All of us have, at one time or another had some experience with disease, illness, and grief. Every one of us has at some point in our lives been not well. Our well-being just wasn’t what it should have been. Something was throwing things out of kilter. It might be said that our lives had lost meaning.
What do we do when we are ailing? What do you do when you are ill? What do you do when you receive a diagnosis that you have cancer? The meaning of our lives changes at that moment. Our lives have been given a jolt, knocked out of whack, maybe even pushed off the road that we’d been on.
So what do we do? Where do we go for help? How do we begin the healing? Is there a cure for what is ailing us?
When I’m not feeling well the first place I go is to the cupboard where we have most of our medicines. Surely I can find something there to make me feel better. And I’m sure that most of you are just like me, you want to be better now. We expect the drugs to take the pain away, to remove whatever is discomforting us, and maybe even cure us within a day or two.
When I don’t feel well I don’t want to be around people. And I’m sure nobody wants to be very close to me. I remember when I woke up a few weeks ago and I thought I had the flu or some other terrible ailment. I asked Linda, “What do you think I should do? I can’t go to church and expose everyone to who knows what I’ve got.” It turns out that I had shingles and even though I felt rotten no one was going to “get” what I had. The biggest thing for me was that I wasn’t feeling well. I had lost my well-being. And I wasn’t getting any better very fast.
It took me a few days to get a diagnosis for my problem and when Doctor Johnson confirmed that it was indeed shingles it took some time for the symptoms to go away. I’m not cured but I am well. My well-being has been restored. I feel like now I can get out of the house and be a part of the community again. I’ve learned that according to science being cured of anything is a rarity.
Isn’t it a lousy feeling to be cooped up in your room or your house and not be able to get out and visit with friends and family? None of us like that feeling.
So when does the healing begin? David experienced grief at the deaths of King Saul and his best friend Jonathan. It was like his very heart had been ripped from his body. He hurt because they were gone from his life.
But he didn’t want anyone to forget them and the good that they had done while they lived. The loss of family or friends certainly affects our well-being. We don’t feel well and we want God to make it all better. We feel like the psalmist when he said the bottom had fallen out of his life and he needed God to help him, now! He wanted God to hear his cry for help. Haven’t we all felt like that?
When our well-being suffers, whatever may be the cause, we want healing to happen. Our lives cease to have any meaning when illness and/or disease enter our lives.
So when does the healing begin? In Mark’s gospel healing occurred when Jesus touched a person or in the case of the woman with the bleeding disorder when she touched the edge of his robe.
The well-being of Jairus’ family was disrupted when his daughter became so ill that they feared for her life. In Jesus’ day when people were sick they were considered unclean and they couldn’t be part of the community until their wholeness had been restored.
Consider the woman who touched Jesus’ robe. She had tried everything. Whenever any of her family or friends heard of someone who even remotely might give her some relief they told her and she tried whatever remedy they recommended no matter the cost. But soon she ran out of money and since she was ritually unclean she could no longer be a part of the community. She couldn’t go into the temple to worship. She was cut off from her family and friends. And so she was willing to go to any lengths to be healed and restored to health.
And so she made her way through the crowd just so she could touch Jesus’ robe. As soon as her fingertips made contact with the fringe she felt a new energy within her very being. She knew she was healed.
Jesus knew it too but he didn’t know who had tapped into his energy. And so he asked who it was who had touched him. His disciples thought he was crazy to ask a question like that when he was being crushed by all the people pressing in around him.
Jesus knew there had been something different about this “one” person who had touched him. Not really touched him but touched just the edge of his robe. What made her touch different from the touch of every one else there? Why weren’t all those others who made contact with Jesus also healed of their ailments? What was special about her touch?
The healing began the moment her fingers touched Jesus. Actually the healing may have started when her faith in the power of Jesus brought her to that particular place in the road. No one else was healed at then but her. Was it faith that provided the catalyst? What do you think?
At that same moment Jairus’ some people from his house came to him and told him his daughter had died. There was no use to bother Jesus. There was nothing he could do.
What did Jesus say when he heard what people were saying? He said, “Don’t listen to them. Trust me.” When Jairus trusted Jesus the healing began.
Friends, the healing begins when we put our faith and trust in Jesus. I think that before we can be healed we must honestly believe with our whole being that our Creator God, our beloved brother Jesus, and our Comforter the Holy Spirit expect us to come to God in faith with all our joys and concerns. We first must believe, have faith in God, believe that he does exist, that he does care, and that hears our praise and our cries for healing.
When does the healing begin? It begins when we first come to God in prayer with just that little mustard seed of faith believing that he hears our petitions. It’s then that the mountains begin to move. Our faith makes us whole again.
And when our faith is waning the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with just the right words.
Friends, it begins with hope then faith and then love. Healing has begun because you have faith. Trust in the Lord with your whole heart and soul and being. Have faith. You will be healed. Your life will have meaning again.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Describe God, Your God
If someone asked you to describe God, your God how would you do that? You might begin to explain who God is as he is described in the Bible. He is the Creator of all that is. He provides for His whole creation.
You might describe God, your God as a parental figure, either as a kind and gentle Father or a caring and nurturing Mother. You might describe God as the Great Protector or as the One who heals our brokenness.
Or you might tell someone that he is your very own special Friend who listens to all of your joys and trials without making you feel belittled or weak. God, your God may be that special One who reveals his love for you and the world through the scriptures you read in your devotions and hear proclaimed in worship.
But what would you say if someone were to ask you about Jesus or the Holy Spirit? Now that’s where everything begins to get messy and confusing. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What did you say? How can that be?
Who sitting in the congregation this morning can give an explanation of the Trinity that everyone will, after hearing it, nod their heads and say, “That’s it?” I’ve tried before and my explanation just doesn’t quite make it.
The best I can come up with is the Trinity is the different natures of God as he has revealed himself to us. The best explanation is that the Trinity is a divine mystery that is beyond all human understanding and imagination.
That being said, I believe that we all know and experience God in many various ways. For example I am known differently depending upon who you ask to describe me. Linda would give you one description, Chris, Amy, and Ben would give you another description, and they might vary a little from each other, and if my parents were alive they would describe me differently from everyone else. It’s because they have all known me at different times and in different situations in my life. Each has known me intimately but that intimacy has been different for each of them. So they would describe me in the terms that relate to that relationship.
So, for each of us, when we are asked to describe God, our God, our descriptions would all vary somewhat. There might be some similarities but they would all be a little bit different because God knows us and we know God in different times and different situations.
So rather than give you answers to questions I will give you questions and you will have to come up with your own answers. How do you relate to God in each of his/her personas? Do you give God equal time in each of his natures? How do you speak with God when you pray? How does God speak to you when you are alone with him? When you are alone with God in your quiet places, wherever they may be, how do you experience him?
Some of us won’t be able to find the right words to describe God but we may be able to create a picture of how we see God. Or maybe we could sing a song that tells how we know God and he knows us. Or maybe our description of God will only come out in the music we make, however we make it.
Who is God and how can we explain who he is? I think we would all describe our God in many different ways. The one sure and certain thing we can say about God is what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
Friends, God loves you in all his different natures and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
You might describe God, your God as a parental figure, either as a kind and gentle Father or a caring and nurturing Mother. You might describe God as the Great Protector or as the One who heals our brokenness.
Or you might tell someone that he is your very own special Friend who listens to all of your joys and trials without making you feel belittled or weak. God, your God may be that special One who reveals his love for you and the world through the scriptures you read in your devotions and hear proclaimed in worship.
But what would you say if someone were to ask you about Jesus or the Holy Spirit? Now that’s where everything begins to get messy and confusing. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. What did you say? How can that be?
Who sitting in the congregation this morning can give an explanation of the Trinity that everyone will, after hearing it, nod their heads and say, “That’s it?” I’ve tried before and my explanation just doesn’t quite make it.
The best I can come up with is the Trinity is the different natures of God as he has revealed himself to us. The best explanation is that the Trinity is a divine mystery that is beyond all human understanding and imagination.
That being said, I believe that we all know and experience God in many various ways. For example I am known differently depending upon who you ask to describe me. Linda would give you one description, Chris, Amy, and Ben would give you another description, and they might vary a little from each other, and if my parents were alive they would describe me differently from everyone else. It’s because they have all known me at different times and in different situations in my life. Each has known me intimately but that intimacy has been different for each of them. So they would describe me in the terms that relate to that relationship.
So, for each of us, when we are asked to describe God, our God, our descriptions would all vary somewhat. There might be some similarities but they would all be a little bit different because God knows us and we know God in different times and different situations.
So rather than give you answers to questions I will give you questions and you will have to come up with your own answers. How do you relate to God in each of his/her personas? Do you give God equal time in each of his natures? How do you speak with God when you pray? How does God speak to you when you are alone with him? When you are alone with God in your quiet places, wherever they may be, how do you experience him?
Some of us won’t be able to find the right words to describe God but we may be able to create a picture of how we see God. Or maybe we could sing a song that tells how we know God and he knows us. Or maybe our description of God will only come out in the music we make, however we make it.
Who is God and how can we explain who he is? I think we would all describe our God in many different ways. The one sure and certain thing we can say about God is what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”
Friends, God loves you in all his different natures and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Spirit of Truth
Peter went on to explain how Jesus, through everything he did here before he was crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended into heaven, was certainly the Messiah sent from God as witnessed to by the disciples who saw his miracles, wonders and signs. This was a deliberate and well-thought out plan of God as Eugene Petersen stated it. Jesus was betrayed by Judas and men who took the law into their own hands and handed him over to be nailed to the cross and killed. God was more powerful than death and he raised Jesus from the tomb. Death didn’t hold a candle to Jesus. David said it in the Psalms,
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
I’ll never even smell the stench of death.
You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
Peter went on to say that everyone knew where David was buried because his tomb was where everyone could see it. But since David was a prophet of God he said that God has sworn to him that one of his descendants would rule his kingdom. The Messiah would be raised from the dead. Jesus was this man David spoke of. He stood before them healthy and whole. And then he ascended to sit at the right hand of God. He sent the Holy Spirit, who came from the Father, and that is what these people were hearing when they heard these men speaking in their own languages.
There was no longer any doubt; Jesus was the Son of God. This man they hung on the tree and killed was the Master and the Messiah.
Those who listened to Peter were touched in the deepest part of their souls by his words. They wanted to know what they could do.
Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”
He continued to preach and exhort them to change. “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”
Because his speech was so powerfully filled with the words of the Holy Spirit 3,000 people believed and were baptized that day. They made the commitment to listen to the teaching of the apostles, share everything in common, meals and prayer, and maintained a daily discipline of worship in the Temple. Every day was an exuberant celebration that praised God. Every day the number of people who believed the Message grew as God added to those who were saved. That’s the rest of the story according to Luke in Acts 2.
The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, sent by Jesus is powerfully working in the lives of those who believe in Jesus as God’s Son. Many people don’t realize that the Spirit is doing anything because as scripture says it’s not about the Spirit but it’s all about God, the Father working through Jesus the Messiah.
Let me see if I can give you some of the things that the Spirit does that we heard from the scriptures this morning.
Enables
Creates and renews the earth
Helps us in our weakness
Intercedes for us
Knows what’s in our hearts because Jesus knows our hearts
Confirms Jesus
Exposes the error of the godless world view of sin, righteousness, and judgment
Shows us that refusal to believe in Jesus is the basic sin
Takes us by the hand
Guides us into all the truth
Makes sense our what happened to Jesus, everything he did and said
Honors Jesus
Takes from Jesus and gives to us
Today we remember and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world. Whenever we feel the wind and see its power we are reminded of the silent workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Whenever we see the flame of candles we are reminded how the Spirit warms our souls and lights the way for us as we strive to live our lives like Jesus.
Today as we witness baptism and reaffirm baptisms let us be reminded of the power of God’s Spirit working among us today in worship and as we are sent out into the world to continue the work we have been called to do.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sunday we confirmed five young people as new members of First Presbyterian Church in Walnut. One of these members was baptized and all were anointed with oil and blessed with the laying on of hands. It was an exciting and glorious day for God's church. I for one will miss having these young men and women in class with me on Sunday. It has been a blessing to learn with them and watch them grow as we worked together learning what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he’s right by my side.
I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you’ll never dump me in Hades;
I’ll never even smell the stench of death.
You’ve got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
Peter went on to say that everyone knew where David was buried because his tomb was where everyone could see it. But since David was a prophet of God he said that God has sworn to him that one of his descendants would rule his kingdom. The Messiah would be raised from the dead. Jesus was this man David spoke of. He stood before them healthy and whole. And then he ascended to sit at the right hand of God. He sent the Holy Spirit, who came from the Father, and that is what these people were hearing when they heard these men speaking in their own languages.
There was no longer any doubt; Jesus was the Son of God. This man they hung on the tree and killed was the Master and the Messiah.
Those who listened to Peter were touched in the deepest part of their souls by his words. They wanted to know what they could do.
Peter said, “Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.”
He continued to preach and exhort them to change. “Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid culture!”
Because his speech was so powerfully filled with the words of the Holy Spirit 3,000 people believed and were baptized that day. They made the commitment to listen to the teaching of the apostles, share everything in common, meals and prayer, and maintained a daily discipline of worship in the Temple. Every day was an exuberant celebration that praised God. Every day the number of people who believed the Message grew as God added to those who were saved. That’s the rest of the story according to Luke in Acts 2.
The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, sent by Jesus is powerfully working in the lives of those who believe in Jesus as God’s Son. Many people don’t realize that the Spirit is doing anything because as scripture says it’s not about the Spirit but it’s all about God, the Father working through Jesus the Messiah.
Let me see if I can give you some of the things that the Spirit does that we heard from the scriptures this morning.
Enables
Creates and renews the earth
Helps us in our weakness
Intercedes for us
Knows what’s in our hearts because Jesus knows our hearts
Confirms Jesus
Exposes the error of the godless world view of sin, righteousness, and judgment
Shows us that refusal to believe in Jesus is the basic sin
Takes us by the hand
Guides us into all the truth
Makes sense our what happened to Jesus, everything he did and said
Honors Jesus
Takes from Jesus and gives to us
Today we remember and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world. Whenever we feel the wind and see its power we are reminded of the silent workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Whenever we see the flame of candles we are reminded how the Spirit warms our souls and lights the way for us as we strive to live our lives like Jesus.
Today as we witness baptism and reaffirm baptisms let us be reminded of the power of God’s Spirit working among us today in worship and as we are sent out into the world to continue the work we have been called to do.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sunday we confirmed five young people as new members of First Presbyterian Church in Walnut. One of these members was baptized and all were anointed with oil and blessed with the laying on of hands. It was an exciting and glorious day for God's church. I for one will miss having these young men and women in class with me on Sunday. It has been a blessing to learn with them and watch them grow as we worked together learning what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ, the Church.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
What Do You Believe? Why?
John’s first letter intrigues me. John makes the statement that we often accept what men and women say but, and I think this is implied, we don’t really believe the testimony of God that he has given about his Son.
Maybe I’m just being cynical this morning. Some of the news I heard this week made me wonder how much good we’re doing. Did you hear about the children of the Congo who were being accused by their pastors of being witches? Then the pastors would exorcise the demons or whatever from them if they were paid a sum of money that was equal to one-half year’s wages. Even when the parents paid the money and the pastor supposedly cast out the demons, the children were ostracized and most often abandoned on the streets or roads of the country. Something’s wrong here and I wonder what God would have us do about it?
In the gospel according to John we heard Jesus praying for his disciples before he left them. He prayed for their protection. He interceded for them before God. He knew it was going to be dangerous for them because they were preaching a new thing. They were preaching that Jesus was the Son of God and that God’s kingdom had come down to earth and was still here. They were preaching peace and non-violence. They believe so much in what they were doing that they gave their all for what they believed. They gave their very lives for what they believed. What do you believe? What would you give your life for? And why would you do that?
I have mentioned before that the confirmation class has written faith statements, putting into words what they believe. And as they did that they realized that they had questions, good theological questions. They believed and they also questioned why does evil seem to triumph in the world?
What do we believe and why? And the other side of this is what do we do with our belief? I am constantly convicted that I’m not doing enough with my belief. I think that the world put a terrible lot of pressure on all of us. We allow the world to complicate our lives and it quietly insinuates itself into our psyches. And one morning we wake up and realize that we are not just in the world but we are the world. And we wonder how’d that happen?
It’s my belief that we allow our lives to become complicated with way too many things that we think we have to have in order to live. I’ve heard many of you say that life was a lot different when you were young. Don’t you think that’s because lives were lived a lot more simply back then? I’m not saying that technology is bad but listen to how much talk there has been lately about the ice caps melting and glaciers calving chunks of ice the size of New York City. And then we read about how fast the landfills are piling up with our refuse. And we complain about how many plastic bags we accumulate?
Sometimes I think that we try to make this way too complicated. First we have to believe that God is real and that he did create everything. If we believe that then we must believe that he sent his Son, Jesus, here to live among us and show us that God is love. Third, we must believe that God loved us so much that he allowed this Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for us in order that our lives might be saved and our sins forgiven. He did this and promised that we would enjoy eternal live with him if we would repent and sin no more.
I believe what do you believe? In last week’s message that Jim gave to you he told you that it all sounds so easy but we find out that it’s not. The reason it isn’t easy is because we try to do it all by ourselves and we can’t. We fail miserably. We have to put our faith in this God who loves us and let him show us the Way.
In the gospel lesson Jesus prayed for his disciples and in the reading from Acts the disciples prayed for guidance in choosing a replacement for Judas. Do you suppose that we might find the answer to many of our questions in prayer?
What do you believe? Why do you believe what you do? As you spend time this week in your daily devotions spend some time thinking and praying about what you believe. It might even help to write some of your thoughts down on paper. Who is God in your life? Who is Jesus and what does he do for you? Who is this Holy Spirit who filled the hearts of the believers? What is God’s word and what does it mean for us today? What do you believe?
Ponder these questions this week. Next week we will celebrate the birthday of the church, Pentecost. Let the Holy Spirit guide and instruct you this week as you spend time alone with God is study and prayer.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Maybe I’m just being cynical this morning. Some of the news I heard this week made me wonder how much good we’re doing. Did you hear about the children of the Congo who were being accused by their pastors of being witches? Then the pastors would exorcise the demons or whatever from them if they were paid a sum of money that was equal to one-half year’s wages. Even when the parents paid the money and the pastor supposedly cast out the demons, the children were ostracized and most often abandoned on the streets or roads of the country. Something’s wrong here and I wonder what God would have us do about it?
In the gospel according to John we heard Jesus praying for his disciples before he left them. He prayed for their protection. He interceded for them before God. He knew it was going to be dangerous for them because they were preaching a new thing. They were preaching that Jesus was the Son of God and that God’s kingdom had come down to earth and was still here. They were preaching peace and non-violence. They believe so much in what they were doing that they gave their all for what they believed. They gave their very lives for what they believed. What do you believe? What would you give your life for? And why would you do that?
I have mentioned before that the confirmation class has written faith statements, putting into words what they believe. And as they did that they realized that they had questions, good theological questions. They believed and they also questioned why does evil seem to triumph in the world?
What do we believe and why? And the other side of this is what do we do with our belief? I am constantly convicted that I’m not doing enough with my belief. I think that the world put a terrible lot of pressure on all of us. We allow the world to complicate our lives and it quietly insinuates itself into our psyches. And one morning we wake up and realize that we are not just in the world but we are the world. And we wonder how’d that happen?
It’s my belief that we allow our lives to become complicated with way too many things that we think we have to have in order to live. I’ve heard many of you say that life was a lot different when you were young. Don’t you think that’s because lives were lived a lot more simply back then? I’m not saying that technology is bad but listen to how much talk there has been lately about the ice caps melting and glaciers calving chunks of ice the size of New York City. And then we read about how fast the landfills are piling up with our refuse. And we complain about how many plastic bags we accumulate?
Sometimes I think that we try to make this way too complicated. First we have to believe that God is real and that he did create everything. If we believe that then we must believe that he sent his Son, Jesus, here to live among us and show us that God is love. Third, we must believe that God loved us so much that he allowed this Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for us in order that our lives might be saved and our sins forgiven. He did this and promised that we would enjoy eternal live with him if we would repent and sin no more.
I believe what do you believe? In last week’s message that Jim gave to you he told you that it all sounds so easy but we find out that it’s not. The reason it isn’t easy is because we try to do it all by ourselves and we can’t. We fail miserably. We have to put our faith in this God who loves us and let him show us the Way.
In the gospel lesson Jesus prayed for his disciples and in the reading from Acts the disciples prayed for guidance in choosing a replacement for Judas. Do you suppose that we might find the answer to many of our questions in prayer?
What do you believe? Why do you believe what you do? As you spend time this week in your daily devotions spend some time thinking and praying about what you believe. It might even help to write some of your thoughts down on paper. Who is God in your life? Who is Jesus and what does he do for you? Who is this Holy Spirit who filled the hearts of the believers? What is God’s word and what does it mean for us today? What do you believe?
Ponder these questions this week. Next week we will celebrate the birthday of the church, Pentecost. Let the Holy Spirit guide and instruct you this week as you spend time alone with God is study and prayer.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Love, Joy, and Friends
Jesus told his disciples to love one another as he had loved them. In fact he commanded them love one another. Commanded, did you notice that? How is it possible to command somebody to love someone? Jesus said it so it’s something we are supposed to do or at least give it our utmost effort. And why you may ask?
It’s so Jesus’ joy might be our joy and that our joy might be mature. And finally he said to them that he would no longer called them servants but he would call them friends because he had told them everything the Father had told him. He had shared everything with them. He gave them his love so that they would be filled with his joy. And one thing that probably filled them the most was being called his friends.
Love, joy, and friends, what more could anyone want out of their time here? But what does this all mean? People have been asking these questions for eons. What is love? What is joy and how can we get it? How important are friends? What does it mean to be called “friend?” There are probably more questions here than I have answers.
We could begin by trying to define what each of these words mean. The word “love” used in the New Testament is based on the Septuagint. The writers used the Greek word agapao, to emphasize choice, selection, and action in the meaning of love, rather than the impulsive desire of eros.
Love usually requires some form of action, but the word is rooted in emotion and affection. This complicates how the word can be understood. Love is an emotion. It’s how we feel for our spouses, our children, our friends, and our community. Love can be shallow or it can be deep.
If love is to mean anything to us at all it must include a depth of caring, for whatever or whoever we love, that is so deep that at times it’s painful. Love seems often to be linked to suffering. In the New Testament we can see that in Jn. 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” In chapter 15 we have heard read today John reflects on the self-giving love from God through Jesus to the disciples. It reaches the climax in verses 12 & 13, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Friends, that’s what love is. It’s caring so deeply for someone that you would willingly sacrifice anything for them; even your life if that would bring them joy.
There’s that word “joy.” How do we define joy? Isn’t it the same as being happy? Well, not exactly. Happiness is usually achieved by luck or good fortune, while joy on the other hand is often described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. At first glance these may seem to be very similar but think about it. You would be very happy if you had purchased a lottery ticket and discovered that you had won the big one. Joy on the other hand would be what fills our hearts and souls when we think of our beloved children or grandchildren. Happiness may give us a warm feeling but joy, now joy on the other hand, creates an emotion that fills us to overflowing. It just about takes our breath away. You know what I’m talking about don’t you?
I’m happy when I find a five dollar bill in my coat that I didn’t remember putting there but I am filled with joy when one of my children or grandchildren calls to ask me for some help or some advice. I am filled with joy every time they give me a hug or a kiss when they’re ready to go home.
What fills you with joy? What takes your breath away? There are times when I’m walking Murphy in the morning just before the sun comes up and we get to experience the sun exploding over the horizon. You know what I’m talking about. It’s when the sky is kind of a steel blue gray and then a pink color that gets rosier and rosier. Then there’s a sliver of reddish orange and before you know it the full power of the sun has burst over the horizon. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the sun rise but it still fills me with joy and awe.
John writes in his gospel in chapter 17 verse 13 that the ultimate joy, immeasurable joy, comes when people live in intimate contact with Jesus. When we relieve ourselves of our burdens and take up Jesus’ yoke we begin to experience the special care and protection that God provides us through His Son, Jesus. In chapter 15 verse 11 Jesus said that when we do what he commanded then we will be filled with all the joy that he has, and that’s more than we can even imagine. Think of the time when you were filled with the most joy you’ve ever experienced, and then multiply that by a gazillion. That might come close to joy that Jesus was talking about.
I’m talking about love and joy and it may sound to you as if it’s something easy to obtain. It isn’t. It takes work. Just think about how much work we put into getting along with our co-workers. Just talk to any married couple and ask them how hard they work to make their marriage one that’s filled with joy and peace. Think of the most difficult person you know of that you have had to work with and then remember Jesus’ commandment to love one another. How easy is that? Not to easy, right?
It’s way too hard for any of us to do, in fact it’s impossible to do it alone. We need help. We must accept Jesus as the Son of God and trust him as our friend before we can expect to have even a glimmer of hope in achieving true love and joy. We need a friend. He’s already called us friends but some of us haven’t accepted his invitation. And that’s really too bad because he just wants us to be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
So if any of us ever expect to be joyful and loving then we need a friend. I don’t mean Larry or Betty at the bakery though they do make very good friends and there is a lot of joy found there. But the joy doesn’t last. It’s kind of like the energy boost I get from eating one of their maple frosted snails. But if we ask Jesus to be our friend then we will be filled with love and joy that will never end. Who wouldn’t want that?
We can have it all just by asking Jesus to be our friend. He’s already forgiven us for our sins. We just have to repent of them and invite Jesus into our hearts. How easy is that? Pretty easy.
Friends, if you want to have love and joy and friends you can have by talking to Jesus. Love and joy could be yours right now just by claiming Jesus as your friend. What’s holding you back?
Maybe you need to think about it for awhile. Okay, but come back next week and see what God has for us then.
Thanks be to God for his gracious love and joy and mercy. Amen.
It’s so Jesus’ joy might be our joy and that our joy might be mature. And finally he said to them that he would no longer called them servants but he would call them friends because he had told them everything the Father had told him. He had shared everything with them. He gave them his love so that they would be filled with his joy. And one thing that probably filled them the most was being called his friends.
Love, joy, and friends, what more could anyone want out of their time here? But what does this all mean? People have been asking these questions for eons. What is love? What is joy and how can we get it? How important are friends? What does it mean to be called “friend?” There are probably more questions here than I have answers.
We could begin by trying to define what each of these words mean. The word “love” used in the New Testament is based on the Septuagint. The writers used the Greek word agapao, to emphasize choice, selection, and action in the meaning of love, rather than the impulsive desire of eros.
Love usually requires some form of action, but the word is rooted in emotion and affection. This complicates how the word can be understood. Love is an emotion. It’s how we feel for our spouses, our children, our friends, and our community. Love can be shallow or it can be deep.
If love is to mean anything to us at all it must include a depth of caring, for whatever or whoever we love, that is so deep that at times it’s painful. Love seems often to be linked to suffering. In the New Testament we can see that in Jn. 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” In chapter 15 we have heard read today John reflects on the self-giving love from God through Jesus to the disciples. It reaches the climax in verses 12 & 13, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Friends, that’s what love is. It’s caring so deeply for someone that you would willingly sacrifice anything for them; even your life if that would bring them joy.
There’s that word “joy.” How do we define joy? Isn’t it the same as being happy? Well, not exactly. Happiness is usually achieved by luck or good fortune, while joy on the other hand is often described as a vivid emotion of pleasure. At first glance these may seem to be very similar but think about it. You would be very happy if you had purchased a lottery ticket and discovered that you had won the big one. Joy on the other hand would be what fills our hearts and souls when we think of our beloved children or grandchildren. Happiness may give us a warm feeling but joy, now joy on the other hand, creates an emotion that fills us to overflowing. It just about takes our breath away. You know what I’m talking about don’t you?
I’m happy when I find a five dollar bill in my coat that I didn’t remember putting there but I am filled with joy when one of my children or grandchildren calls to ask me for some help or some advice. I am filled with joy every time they give me a hug or a kiss when they’re ready to go home.
What fills you with joy? What takes your breath away? There are times when I’m walking Murphy in the morning just before the sun comes up and we get to experience the sun exploding over the horizon. You know what I’m talking about. It’s when the sky is kind of a steel blue gray and then a pink color that gets rosier and rosier. Then there’s a sliver of reddish orange and before you know it the full power of the sun has burst over the horizon. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the sun rise but it still fills me with joy and awe.
John writes in his gospel in chapter 17 verse 13 that the ultimate joy, immeasurable joy, comes when people live in intimate contact with Jesus. When we relieve ourselves of our burdens and take up Jesus’ yoke we begin to experience the special care and protection that God provides us through His Son, Jesus. In chapter 15 verse 11 Jesus said that when we do what he commanded then we will be filled with all the joy that he has, and that’s more than we can even imagine. Think of the time when you were filled with the most joy you’ve ever experienced, and then multiply that by a gazillion. That might come close to joy that Jesus was talking about.
I’m talking about love and joy and it may sound to you as if it’s something easy to obtain. It isn’t. It takes work. Just think about how much work we put into getting along with our co-workers. Just talk to any married couple and ask them how hard they work to make their marriage one that’s filled with joy and peace. Think of the most difficult person you know of that you have had to work with and then remember Jesus’ commandment to love one another. How easy is that? Not to easy, right?
It’s way too hard for any of us to do, in fact it’s impossible to do it alone. We need help. We must accept Jesus as the Son of God and trust him as our friend before we can expect to have even a glimmer of hope in achieving true love and joy. We need a friend. He’s already called us friends but some of us haven’t accepted his invitation. And that’s really too bad because he just wants us to be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
So if any of us ever expect to be joyful and loving then we need a friend. I don’t mean Larry or Betty at the bakery though they do make very good friends and there is a lot of joy found there. But the joy doesn’t last. It’s kind of like the energy boost I get from eating one of their maple frosted snails. But if we ask Jesus to be our friend then we will be filled with love and joy that will never end. Who wouldn’t want that?
We can have it all just by asking Jesus to be our friend. He’s already forgiven us for our sins. We just have to repent of them and invite Jesus into our hearts. How easy is that? Pretty easy.
Friends, if you want to have love and joy and friends you can have by talking to Jesus. Love and joy could be yours right now just by claiming Jesus as your friend. What’s holding you back?
Maybe you need to think about it for awhile. Okay, but come back next week and see what God has for us then.
Thanks be to God for his gracious love and joy and mercy. Amen.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Who Are We Following, the Good Shepherd or the Hired Men?
The question from the gospel that I would like us to think about this morning is, “Who are we following, the Good Shepherd or the hired men?” We know who the Good Shepherd is, Jesus, but who are the hired men? Who or what is it that we choose to follow but then deserts us when we need them the most?
How often do we stop and realize that Jesus is there for us; has always been, is always there for us. How often do we thank him for the sacrifice or sacrifices he made and makes for us? It’s not often I suspect.
I hadn’t thought about this before, about who the hired men might be that is. Jesus was referring to the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who weren’t caring for the people as God had directed them to in the laws given to them when they entered the Promised Land. But who are the hired men today? I think it is those people or those things which take our focus away from God and the work He has for each of us to do.
Just look at how easy it’s been just this week to take our minds off worrying about the economy to worrying about swine flu. And next week what will take its place?
Friends, we, and I include myself here, spend too much of our precious time that God has granted us worrying about things of the world, things that when our time here is done we can’t take with us and most likely our friends and families will not see as important as we do. We worry about our investments, our money that we have put in different pots hoping that it’s enough to provide for our needs until it’s time for us to go home. We worry about our houses, our cars, our yards, our sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters. We worry about our climate, our environment, our nation, and the world. We spend our time worrying about wars that spring up all over the world. We spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about things that, in the long run, really don’t matter at all. Now I know some of you will disagree with me and that’s all right.
The point I’m wanting to make this morning is to remind all of us that Jesus has told us he is the Good Shepherd who cares for us. He intercedes for us before the Father. Behind the Father we are next in importance to him. He even said that he is more concerned for us than he is for himself. So why do we worry? He’s got it all taken care of.
This is the Good News. The Father knows Jesus, Jesus knows the Father, and because they have this intimate connection Jesus willing sacrificed himself for us, those other sheep that weren’t of the original flock.
John reminds us of this fact in his letter we heard read this morning. It’s because of Jesus’ sacrificial love that we are able to experience and understand love, true love. And this is how we are to live our lives, not worrying about the things of this world or its hired men, but living lives that give of themselves to our fellow believers, not just out for ourselves, as The Message translates John’s letter.
Remember Jesus, the Good Shepherd, made the ultimate sacrifice for us and John reminds us that if we turn our backs on or give our brothers and sisters the cold shoulder when they are in need then God’s love isn’t there. We made it disappear.
Jesus was talking in John’s gospel to his disciples who were Jews, God’s chosen people. He told them, though at the time they didn’t understand what he was saying, that he others who weren’t part of the chosen ones that were his also. Friends, sometimes I think we think we are God’s chosen ones instead of the others Jesus spoke of here. In fact I think we Americans believe we’re God’s chosen ones. I wonder where we can find that in the Bible, the USA is the home of God’s chosen ones.
Because our ancestors chose to take the risk and travel to this country we have been supremely blest by living in the wealthiest country in the world. But it could also be a curse. This country could be the hired man we follow instead of the Good Shepherd. Think about it.
Mark 8, beginning with verse 35, says in The Message, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am…Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” This is losing your life so you can have true life in Jesus. This is what we mean when we talk about serving others without thinking about what we’ll get in return.
Who are we following, the Good Shepherd or the hired man? What is God doing or saying to your heart today?
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
How often do we stop and realize that Jesus is there for us; has always been, is always there for us. How often do we thank him for the sacrifice or sacrifices he made and makes for us? It’s not often I suspect.
I hadn’t thought about this before, about who the hired men might be that is. Jesus was referring to the Jewish religious leaders, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, who weren’t caring for the people as God had directed them to in the laws given to them when they entered the Promised Land. But who are the hired men today? I think it is those people or those things which take our focus away from God and the work He has for each of us to do.
Just look at how easy it’s been just this week to take our minds off worrying about the economy to worrying about swine flu. And next week what will take its place?
Friends, we, and I include myself here, spend too much of our precious time that God has granted us worrying about things of the world, things that when our time here is done we can’t take with us and most likely our friends and families will not see as important as we do. We worry about our investments, our money that we have put in different pots hoping that it’s enough to provide for our needs until it’s time for us to go home. We worry about our houses, our cars, our yards, our sons and daughters, and their sons and daughters. We worry about our climate, our environment, our nation, and the world. We spend our time worrying about wars that spring up all over the world. We spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about things that, in the long run, really don’t matter at all. Now I know some of you will disagree with me and that’s all right.
The point I’m wanting to make this morning is to remind all of us that Jesus has told us he is the Good Shepherd who cares for us. He intercedes for us before the Father. Behind the Father we are next in importance to him. He even said that he is more concerned for us than he is for himself. So why do we worry? He’s got it all taken care of.
This is the Good News. The Father knows Jesus, Jesus knows the Father, and because they have this intimate connection Jesus willing sacrificed himself for us, those other sheep that weren’t of the original flock.
John reminds us of this fact in his letter we heard read this morning. It’s because of Jesus’ sacrificial love that we are able to experience and understand love, true love. And this is how we are to live our lives, not worrying about the things of this world or its hired men, but living lives that give of themselves to our fellow believers, not just out for ourselves, as The Message translates John’s letter.
Remember Jesus, the Good Shepherd, made the ultimate sacrifice for us and John reminds us that if we turn our backs on or give our brothers and sisters the cold shoulder when they are in need then God’s love isn’t there. We made it disappear.
Jesus was talking in John’s gospel to his disciples who were Jews, God’s chosen people. He told them, though at the time they didn’t understand what he was saying, that he others who weren’t part of the chosen ones that were his also. Friends, sometimes I think we think we are God’s chosen ones instead of the others Jesus spoke of here. In fact I think we Americans believe we’re God’s chosen ones. I wonder where we can find that in the Bible, the USA is the home of God’s chosen ones.
Because our ancestors chose to take the risk and travel to this country we have been supremely blest by living in the wealthiest country in the world. But it could also be a curse. This country could be the hired man we follow instead of the Good Shepherd. Think about it.
Mark 8, beginning with verse 35, says in The Message, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am…Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?” This is losing your life so you can have true life in Jesus. This is what we mean when we talk about serving others without thinking about what we’ll get in return.
Who are we following, the Good Shepherd or the hired man? What is God doing or saying to your heart today?
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why Do You Wonder (Doubt) At This? Look!
Jesus, when he appeared to the disciples in the locked upper room, gave them “peace.” After he had eaten some fish from the charcoal grill he opened their hearts and showed them how the read the Bible in such a way that they understood how the Hebrew Bible supported the coming of the Messiah. After all they were the first to see and hear him. They were witnesses to the fact that he was a living, breathing, fish eating person with a real body that could be touched and seen. They looked at his hands and his feet and knew that it really was Jesus.
So what, you say! This gospel account was written so long ago, how can we know that it’s really true? Luke wrote it almost 2,000 years ago. How can we trust that what we’ve heard and read in the Bible is the truth? What proof do we have today that Jesus rose from the tomb and is alive and lives in people’s hearts? Who will be a reliable witness to us? Who will provide us with irrefutable evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? Who or what will open our hearts to the understanding of the Word of God. Who will show us how to read the Bible in such a way that we believe?
Now that we’ve laid it all out on the table that we are nothing but skeptics with maybe just a little bit of cynicism thrown in for good measure where do we go from here? How do we help our unbelief or maybe a better way to put it would be how do we strengthen our faith in what we read in the Word of God? How can our hearts be opened? How can we improve our understanding of God’s Word for us today?
Friends, don’t you think it all boils down to God’s grace? Through God’s good grace we have been adopted into His family as children of God. Through God’s graciousness Jesus died for us and all of our sins have been forgiven. Jesus died for us and our sins have been forgiven. It needed to be repeated because it’s important for us to hear.
Through God’s grace His Word has survived and is read and studied more than any other book ever written. And because we still hope for a better world we come to hear the Word read and proclaimed every Lord’s Day. Through God’s grace when we study God’s Word daily we are given understanding through the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts to God’s goodness. It’s because of this that we are able to be witnesses for Jesus. The more we read, study, and reflect on the Word of God the more capable we become in sharing the meaning of God’s word for us today with our family, friends, and neighbors.
This week there was a letter to the editor in the Walnut Bureau that said in the very last paragraph something that may very well be true. There are more people who don’t know the Word than do. This letter was addressed to the pastors of the churches in Walnut which is where the ultimate responsibility lies. Pastors shouldn’t carry the full burden of this illiteracy by themselves though. I believe we are all responsible. God gave all of us eyes to read, brains with which to reason and question, and tongues to discuss. So let’s ask ourselves, when was the last time we sat down and read the Word? When was the last time we participated in a study group? When was the last time we asked God to help us understand what we just read?
Pastors can teach that’s true. But if there’s no one there to listen how will anyone’s mind be opened to better understand the Word of God?
The Eleven and those gathered around them were the first to see. They were the one who were witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They saw and they believed. It all began in Jerusalem and then was spread throughout the world.
Because of their witness others have believed and gone on to give their testimony to others. They have devoted their lives to serving God’s adopted children by sharing what they have unselfishly with the world.
In the Word we read that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Therefore we are commissioned by Jesus, Matt 28:19-20, to go out into all the world and make disciples of all nations. In the Word, Matthew 22:38-39, we read that the sum of all the commandments is this, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”…And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
In the Book of Order for the PCUSA “The Great Ends of the Church” states that, “The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”
By these three statements we are called to live as children of God. We are convicted by these statements that come to us from those who have gone on before us.
Why do we wonder; why do we doubt. All we have to do is look! Look in the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to increase our understanding. Just sit back and let the mysterious Being of our Father and His Son, Jesus wash over us. Let it refresh our souls so that we can be witnesses to the wondrous nature of our God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
So what, you say! This gospel account was written so long ago, how can we know that it’s really true? Luke wrote it almost 2,000 years ago. How can we trust that what we’ve heard and read in the Bible is the truth? What proof do we have today that Jesus rose from the tomb and is alive and lives in people’s hearts? Who will be a reliable witness to us? Who will provide us with irrefutable evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? Who or what will open our hearts to the understanding of the Word of God. Who will show us how to read the Bible in such a way that we believe?
Now that we’ve laid it all out on the table that we are nothing but skeptics with maybe just a little bit of cynicism thrown in for good measure where do we go from here? How do we help our unbelief or maybe a better way to put it would be how do we strengthen our faith in what we read in the Word of God? How can our hearts be opened? How can we improve our understanding of God’s Word for us today?
Friends, don’t you think it all boils down to God’s grace? Through God’s good grace we have been adopted into His family as children of God. Through God’s graciousness Jesus died for us and all of our sins have been forgiven. Jesus died for us and our sins have been forgiven. It needed to be repeated because it’s important for us to hear.
Through God’s grace His Word has survived and is read and studied more than any other book ever written. And because we still hope for a better world we come to hear the Word read and proclaimed every Lord’s Day. Through God’s grace when we study God’s Word daily we are given understanding through the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts to God’s goodness. It’s because of this that we are able to be witnesses for Jesus. The more we read, study, and reflect on the Word of God the more capable we become in sharing the meaning of God’s word for us today with our family, friends, and neighbors.
This week there was a letter to the editor in the Walnut Bureau that said in the very last paragraph something that may very well be true. There are more people who don’t know the Word than do. This letter was addressed to the pastors of the churches in Walnut which is where the ultimate responsibility lies. Pastors shouldn’t carry the full burden of this illiteracy by themselves though. I believe we are all responsible. God gave all of us eyes to read, brains with which to reason and question, and tongues to discuss. So let’s ask ourselves, when was the last time we sat down and read the Word? When was the last time we participated in a study group? When was the last time we asked God to help us understand what we just read?
Pastors can teach that’s true. But if there’s no one there to listen how will anyone’s mind be opened to better understand the Word of God?
The Eleven and those gathered around them were the first to see. They were the one who were witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They saw and they believed. It all began in Jerusalem and then was spread throughout the world.
Because of their witness others have believed and gone on to give their testimony to others. They have devoted their lives to serving God’s adopted children by sharing what they have unselfishly with the world.
In the Word we read that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Therefore we are commissioned by Jesus, Matt 28:19-20, to go out into all the world and make disciples of all nations. In the Word, Matthew 22:38-39, we read that the sum of all the commandments is this, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”…And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
In the Book of Order for the PCUSA “The Great Ends of the Church” states that, “The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.”
By these three statements we are called to live as children of God. We are convicted by these statements that come to us from those who have gone on before us.
Why do we wonder; why do we doubt. All we have to do is look! Look in the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to increase our understanding. Just sit back and let the mysterious Being of our Father and His Son, Jesus wash over us. Let it refresh our souls so that we can be witnesses to the wondrous nature of our God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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