walking away to talk to someone else, maybe another friend.
But being welcoming is something altogether different. Welcoming can be defined as, “received with gladness; admitted willingly to the house, entertainment, or company; as, a welcome visitor; producing gladness; grateful; as, a welcome present; welcome news; free to have or enjoy gratuitously; salutation to a newcomer; kind reception of a guest or newcomer; as, we entered the house and found a ready welcome; to salute with kindness, as a newcomer; to receive and entertain hospitably and cheerfully; as, to welcome a visitor; to welcome a new idea.” I personally like the, “admitted willingly to the house” one...Jesus died for us so all of us can choose to be in Father's House! To have freely with grace...I like that one too!
This defines for us all what welcoming should be, what it’s supposed to be. Are we a welcoming group or do we have some work to do? I know that I could do a better job than I do right now.
We really need to understand that when we welcome someone we are welcoming the one who sent them. In the case of the prophet we would then receive a prophet’s reward and if we welcome a righteous person we receive a righteous person’s reward. If we give something as small as a cup of cold water to one of the little ones in the name of a disciple then none of these will lose their reward. The One who sent them, most times, is Jesus.
When we are truly welcoming to those who enter this sanctuary to worship God with us then we will receive our reward from the One who loved us so much he came to earth to die for our sins. Our reward for believing in him is eternal life.
You know this welcoming thing is a little bit like receiving a new baby into a family. If it’s the first child you know there are going to be changes. If it’s the second or third there are still things that have to change to make room for this new person.
It’s like when two people decide to build a life together as a couple. When they make the decision to have their union consecrated by God in a marriage ceremony they may not realize it at the time but there are going to be changes. The families of the couple welcome a new son or daughter into the family and things have to change. Mothers and fathers have to let go of a son or a daughter and at the same time they are to welcome this new person who is taking their son or daughter away from them. Sometimes it’s easy and other times it’s very difficult. This welcoming thing isn’t always easy. In fact sometimes it’s down right hard work.
As I’ve said before what we do in Jesus’ name doesn’t have to be perfect. I believe that he just wants us to get out there and do it. The more comfortable we get in welcoming folks the better we become at it.
So maybe we need to look at our mission statement and think about rewriting it. Or maybe we should read it every Sunday and think about what it means and decide if we are living out our mission as we are sent out into the world.
As it says in The Message, “We are intimately linked in this harvest work.” This is a team effort. Jesus is saying we can start small by offering a cup of cold water and then it builds from there. But we do have to begin.
Let’s go into this week with the focus to welcome our friends, neighbors, and family into this community of faith where God has placed us. Now you realize that these friends, family, and neighbors may be folks we haven’t met yet. All Jesus is asking us to do is make them feel welcome. Accept them into the fold as Jesus accepted us when we were less than perfect.
Thanks be to God for his bountiful, forgiving grace. Amen.

You Are the Answer

When Linda and I were first married I was a farmer, not a very good farmer but for 10 years I gave it a try. We suffered through drought, hail, too much rain, sometimes too many bugs and too many weeds but one year the harvest was beyond anything we imagined. The crops produced way beyond our expectations. The bins filled up, the granaries were filled right up to the top of the walls, and the corn crib couldn’t hold another ear of corn, so we made a pile right beside the pen of sows. The harvest was so great.
But there weren’t any extra laborers to help get it in, just Linda and me. Everybody was in the same predicament, a huge harvest and not an overabundance of people to help get it in.
That’s the way it is sometimes. Most of the time when I worked at Glacier there was more work than there were people to do the work so we would have to work 10-hour days five days a week and then work Saturdays and sometimes Sundays. After a while it began to wear on everybody and we became pretty grumpy. We complained a lot. And we wondered when it would end. Why didn’t they hire more people? We were getting tired of the overtime.
Our supervisors and their managers tried to explain that this was a short term thing. They didn’t want to hire folks and then have to lay them off. Well that kind of made sense but after couple years of the same thing we were ready for a break.
Jesus went out into the towns and the countryside preaching, teaching, and healing folks everyday. He quietly observed that they were like sheep without a shepherd. They were just getting by day by day, paycheck to paycheck you might say. Kind of like some folks today.
They were looking for something or someone to show them the way. Jesus could tell that their basic needs weren’t being met. They were seeking and no one noticed, except God. That’s why Jesus was there.
Jesus knew he wasn’t going to be here long and it was time for his disciples to learn what it meant to do ministry. He could see that the harvest was huge but there weren’t many laborers. So he asked them to pray, to get down on their knees and pray for laborers.
God answered their prayers then by showing them that they were the answer, the needed laborers were in fact they themselves. Jesus told them that they weren’t to start with the Gentiles or the Samaritans but with the people in their own neighborhoods, the lost ones of their own families and friends.
I believe that is God’s message for us today. We are to go out into our own neighborhoods and preach the good news to those who are lost or wandering looking for the way home. I believe we are to start with those from our own congregation who have fallen away from the church. You know who they are. You may have even taken the time to go visit them and try to understand why they quit participating. And you may have been rebuffed and so didn’t go back again. Or maybe you did go back another time and they just didn’t seem interested.
But then there are those others we haven’t visited, the ones who have just kind of quietly faded into the woodwork of the community. They’re really like lost sheep. They need God, they need healing.
Friends, the harvest is great. And God needs you to get down on your knees and pray for laborers. And when you get up and brush the dust off your knees I think you will find that your prayers have been answered. The laborers are you.
I would like to quote one of the contributors to Desperate Preacher.com. Glen in OH said this, “Jesus says, go to them. Go to them and confront their pain with them. Tell their illnesses and diseases, "You have NO power!" Tell the unclean spirits that torment their minds and distort their self-image, "You have NO power!" Tell the religious elite and scripture shouters who are quick to judge and slow to serve, "You have NO power!" Tell the politicians who court the votes and resources of the rich and ignore the poverty and desolation of the poor, "You have NO power!" Tell the presidents and kings of this world who are obsessed with making war at the expense of those with no voice, "You have NOpower!" Tell those who secretly laugh and scoff when humanity cries out for peace, "You have NO power!" Tell those who preach a message of fear and hate, "You have NO power!"”
“Going to the "lost sheep" is dangerous. Preaching good news to these dangerous ones is dangerous. Acknowledging these powerless ones isdangerous. Jesus said so. He warned his disciples, and he warns us, too.”
Too often we don’t think we have the power or if we do think we have the power we are consumed with a fear that keeps us from the fields. Friends, these are our family and friends who need healing. Some of them may be friends we haven’t met yet but they are our friends.
In the words of Paul, “Throw open your doors to God.” It takes faith to do this work. God has given us his grace. Pray that our faith will be strengthened.
Jesus isn’t waiting for us to get ready. The laborers have been sent out but more are needed. The sheep are wandering; the crop is heavy with grain and waiting to be gathered in.
I just realized that there may be some here who have never herded sheep or harvested grain and therefore may not understand the references to sheep and harvest. These words may have no relevance to the average person today.
But think about what it would be like if Jesus came to our school, our places of work, to our church, how do you think he might respond to what he sees, especially today with the crowds of people here looking for antiques and good eats?
Wow! What a bunch of people. There’s so many. They look so worn out. Some look about ready to give up. Who helps these people? No one helps them? We need each other so we can be strong enough to go on.
That’s the message today. Let’s pray that God will enable us to see the emotional and spiritual needs of our neighbors. Friends, this means that we are going to have to get out into the midst of things, ask questions, listen, lend a hand, give a hug, and share the good news that the kingdom of heaven is here. By helping each other we can all live better. Our social and spiritual needs will begin to be met.
It is dangerous work. Some may not want our help. That’s okay. Just move on. There is someone down the street who will accept our help, in fact they are praying for it right now.
Remember we aren’t in this alone. Jesus is walking right beside us. He has been there before us. He knows every danger and he will give us what we need to do the work. Have faith my friends. God hears our prayers. He has looked out over the crowds and his heart is breaking for those who are confused and wandering aimlessly in the world.
May God open our eyes so that we can see the harvest and then give us the strength to go out into the harvest. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.

Pack It All Up and Move

About 20 years ago Linda came home to the farm at Hancock and told me that she wanted to put a bid in on this house across the street from the school. Actually if I remember right she said that she thought we should look at some houses in Walnut to live in since it would save us money in our commutes to work.
And so I consented to look at some homes that were for sale; one of them was the house owned by Dwight and Lilah Wuster. It must have been meant to be since we did buy it and have been there now some 20 years. I have to tell you thought that I didn’t really think our loan would be approved and then we wouldn’t really move. It looks as if God had other plans.
I don’t know about any of you but I didn’t like the idea of all the work to move from Hancock to Walnut. Somehow everything got moved and we’ve both decided that neither one of us wants to do it again. That was after helping each of our children move from apartments to houses and houses to apartments and …well you know how that goes. It’s just not fun to pack up and move. But sometimes no matter how we feel about things there is something that compels us to load everything in the car and pickup and go. I still don’t think it’s much fun. Have I told you before that I don’t particularly like change?
Every one of the lessons you heard read today is about change or changes that took place because God was calling folks to step outside the boxes they were in and do something different. God’s call to Abram was a very big step, way bigger than our move from Hancock to Walnut. That was only about 18 miles and I didn’t have to walk it.
Abram heard God’s call to leave his home and move to a land that God was going to show him. He didn’t even tell him where, he just told him to go and he went.
God didn’t ask Abram to do anything other than to go. God promised him that he would make him a great nation, his name would be blessed, and his name would be great so that he would be a blessing. And then he promised that he would bless those who blessed Abram and he would curse those who cursed him so that in Abram all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abram’s response was to go forth. I like to think that of course he went, he was a nomad and that’s what they do. They move from one place to another. But even with that it took a lot of faith to pack it all up and go someplace they had never been before.
And all of this Abram did before God had given the people any laws. It was even before God had made his covenant with Abram and sealed it with the circumcision of every male of Abram’s family. God made his promises and then no matter how many times Abram tried to help God and messed it up God stayed to his plan. He fixed whatever it was that Abram messed up.
It takes faith to change, to pack it all up and move, doesn’t it? Just think about how much faith it took for this tax collector, Matthew, to pack it up and follow Jesus. How much faith would it take to turn your whole life around and do something completely foreign to the natural way you were used to doing things? Matthew would no longer be extorting money from his neighbors. What was he going to do for income?
You know that’s what I think keeps quite a few people from doing what they know God is calling them to do. Their faith is not strong enough to believe that God will actually provide everything they need. If they decide to quit a job that has provided very well for them for many years and pack it all up to do what God is calling them to do how are the bills going to be paid? Will they be able to continue to make ends meet? Those are questions most of us ask ourselves and maybe that’s what keeps us from caring for the prisoners, the widows, the oppressed, and the ones who are in need.
Did you notice in the gospel message from Matthew that not only did Jesus ask Matthew to follow him but Jesus actually did most of the following? After he called Matthew, he turned and followed him to his house to sit down and eat with all his disreputable friends. After he left Matthew’s house he was approached by leader of the synagogue who asked him to come to his house and bring his daughter who had died back to life. Jesus followed him to his house. On the way a woman who had been suffering for 12 years with hemorrhaging somehow got through the press of people surrounding Jesus to touch the fringe of his prayer shawl so she could be healed. Jesus turned and his eyes followed her. Her hope was that she would be healed and her faith was confirmed when Jesus said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”
He continued on his way following this man whose daughter was lying dead at home. The people there laughed scornfully Jesus’ words when he said that she was just sleeping. Can you imagine how that father felt then? These people were ridiculing the man he believed would bring his daughter back to him. It wasn’t until they had all been sent outside that Jesus went in an took the young girl by the hand and she got up. How hard do you think that leader of the synagogue was praying? God made his faith strong enough to buck the crowd and ask Jesus to come to his house.
Friends, God asks us to do difficult things. Most times he asks us to do things that we have no idea about how they can be accomplished. And what do we do? We think about budgets, we think about building maintenance, we think about what we have to work with and don’t often think about this great God who has promised to be with us every step of the way. It is terribly difficult for us to pack it all up, turn around, and have faith that Jesus will follow us into the new frontier where we have been told to go.
God is calling us to do his work. I believe that he will continue to call us to this ministry of serving the community where he has placed us until we answer his call trusting in his promises.
It all depends on faith and that through the grace of our loving God. God is calling us to follow him and he promises that he will follow us as we step out in faith. We are being called to move beyond our comfortable boundaries into the great unknown. Let’s work to cultivate the art of following God wherever he leads us.
Abram had faith in God. God promised he would and Abram believed him. Jesus called Matthew and his faith was such that he answered the call. The woman and the leader of the synagogue had faith that Jesus could heal and God blessed their faith.
Our faith is God’s gift of grace for us. Pray that God makes our faith strong enough to follow him wherever he leads. Thanks be to God for his gift of grace in our lives. Amen

FOUNDATIONS TO BUILD LIVES ON

Foundations!Trouble with foundationsis that nobody sees them.Roots.Trouble with rootsis that nobody sees them.And in our "show time" societymost people aren’t interested in foundations and rootsMost people want the skin deepthe show mefoundationless-Storyteller from DesperatePreacher.com

Foundations are one of those parts of a house or any building for that matter that most people don’t pay much attention to. We all figure that the contractor we have hired to erect our building knows everything about the building codes and understands the laws of physics and will put a foundation underneath that can’t be shaken. How many of you have checked the foundation of your houses lately? Is it still as strong today as when your house was built?
So, how many of you can tell me what are the requirements for a strong foundation, one that won’t be phased by strong winds or earthquakes? What type of foundation is best, poured concrete, cement block with rebar, or what about a wood foundation? Which one is the best?
I’m like most of you; I put my faith in the person I asked to construct my building to put the proper foundation in place so there would never be a problem for as long as I was alive. You do know that if the original design is flawed the whole house or structure will be susceptible to damage.
In order for a structure to be resistant to high winds or earthquakes the building design has to incorporate strong connections between the foundation, wall, and roof and connections between the walls, particularly at the corners and connections amongst all the components that make up a wall and roof. Connections and what they are made of are very important to a structure.
First, the proper foundation and footings needs to be in place at the proper depth and the proper width to carry the weight of the building sitting on it. And then the two have to be connected properly with bolts and/or plates up through the sill plate and into the walls.
Think about what I have just said and then think about us as human beings. I remember hearing my parents and grandparents talking about kids having a good foundation to build their lives on. I didn’t understand it that well then but now that I’m older and Linda and I have seen our own children more or less grown and out on their own I have a much better understanding what they meant.
Just as the a building must have a foundation constructed of the best materials with the exact physical dimensions to support the weight of the structure for a lifetime or two so our lives need a good foundation. So again, the same question as before, what is the best foundation for our lives?
Let’s start with the Old Testament lesson. It said that Noah was a good man, the most innocent man of his time; he walked with God. And when God told him to build this great boat it said that he did everything God commanded him to do. I guess that meant that he didn’t question him about any of it; he trusted that God’s word was enough. His faith in God to take care of him and not lead him down the wrong path was the foundation he built his life on.
The psalm we listened to this morning asked us to look at the beauty and wonder of the world all around us, to look at God with loving eyes. The psalmist knew that God would fight for us, that he would protect us. The foundation he built his life on was faith that the God who created this world would fight for him and protect him.
Foundations are seldom seen and don’t add a bit to the beauty of the structure but you won’t find one building plan that doesn’t have one. Well maybe you might find one or two, but you all know that kind of building is not going to be around long. It won’t be able to withstand the forces of nature. It probably won’t even last one lifetime.
Paul in his letter to the Romans reminded us that God has a plan for all of us, to rescue everyone who trusts in him. He said that our acts of faith show that we have a right standing before God and because we trust him we really live. Paul tells us that things have changed. It used to be that it was God who set things right but now it’s Jesus who is setting things right. And it’s not just for Jewish Christians but “for everyone who believes in him.”
Because God had a plan and created this solid footing through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ those who put their faith in Jesus are experiencing the glorious lives God wills for all of us. Like Paul said this is “pure gift,” there is absolutely nothing that we can do or could do to get ourselves right with God. We would just mess it up; in fact we often do make messes that he has to clean up for us. Getting the foundation right, trusting in God’s love through the sacrifice of his Son who took the world’s sins upon himself and died, went through Hell for us and rose again, is the first step in building a life that will stand up to the storms Satan sends our way.
It’s begins with the foundation but there’s more to it. In order for a house to be able to withstand the storms and forces of nature everything has to be connected. The connections between the foundation, the walls and the roof have to be solid and the connectors must be made using the right materials. I mean you wouldn’t think of using Liquid Nail to connect all the components of a house together would you. No, in some places you might use bolts and in other places you might use plates of steel or sheet metal straps to connect the structure together.
Connections are important in our lives too. We should begin with a good foundation, a belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior, but then we have to go one step further. We need to be sure that we have good connections. Without connections our lives can fall apart just as buildings do that don’t have all the components of the house secured properly to each other.
What kind of connections do you think we need? Houses or buildings use bolts, rivets, plates, etc but what type of connectors do we need in our lives? How is the foundation connected to the walls and the walls to the roof?
I believe it begins when parents make the decision to bring their families to church to worship and to be taught. I’m making the assumption that they have already given their lives over to Jesus and are now taking the next step.
That’s what church is. It’s about connecting mature Christians with new Christians, mentoring each other; it’s about being connected to each other in our relationships, supporting each other and holding each other accountable and loving each other. People who come to church are connected, connected with God and connected with other people who have come to worship God. Relationships develop in small groups and before you know it we are all held together by our connections.
When we begin by coming to church we learn that there is more we can do to build a strong life, a life that will withstand the forces of evil. We learn to build strong connections with God and each other through the study of the Word, through prayer, and in fellowship in small groups. We build connections when we are “sent” out into the world to make disciples of all nations. We are connected when we go out and tell others about God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. Each of these connections works to grow God’s family and make the church stronger.
It all begins with a strong foundation upon which to build. The body of Christ is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ himself as the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). Paul told the Corinthians that “No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, the sure foundation that the prophet Isaiah talked about.
Friends, our foundation is in Jesus. He is the rock we can rely on to be there for us and support us no matter what comes our way. With Jesus as our foundation we have not one thing to fear. It’s all part of God’s wonderful architectural plan for his church.
Through God’s generous love we are connected to him through Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are connected to Jesus and his teachings. We are connected to all God’s children when we go out and share the love of God with those we meet on our journey through this life.
Foundations to build lives upon and strong connections to hold everything together trusting in God’s plan for his church, that’s what our lives are all about.
My friends God loved you enough to send his Son to die for you so that you could be saved from your sin. God laid the foundation stone. Today God is calling you to take the next step, trust in his Word, give your life to him and be changed. Come and be connected to the One who gave his life for you so you could be freed from the hold sin has over you life.
God loves each of you and so do I. Amen.

Priorities

I would like all of us today to use this time during worship to consider the priorities of our lives. Jesus tells us in the gospel lesson that we shouldn’t worry about food, clothes or tomorrow but that we should make the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness our priorities. Only you know where your priorities are but I can tell you honestly in these economic times I worry some about food, clothes, and tomorrow. It’s not that I don’t trust in God’s providence it’s that I don’t have a lot of faith in humanity to hold up its end and look out for their neighbors.
So how about it, are you worrying about tomorrow? Do you worry about where you’re going to get the next meal or if you’re going to have a clean set of clothes to put on in the morning? I’m not worrying about the food or the clothes but I do spend some time thinking about what tomorrow will be like.
After all that’s been in the news lately, especially all the weather related catastrophes that have occurred all over the world, an earthquake in China, a cyclone in Myanmar, and that humongous tornado in Colorado. Now those are things I do worry about some. But you know, there’s not one thing I can do to keep them from happening. I really do have to trust in God to provide the protection and the resources to rebuild if one of these weather events should happen to me.
The Prophet Isaiah told the people that after a period of time, in fact he said, “In the right time…,” he would bring his chosen ones back to their own country and restore everything back the way it was. And it goes right along with the gospel lesson, if we believe what we profess then we shouldn’t be worrying one minute about anything in our lives. Our minds should be filled with service issues. Who are we going to help next? What needs to be fixed now? Where do we need to go tomorrow to share the good news of God’s love for all people?
Did you hear what the psalmist said? Do you think our feet are on the ground? Do you think we are quietly waiting for God to show us and tell us what we should be doing? Or do you think we want to rule our own roost? Are we trying to control our destinies? And is that wrong?
I don’t think Jesus was saying that it is wrong to acquire wealth and possessions. But he was trying to get us to think about the why and the what of it. Why are we acquiring things and what are we going to do with the wealth we gain? And whose is it anyway?
What do you think would happen if everyone gave a certain percentage of their gross income to be used for the mission of the church? Every time that we received compensation for our work we would give a set percentage of the gross toward serving the mission of the church. Would we notice that we had fewer resources for food and clothes and rent or house payments? Would it make any difference to the amount of food that we put on our tables or the clothes that we wore? I wonder how many really trust enough in God to try it.
Priorities, where are our priorities? Jesus said we can’t serve two gods. Who are we serving, ourselves or God?
Paul told the Corinthians that what they should be concerned with was being a servant for Christ. They weren’t to be worrying about what anyone else was doing; they were to just be focused on the work they were called to by Christ.
I wonder what the world would be like if that were the norm. That we all looked out for each other and we made sure that there was absolutely no one who had any needs. Everyone everywhere had a roof over their head, clean clothes on their backs and nutritious food on their tables for every meal. What would that kind of world be like? Could we make that happen?
We can if we would change our priorities. But it won’t happen if all we think about is taking care of ourselves. As I’ve said before there is no early retirement from doing the work of the Lord. We are to make disciples, teach people, and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are to love God and love our neighbors.
There are people in need all around us. Our priorities as the body of Christ are to care for those around us. The prophet Micah said, “…And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Paul says we should be servants, the prophet Isaiah is telling us to trust in God to make everything right again, and the psalmist tells us to wait patiently with hope. And Christ tells us we can’t serve two masters.
I believe in order to make that happen we have to set priorities. And I believe that those priorities are not about you and me but about everyone else. I believe that means that I need to be focused on everyone else’s needs, not mine. I believe that Jesus is telling us to wake up and change our priorities. He will take care of us and we are to take care of each other, without judging. Leave that to God.
Friends, it’s not easy trying to be like Jesus. I was visiting with a neighbor this week and we both expressed our concerns with the state of the world. We both decided that it’s too big for us and we couldn’t change it anyway. What we could do is look out for our neighbors and see to their needs. By doing those simple things we might be able to change the priorities of the world.
As we are taught in the scriptures, we are to be in the world but not of the world. Our priorities are different than the world’s priorities.
Life has always been tough. Today it’s the price of a gallon of gas, a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread and tomorrow it may be something else. Hope in the Lord will make the difference and help all of us to look at life a little differently, to change our priorities. Trust in the Lord my friends and he will make it all happen.
Someday it will all be made right. Someday Christ will return and there will be a new world, a new Jerusalem, a new heaven. What a wonderful day that will be. In the meantime our priorities must be to look out for our neighbors here in our community and in all parts of the world as God gives us the resources.
Priorities, what are yours and are they the same as God’s? I pray that God gives us hope for the future and that we are all able to turn our lives around and change our focus to serving God and our neighbors.
Thanks be to God for his abundant grace. Amen.

What's It All Mean?

What’s it all mean? God, our God, the one we worship with all our being and are so grateful to for everything he gives us and who is the creator of this whole universe, is the great Three-in-One. What’s that mean? Who can explain how God can be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?
If you have the rock solid answer that we can all understand come on up here and explain it. I’ll be the first one to tell you that it is a mystery to me. The more I read, the more I study, the more I realize that even the great theologians of the world can’t explain it any better than you and I can. Oh sure they can use some big words to try to get us all to understand the Trinity but the bottom line is it’s all a mystery.
God just is. He created everything around us, everything. There isn’t one thing that God didn’t make. Not one of us can take credit for even one atom of anything. Oh some may think they did it all by themselves but they’re just fooling themselves.
When I walk around in this marvelous world, especially in the spring, I realize how wonderful it all is. And the miracle is that in this part of the world everything dies in the fall and winter and miraculously comes back to life in the spring. And we are amazed every year that it happens. The same birds come back to find night crawlers in my yard, the same hostas come up in the same place every year, even when they get hammered into the ground by hail or chewed on by rabbits. They come back to life every year.
How can I not believe in God when all around I see so many beautiful and wondrous things? And each one is excitingly unique; no two are the same, like snowflakes for example. The intricacy of each cell, each atom, is beyond our comprehension.
Every time I think back to when Linda and I first discovered that we were going to be parents I am amazed at how God takes two people and from the love they have for each creates a new life. And when I think about the odds of it happening at all, well it’s all just a miracle. Each new life that we are blessed with is just a miracle. I don’t believe there’s any other way to explain it.
The only explanation I have is someone greater than all of us is responsible for the whole thing. I’ve seen some of the things I’ve tried to create and they don’t begin to compare to what God can do.
So what does it all mean? It means that God is in control and when he wants us to know everything he will reveal it to us. Until then I am just going to believe in the mystery that is God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I think that the most important thing for us is to remember what Jesus told his disciples just before he ascended into heaven. The Great Commission he gave to them and us was that all the authority he had in heaven and earth that had been given to him he was giving to his disciples was to make more disciples of all the nations baptizing and teaching them in the name of the Trinity. And to not worry he would always be with them and us, to the very end of time.
So I’m not going to concern myself too much about who God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is or worry too much about trying to explain it. What I am going to do is to do my best to make disciples wherever God plants me. And in order to make disciples that means I have to teach, and in order to teach that means I have to study. What am I going to study? I’m going to read the Word and pray that the Holy Spirit grants me the wisdom and understanding necessary to teach all God’s children.
While I’m about it, I’m going to walk about, or maybe ride about, in this great place God has created. I’m going to enjoy visiting and talking with these little ones who are the best part of God’s creation, ever.
Today we are going to baptize one of God’s miracles. What’s it all mean? It means that John and Vickie and all of us gathered here today accept the responsibility, in fact we promise, to guide and nurture this young person by our words and our life’s examples, with love and prayer, encouraging them to know Jesus, the Son of God the Father through the working of the Holy Spirit. I believe it means that God blesses this new life and with Jesus and the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ, the church, train Matthew to be one of his disciples. Just how he accomplishes all of this is the mystery.
What’s it all mean? It means that God loves us so much that he put us here on this little spinning piece of space dust with just the right conditions to support life. And it’s up to us to take care of it and trust in Him to provide for our needs. Do we need to know how the Trinity fits into all of it? Do we really need to know the why’s, what’s, and wherefores of it? No, I don’t think so. I think we just have to know that God is and trust in his love and providence for us.
I don’t think I have many answers to the question of the Trinity but I do believe that there is a God and he sent his Son to show us what God was like, and before he ascended told us he would send an Advocate, a Counselor, to be with us, to pray for us, to help us understand and remember everything Jesus taught his disciples. I believe that God cares for all of his children and it’s through the body of Christ that God’s love is to be shared. That I believe.
Friends, God loves all of you and so do I. Amen.

Wildfire

Ever seen a wildfire? A few years ago south of us, down by Oakland, a fire started and faster than anyone could imagine it raced across fields, jumping across road ditches burning everything in its path. It didn’t seem to matter whether part of a field was disked, the fire would hesitate for a moment and then leap the chasm to ignite the dry grass and cornstalks and race towards the next tree or building in its path.
Linda and I were listening to all of this on the radio scanner. Listening to the voices of the men and women who were trying to contain the fire we knew that this was a wildfire to be remembered for a long time. I know that those who lost homes and belongings will never forget how fast it moved and changed directions. It will be talked about for a long time.
So it was with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The disciples were all gathered together in the room praying and waiting for the fulfillment of Christ’s promise and all of a sudden there was this sound of a wild rushing wind. They were looking around to see where the sound was coming from and then they noticed the tongues of flame that looked like fire standing over each other’s heads. And if that wasn’t enough when they were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit they began to speak, speak so that those who ran up outside to see what all the commotion was heard them speaking in their own native languages.
How was it possible for uneducated common people to speak so that every nation represented in Jerusalem could here the Message and understand it? It was an opportunity to preach the gospel, and being filled with the power, Peter was moved to preach the good news and explain what was happening.
Jews celebrated the day of Pentecost every year but this particular day was a day that was never to be forgotten. God’s Spirit came upon these disciples just as Jesus had promised and they were filled to overflowing; they were brimming over with the Spirit. It was spilling out from the depths of their souls like water bubbling up from an artesian well, like water overflowing the banks of rivers filled with the abundant snow melt from the mountains, like rivers filled with the recent rains passing through the Midwest.
That’s what happens when people give their lives to Jesus and are forgiven of their sins by God. They are baptized with and filled with God’s Spirit.
First, they can’t believe how they feel. A burden has been lifted from their shoulders. They know that God is working in them and has become one with them through the promise of Jesus, that anyone who believes in him will never be thirsty but will filled with rivers of living water from the Spirit. Their sins have been forgiven, they have been redeemed. Now what?
As they spend time in God’s Spirit they realize they have received gifts from God; they can do things that will bring glory to God. They can grow God’s kingdom when they use these gifts. Each of us has gifts, gifts God has given us to use to bring people to Jesus. And every one of us has different gifts; just as we all have different personalities and appearances, so we each have different and varied gifts. None of us is the same.
That’s why it’s so important that we share the Message of the good news with everyone we meet. Because that one person we talk with is the one God wants us to tell our story to. God has given you and me that one particular gift to enable us to communicate clearly the good news to those we meet on life’s journey.
God’s Spirit has been poured out on every kind of people, young and old, men and women, people of every ethnic background have been filled with the Spirit. Signs and wonders are happening everyday around us. Can you see what the Spirit is doing? Just look around you. God’s Spirit is in each person here today and he’s building a fire in hearts to spread the good news.
Are you feeling empty? Does something seem to be missing? Jesus said, “Come to me and drink. Anyone who believes in me will be filled with rivers of living water and they will spill out of the depths of them who believe, just as the Scripture says.” Let the breath of God fill you with new life. Feel the Spirit moving and let the Spirit move you to do things you never imagined doing. Maybe even speak to people you don’t understand and who probably don’t understand you, but with the Spirit’s help they will know what you are saying. Tell the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
God loves you my friends and so do I. Thanks be to God.