In today’s gospel lesson we heard the story of Jesus’ first sign, changing water into wine. Have you ever wondered why he did this when we heard him tell his mother, Mary, that it wasn’t his time yet?
Jesus, his mother, Mary, probably his brothers, and his disciples attended a wedding party in Cana. We don’t know if they brought gifts but this miracle Jesus did certainly was a gift that made this wedding party one to be remembered. Also, it probably saved the reputation of the groom’s family. It would have been catastrophic to have run out of wine on only the third day of a wedding party that typically ran 7 days.
You mothers who have worried about wedding receptions know what I’m talking about. What if there’s not enough of this or that? It would be the worst thing imaginable!
Mary didn’t want this to happen to her friends so she mentioned it to Jesus. And being a good Jewish mother she didn’t exactly tell what to do but she certainly made it difficult for him not to do something! I mean when you tell the servants to do whatever he asks of you, you just know he’s going to do something. And Jesus didn’t disappoint his mother, or God.
But what did it mean, this changing water into wine, and what is the lesson for us today? Just looking at it in the simplest of ways it was a gift, a very extravagant and generous gift, 6-30 gallon jars of the finest wine to finish a 7 day wedding party.
One way to look at it is since this is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he is showing his disciples an example of God’s abundant grace. Yes, it was just water into wine, but if God cared enough to provide this for this one couple what wouldn’t he do for the world? I believe it is an example for all of us about God’s extravagant, generous love for all his children.
So, by now you’re probably wondering, what has God given me? What gift have I received from God? What’s my water into wine gift? Maybe some here today think they haven’t received anything from God, and that would be wrong.
We heard this morning in the reading from Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth that God has given gifts to people everywhere. It said, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful…”
Now you’re really wondering, “What is it God has given me?” I don’t know specifics but I’m sure we have all been gifted. It’s not like what happens regularly in many households where the husband forgets the wife’s birthday or their anniversary and there’s no gift or if there’s a gift it’s not the right gift. No, the gifts we have all received from God are extravagant beyond our imaginations, generous beyond anything we’ve ever heard happen and they are the perfect gift for each of us. Gifts worth more than any multi-million dollar prize from any lottery in the world.
We, each of us, have been given a gift. It might still be hidden away in a closet somewhere all beautifully wrapped waiting to be taken out. Maybe it hasn’t been discovered yet, it’s so well hidden. Maybe we haven’t looked for it yet. Or, maybe the opportunity to use this wonderful gift hasn’t presented itself to us yet. But it is there waiting for us.
We, all of God’s children, have been blessed. Some just aren’t aware of the blessing.
I believe we have been given a chance to use our gifts this past week. Actually there are opportunities all the time to use our gifts but this one just begs us to use everything we have to bless others, to help people who have nothing left. That is the earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti, one of the poorest places in the world.
You might be wondering what you can do. What gift do I have to help these people? I have no money; I don’t have any rescue dogs; I’m too old to travel that far. What gift do I have to help these people?
I can’t answer for any of you but one gift I believe we all have is prayer. A week or two ago the scripture for Morning Prayers was from Ephesians chapter 6. It reminded me that we should be praying long and hard for our brothers and sisters. We are to keep each other’s spirits up and keep our eyes open so no one falls out or drops behind.
Friends, if we have received nothing else with which to help others, we have all been given the gift of prayer. Gifts don’t do any good if they aren’t used. Friends, I believe we should be praying if we aren’t able to do anything else.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do something else but at the very least we should be praying for the people in Haiti. Their need is so great that it’s hard for any of us to imagine. No water, no food, no clothes, no shelter, and for some, no family left. Is it possible for any of us to relate to what has happened there?
Can we just sit by and not do something with what God has given us? We are blessed with gifts. If we don’t use them then we aren’t any better than the servant who buried his talent in the dirt until his Master came home.
I don’t know how I got from Jesus turning water into wine to gifts given to God’s children to the earthquake in Haiti but somehow we’re there.
I believe God has a mission for his church and he presents his church with many opportunities to use these gifts. At some point it ends with us making decisions about what we will do. We shouldn’t be impulsive. We need to prayerfully discern what it is we should and can do. But the answer shouldn’t be, “Do nothing.” We should not sit on the gifts we have and not do anything.
How has God gifted us and what are we to do? Friends, how is God speaking to you? What kind of gifts do we have that we can share with our brothers and sisters in Haiti? Are we able to trust God to help us turn water into wine? Can we be the empty jars waiting to be filled with the water that will be transformed into wine to be a blessing to others?
I don’t have the answers to these questions but I do have suggestions. There are many ways to help. Some may contribute through financial means; some may be able to help with blankets or clothing; some may be able to travel to Haiti to help with the relief effort. Presbyterian Disaster Relief is just one organization that is providing relief. There are many others.
Let’s not let forget our brothers and sisters in Haiti who have lost so much. Let’s use the gift or gifts God has blessed us with. Thanks be to God for his abundant grace. Amen.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
God Wants You!
Today’s lesson is about God, Jesus, us, and plain old everyday water. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that our Creator, God, wants us. In fact he wants us so much that he’s willing to take us just as we are, wherever we are, in whatever situation we’ve gotten ourselves into. He just wants us and he’s ready to redeem us. He wants us even if we’ve got ourselves between a rock and a hard place. He wants us even if we’re drowning and in trouble way over our heads. He’s still calling our name. He wants you and me. I don’t know about you but I think it’s pretty amazing that he wants me.
You know what though; God began calling us a long, long time ago. When we came to be baptized God laid his claim on us. It was at the fount, or the tub, or the river, or the lake that we were cleansed spiritually of all our sins through the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus. God wanted us to be his children even before we were born. He knew he wanted us before we knew we wanted Him. Isn’t that an amazing thing?
When did you realize that God wanted you? Have you always known he wanted you or did it just come to you one day in a flash that God wanted you? How do any of us know that God wants us?
If someone were to ask you how you know that God loves you and wants you as his child how would you answer? How is it that any of us knows for certain that our God wants us? I’m not asking these questions to put any kind of fear in your hearts but to get us thinking and reflecting on God and his call to us to come home.
Today we find Jesus at the Jordan River standing in line with all the others to be baptized. John was preaching about the need for the people to repent, to change their ways. He was exhorting them to change and to be baptized, to be forgiven of their sins. And then Jesus shows up, the One who was without sin came to the river to be baptized. Not to repent of sins but to receive validation from God his Father for the ministry he had prepared him for. God wanted him. He wanted him to show the people that there was another way to live. He wanted people to know that he hadn’t written them off, even though they had strayed far away from him. He wanted them to know that he truly wanted them.
God wants us too. He wants us to know that he wants us. He wants us to know he hasn’t written us off either. God wants us!
God wants us and whether we realize it or not he has been involved in our lives from day one. When we were baptized we were enrolled, entered, and received into the covenant and family, and so into the inheritance of the sons of God… to be cleansed also from the filthiness of sins, and to be granted the manifold grace of God, in order to lead a new and innocent life. (The Second Helvetic Confession) The whole process started there. Oh, I believe it started way before that but it was at our baptism that we received the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. We were grafted into Christ and somehow God regenerated and took away our sins so that we could walk into a newness of life. (The Westminster Confession in my words) God really wants us when he goes to all this trouble to be sure that we are clean!
Baptism is just the beginning of our call from God to be his children. And then the real work begins for us. If we were baptized as babies many folks assumed the responsibility for our nurture and guidance. Those of us who were older when we were baptized, more than likely, made a conscious decision to commit our lives to God and that commitment was sealed with our baptism. Whenever we received this Sacrament it was after that we realized that we are in a continual battle with temptation and sin. We falter and stumble many times but it is through this Sacrament that we are assured that we have been pardoned. We draw strength from Jesus’ death and resurrection the One who was the first baptized from death into life eternal.
God did all this for us because he wants us! Isn’t that an amazing thing? I know. He created us so why wouldn’t he want us? But we fail so miserably and we’re so weak I wonder why he doesn’t just start all over. But thankfully God is gracious and he doesn’t do that. He wants us.
Friends, don’t get me wrong. This is not an easy task God has given us, to be his children. I believe that we need to go to him every day, pray for his forgiveness and mercy, and pray that he will strengthen our faith through his grace. Every day when we come to him in prayer we ask for the strength to die again to sin and to live for his righteousness. As Paul said we are justified by grace through faith. It’s through our baptism that we are set free to accept ourselves and to love God and our neighbor.
My friends, God wants us. As The Brief Statement of Faith says, “The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church.”
God wants us. He is calling us to ministry. He is calling us home. Have you answered the call?
Friends, God loves you and wants you to come to him today. Thanks be to God. Amen.
You know what though; God began calling us a long, long time ago. When we came to be baptized God laid his claim on us. It was at the fount, or the tub, or the river, or the lake that we were cleansed spiritually of all our sins through the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus. God wanted us to be his children even before we were born. He knew he wanted us before we knew we wanted Him. Isn’t that an amazing thing?
When did you realize that God wanted you? Have you always known he wanted you or did it just come to you one day in a flash that God wanted you? How do any of us know that God wants us?
If someone were to ask you how you know that God loves you and wants you as his child how would you answer? How is it that any of us knows for certain that our God wants us? I’m not asking these questions to put any kind of fear in your hearts but to get us thinking and reflecting on God and his call to us to come home.
Today we find Jesus at the Jordan River standing in line with all the others to be baptized. John was preaching about the need for the people to repent, to change their ways. He was exhorting them to change and to be baptized, to be forgiven of their sins. And then Jesus shows up, the One who was without sin came to the river to be baptized. Not to repent of sins but to receive validation from God his Father for the ministry he had prepared him for. God wanted him. He wanted him to show the people that there was another way to live. He wanted people to know that he hadn’t written them off, even though they had strayed far away from him. He wanted them to know that he truly wanted them.
God wants us too. He wants us to know that he wants us. He wants us to know he hasn’t written us off either. God wants us!
God wants us and whether we realize it or not he has been involved in our lives from day one. When we were baptized we were enrolled, entered, and received into the covenant and family, and so into the inheritance of the sons of God… to be cleansed also from the filthiness of sins, and to be granted the manifold grace of God, in order to lead a new and innocent life. (The Second Helvetic Confession) The whole process started there. Oh, I believe it started way before that but it was at our baptism that we received the sign and seal of the covenant of grace. We were grafted into Christ and somehow God regenerated and took away our sins so that we could walk into a newness of life. (The Westminster Confession in my words) God really wants us when he goes to all this trouble to be sure that we are clean!
Baptism is just the beginning of our call from God to be his children. And then the real work begins for us. If we were baptized as babies many folks assumed the responsibility for our nurture and guidance. Those of us who were older when we were baptized, more than likely, made a conscious decision to commit our lives to God and that commitment was sealed with our baptism. Whenever we received this Sacrament it was after that we realized that we are in a continual battle with temptation and sin. We falter and stumble many times but it is through this Sacrament that we are assured that we have been pardoned. We draw strength from Jesus’ death and resurrection the One who was the first baptized from death into life eternal.
God did all this for us because he wants us! Isn’t that an amazing thing? I know. He created us so why wouldn’t he want us? But we fail so miserably and we’re so weak I wonder why he doesn’t just start all over. But thankfully God is gracious and he doesn’t do that. He wants us.
Friends, don’t get me wrong. This is not an easy task God has given us, to be his children. I believe that we need to go to him every day, pray for his forgiveness and mercy, and pray that he will strengthen our faith through his grace. Every day when we come to him in prayer we ask for the strength to die again to sin and to live for his righteousness. As Paul said we are justified by grace through faith. It’s through our baptism that we are set free to accept ourselves and to love God and our neighbor.
My friends, God wants us. As The Brief Statement of Faith says, “The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church.”
God wants us. He is calling us to ministry. He is calling us home. Have you answered the call?
Friends, God loves you and wants you to come to him today. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Sent to Tell Our Stories
One more Christmas has come and gone. In some homes the decorations have all been taken down and stored away for another year.
I wonder, when the decorations come down, do people put away Jesus too for another year? Sometimes it seems that way. People bring out the baby Jesus in a manger to ooo and aah at and then they put the crèche away. They forget that that baby grew up, that he assembled a group of men and women who followed him as he trekked through Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. They forget, or maybe they don’t even know, that he brought hope and healing to those who were oppressed, those who had given up any hope of ever being free from the iron rule of some other nation. They forget that this baby was the One who was the light of the world. Or maybe they never heard of the One who drove back the darkness.
So many families have Moms and Dads who are both working hard to provide a home for they children that when Sunday comes around they just don’t have the energy to get everyone up and dressed and out to a cold car or van to come to church to worship, to learn about this One who came into to the world to shine a light into the darkness, to free people from their burdens, the burdens they are carrying. Since they are too worn out to come to worship, they never hear the story of Jesus, God incarnated here among us as a little baby who grew into the Son of Man, who would be the savior of the world. They’ve never known the Jesus who grew up.
They’ve heard of the baby. They’ve heard the story of the Wise Men who came bearing gifts. That’s sounds pretty neat so they exchange gifts with each other; but do they know the meaning behind the giving? I wonder.
So friends, what are we to do? Do we sit back and say I’ve done my share of the work and let it go at that? Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans 10:14 ff., “But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?” He goes on to say, “…faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”
So good friends, as we begin a new year, my prayer would be that we take on the responsibility to tell the story of Jesus to everyone we meet. It’s a simple story but not everyone will understand it. It’s as if some don’t have the ears to hear the words. And if they have the ears to hear they’re somehow kept from understanding the Message.
The greatest gift we can give our families and friends, in fact, everyone we meet as we journey through life, is the gift of God’s love and salvation. I believe that is our work here on earth. Teach the Word and let the Word drive away the darkness.
It’s not easy work and sometimes it can be dangerous work but it is work that’s very important. How are they to know if no one tells them the story? How are those who work long hours and are so worn out by the things of the world ever to know that there is a God who loves them and wants to relieve them of their burdens if they never hear.
Friends, I know you know the Word and I believe there is no one better qualified to teach than you who have been given the gift of life’s experiences. So friends, go out into the world as people sent by God to spread the Word. Bring the light of Christ into the dark corners of the world.
Through the power of God’s Holy Spirit you will be empowered and enabled to change the world. Maybe just one person right here needs to hear the story. Don’t hesitate; trust in God to be right beside you as you tell your story.
Friends, God loves you. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.
I wonder, when the decorations come down, do people put away Jesus too for another year? Sometimes it seems that way. People bring out the baby Jesus in a manger to ooo and aah at and then they put the crèche away. They forget that that baby grew up, that he assembled a group of men and women who followed him as he trekked through Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. They forget, or maybe they don’t even know, that he brought hope and healing to those who were oppressed, those who had given up any hope of ever being free from the iron rule of some other nation. They forget that this baby was the One who was the light of the world. Or maybe they never heard of the One who drove back the darkness.
So many families have Moms and Dads who are both working hard to provide a home for they children that when Sunday comes around they just don’t have the energy to get everyone up and dressed and out to a cold car or van to come to church to worship, to learn about this One who came into to the world to shine a light into the darkness, to free people from their burdens, the burdens they are carrying. Since they are too worn out to come to worship, they never hear the story of Jesus, God incarnated here among us as a little baby who grew into the Son of Man, who would be the savior of the world. They’ve never known the Jesus who grew up.
They’ve heard of the baby. They’ve heard the story of the Wise Men who came bearing gifts. That’s sounds pretty neat so they exchange gifts with each other; but do they know the meaning behind the giving? I wonder.
So friends, what are we to do? Do we sit back and say I’ve done my share of the work and let it go at that? Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans 10:14 ff., “But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?” He goes on to say, “…faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.”
So good friends, as we begin a new year, my prayer would be that we take on the responsibility to tell the story of Jesus to everyone we meet. It’s a simple story but not everyone will understand it. It’s as if some don’t have the ears to hear the words. And if they have the ears to hear they’re somehow kept from understanding the Message.
The greatest gift we can give our families and friends, in fact, everyone we meet as we journey through life, is the gift of God’s love and salvation. I believe that is our work here on earth. Teach the Word and let the Word drive away the darkness.
It’s not easy work and sometimes it can be dangerous work but it is work that’s very important. How are they to know if no one tells them the story? How are those who work long hours and are so worn out by the things of the world ever to know that there is a God who loves them and wants to relieve them of their burdens if they never hear.
Friends, I know you know the Word and I believe there is no one better qualified to teach than you who have been given the gift of life’s experiences. So friends, go out into the world as people sent by God to spread the Word. Bring the light of Christ into the dark corners of the world.
Through the power of God’s Holy Spirit you will be empowered and enabled to change the world. Maybe just one person right here needs to hear the story. Don’t hesitate; trust in God to be right beside you as you tell your story.
Friends, God loves you. Thanks be to God for his grace. Amen.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Praise, God's Way
Good friends, this is what I intended to talk about today but for some reason God lead to speak without notes today. So some of this made it into the Message and some of it didn't. I pray that God speaks to you in his Word read and proclaimed.
Friends, what’s the good news for today? It seems like every day this week all we’ve heard about is politicians or political action groups grumbling about the proposed health care package or news people rehashing for us one more time Tiger Wood’s family problems. The good news, if there’s been any, has been buried deep beneath all the gloom and doom of the world’s problems.
The news Micah had for Israel came to people who had either been conquered by the Assyrians or were about to be conquered by them. This fifth chapter was written for those who had been in exile. Micah is sharing God’s good news with the people about one whom God has chosen to rule Israel; one who is descended from a respected family from the little town of Bethlehem. And they were really starving for some good news. I’d like to hear some good news, wouldn’t you?
Wouldn’t you like to shout to God like today’s psalmist? “God come back! Smile your blessing smile!” Everyone just needs to hear some good news!
Luke gives us the story about the angel Gabriel coming to Mary telling her that she was going to get pregnant and give birth to a son who would be the savior of the world. We know that was good news now but if you had been Mary and living when she lived would you have received that message from God’s angel as good news?
I believe that’s why Mary should be remembered. She heard God’s message, and other than asking how this would be possible since she wasn’t married and had never been with a man, she accepted Gabriel’s answer. Her response was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” I wonder how many of us would have responded like she did given the same set of circumstances.
Since Gabriel had told her about Elizabeth she decided it was time to pack her bag and go to the hill country of Judea to stay for a while and visit. As she came up the path to the town she caught sight of Elizabeth and gave her a shout.
I know that babies in the womb respond to outside stimulation such as sudden loud noises and music and so forth but baby John’s reaction must have been different given the comments recorded by Luke. Somehow Elizabeth knew that Mary was with child and she also knew somehow that the children they were both carrying were blessed by God. The course of their lives had been predetermined by God. One was to be a messenger to prepare the Way and the other would be the savior of the world, the Messiah.
Mary was so filled with joy that she burst out in song, accapello, praising God for the many great things he had done and was doing for his children. This song is known as The Magnificat, the first word in the Latin translation of this passage. Did you notice how this is a song portrays God as a champion of the poor, the down and out, and those whom no one wanted any contact with? And I like to believe that He is still that champion.
Mary received the news that she was going to be the mother of God’s son and she accepted that news and praised God for granting her such a blessing. So how is God praised today? Who is lifting up praise to Him today with joy in their hearts for receiving his blessing?
Friends, I ask you to take time today and the rest of this week to reflect on the graces you have received from God. As you remember lift your voice in song and praise to your creator, God, who continues to bless us every day.
Today we are reminded to proclaim God’s message of love to all people. Friends, you will come face to face with many of God’s children this week. As you look them in the face don’t let the opportunity slip by without taking the time to share with them how God has blessed you; how he loved the whole world so much that he sent his Son to live among us to show and teach us about his never ending love for us, his children and that includes them.
The Advent season is all about preparing for the coming of the Messiah. Messiah has come. He is coming again. It could be today. That’s why it’s so very important that we share the good news with everyone we meet. God doesn’t want anyone to miss out on eternal life in the new heaven and the New Jerusalem.
Do you know someone who hasn’t committed their life to Jesus? Why not tell them the story today while it’s fresh in your mind. Sing them your song of praise to God.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Friends, what’s the good news for today? It seems like every day this week all we’ve heard about is politicians or political action groups grumbling about the proposed health care package or news people rehashing for us one more time Tiger Wood’s family problems. The good news, if there’s been any, has been buried deep beneath all the gloom and doom of the world’s problems.
The news Micah had for Israel came to people who had either been conquered by the Assyrians or were about to be conquered by them. This fifth chapter was written for those who had been in exile. Micah is sharing God’s good news with the people about one whom God has chosen to rule Israel; one who is descended from a respected family from the little town of Bethlehem. And they were really starving for some good news. I’d like to hear some good news, wouldn’t you?
Wouldn’t you like to shout to God like today’s psalmist? “God come back! Smile your blessing smile!” Everyone just needs to hear some good news!
Luke gives us the story about the angel Gabriel coming to Mary telling her that she was going to get pregnant and give birth to a son who would be the savior of the world. We know that was good news now but if you had been Mary and living when she lived would you have received that message from God’s angel as good news?
I believe that’s why Mary should be remembered. She heard God’s message, and other than asking how this would be possible since she wasn’t married and had never been with a man, she accepted Gabriel’s answer. Her response was, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” I wonder how many of us would have responded like she did given the same set of circumstances.
Since Gabriel had told her about Elizabeth she decided it was time to pack her bag and go to the hill country of Judea to stay for a while and visit. As she came up the path to the town she caught sight of Elizabeth and gave her a shout.
I know that babies in the womb respond to outside stimulation such as sudden loud noises and music and so forth but baby John’s reaction must have been different given the comments recorded by Luke. Somehow Elizabeth knew that Mary was with child and she also knew somehow that the children they were both carrying were blessed by God. The course of their lives had been predetermined by God. One was to be a messenger to prepare the Way and the other would be the savior of the world, the Messiah.
Mary was so filled with joy that she burst out in song, accapello, praising God for the many great things he had done and was doing for his children. This song is known as The Magnificat, the first word in the Latin translation of this passage. Did you notice how this is a song portrays God as a champion of the poor, the down and out, and those whom no one wanted any contact with? And I like to believe that He is still that champion.
Mary received the news that she was going to be the mother of God’s son and she accepted that news and praised God for granting her such a blessing. So how is God praised today? Who is lifting up praise to Him today with joy in their hearts for receiving his blessing?
Friends, I ask you to take time today and the rest of this week to reflect on the graces you have received from God. As you remember lift your voice in song and praise to your creator, God, who continues to bless us every day.
Today we are reminded to proclaim God’s message of love to all people. Friends, you will come face to face with many of God’s children this week. As you look them in the face don’t let the opportunity slip by without taking the time to share with them how God has blessed you; how he loved the whole world so much that he sent his Son to live among us to show and teach us about his never ending love for us, his children and that includes them.
The Advent season is all about preparing for the coming of the Messiah. Messiah has come. He is coming again. It could be today. That’s why it’s so very important that we share the good news with everyone we meet. God doesn’t want anyone to miss out on eternal life in the new heaven and the New Jerusalem.
Do you know someone who hasn’t committed their life to Jesus? Why not tell them the story today while it’s fresh in your mind. Sing them your song of praise to God.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Jesus Is Coming, Here!
Jesus is coming. Have you heard? Who told you? What does it mean? What should we do? Do we have to do anything? Is He really coming? Do you think it could be today?
The prophet Malachi tells us to “watch for this.” He says “the time is coming.” Zachariah is so happy to get his voice back that he breaks into song. His son has been chosen by God to proclaim the Good News that the Messiah is coming. His son, little baby John, is going to be the one who will be the one who is the “thunder in the desert” crying out from the wilderness. He’s one proud papa.
I wonder how he felt when his little boy came out of the wilderness and called the religious of the day “vipers.” John went to the wilderness and stayed there until God spoke to him, gave him the Message to proclaim to the people. His Message was that they had to get ready because the Messiah, Jesus, was coming. I don’t believe John knew then that his cousin, Jesus, was the One. He found out later but that didn’t deter him from coming out of the wilderness to the River Jordan, where the people were, to proclaim his Message of repentance, forgiveness, and baptism. Jesus, the Messiah, was coming, right there, right then. And they all needed to get things ready.
Luke named all these important people in history so that those who would be reading his gospel would have a reference point for John’s ministry. We can all understand that can’t we. When we begin to relate some story from our family history we usually begin by saying it was around the time when so and so was governor or so and so was president or such and such event happened around the same time.
The folks reading Luke’s gospel would know all these names and they’d say, “Oh yeah, I remember that.” John the Baptist is even referred to in the Qur’an as being the one who proclaimed God’s message about Jesus, the prophet. Historical references give us a point in time to fix our mind on.
With these words from the prophets saying that the Messiah was coming, I wonder were the people any better prepared than we are today. Friends, the Message for us today is Jesus is coming, here. Are we ready to receive the Savior? Are we prepared?
Do you want to know what I think? I don’t think we are. It’s just my opinion, but it doesn’t look to me like we are any more ready for the coming of Jesus than Israel or Judah were when John shouted his Message from the River Jordan.
You might be wondering why I think that. Look at the state of the world around us. There is war in Iraq and Afghanistan and it doesn’t look like its going to end any time soon. Do you hear a loud outcry from the churches that this is wrong? Is there a huge petition drive to provide food and water for those regions in the world where families are starving and/or dying because there is an inadequate food supply or clean water to drink? Do you hear people talking in the bakery or Aunt B’s about the genocide that’s occurring in Africa or Indonesia?
Are we really ready for Jesus? Are our hearts ready for Jesus to come again? Friends, Jesus is here whether we’re ready or not. Soon he will come in person and it will be too late to change. Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to lay it all out there and pray that God will forgive us. Today is the day we should make the commitment to change remembering John’s Message from the wilderness, “Prepare for God’s arrival.”
Everyday we let pass by without consciously making the commitment to change we risk not being ready. Jesus is coming, here!
Let’s change today so we can be forgiven. Open your heart today to God. Let his Spirit change you so that Zachariah’s words will come true…
“Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God's Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
down the path of peace.”
How many more days do you think we have until he comes? I don’t think we should take any chances. I believe we need to change today. Jesus is coming. Here! Thanks be to God. Amen.
The prophet Malachi tells us to “watch for this.” He says “the time is coming.” Zachariah is so happy to get his voice back that he breaks into song. His son has been chosen by God to proclaim the Good News that the Messiah is coming. His son, little baby John, is going to be the one who will be the one who is the “thunder in the desert” crying out from the wilderness. He’s one proud papa.
I wonder how he felt when his little boy came out of the wilderness and called the religious of the day “vipers.” John went to the wilderness and stayed there until God spoke to him, gave him the Message to proclaim to the people. His Message was that they had to get ready because the Messiah, Jesus, was coming. I don’t believe John knew then that his cousin, Jesus, was the One. He found out later but that didn’t deter him from coming out of the wilderness to the River Jordan, where the people were, to proclaim his Message of repentance, forgiveness, and baptism. Jesus, the Messiah, was coming, right there, right then. And they all needed to get things ready.
Luke named all these important people in history so that those who would be reading his gospel would have a reference point for John’s ministry. We can all understand that can’t we. When we begin to relate some story from our family history we usually begin by saying it was around the time when so and so was governor or so and so was president or such and such event happened around the same time.
The folks reading Luke’s gospel would know all these names and they’d say, “Oh yeah, I remember that.” John the Baptist is even referred to in the Qur’an as being the one who proclaimed God’s message about Jesus, the prophet. Historical references give us a point in time to fix our mind on.
With these words from the prophets saying that the Messiah was coming, I wonder were the people any better prepared than we are today. Friends, the Message for us today is Jesus is coming, here. Are we ready to receive the Savior? Are we prepared?
Do you want to know what I think? I don’t think we are. It’s just my opinion, but it doesn’t look to me like we are any more ready for the coming of Jesus than Israel or Judah were when John shouted his Message from the River Jordan.
You might be wondering why I think that. Look at the state of the world around us. There is war in Iraq and Afghanistan and it doesn’t look like its going to end any time soon. Do you hear a loud outcry from the churches that this is wrong? Is there a huge petition drive to provide food and water for those regions in the world where families are starving and/or dying because there is an inadequate food supply or clean water to drink? Do you hear people talking in the bakery or Aunt B’s about the genocide that’s occurring in Africa or Indonesia?
Are we really ready for Jesus? Are our hearts ready for Jesus to come again? Friends, Jesus is here whether we’re ready or not. Soon he will come in person and it will be too late to change. Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to lay it all out there and pray that God will forgive us. Today is the day we should make the commitment to change remembering John’s Message from the wilderness, “Prepare for God’s arrival.”
Everyday we let pass by without consciously making the commitment to change we risk not being ready. Jesus is coming, here!
Let’s change today so we can be forgiven. Open your heart today to God. Let his Spirit change you so that Zachariah’s words will come true…
“Through the heartfelt mercies of our God,
God's Sunrise will break in upon us,
Shining on those in the darkness,
those sitting in the shadow of death,
Then showing us the way, one foot at a time,
down the path of peace.”
How many more days do you think we have until he comes? I don’t think we should take any chances. I believe we need to change today. Jesus is coming. Here! Thanks be to God. Amen.
Monday, November 30, 2009
What's Important?
This is the Message I delivered at our Thanksgiving Eve worship service.
As you heard the scriptures read what did you think about? How did they speak to you this evening? How did you hear God talking to you in his Message?
As I read the lessons from The Message I was struck by the words. They just seemed to jump out at me, almost like they were saying, “Hey, this is important. Pay attention to what's being said here.” It may be because of the present condition of the world around at this time that they seemed particularly profound to me. At any rate I think there is a Message here for all of us in this season of thanksgiving.
The OT reading from the prophet Joel says in so many words that we, the children of God, should celebrate. Be glad in our God...full of praises to our God, the God who has set us back on our heels in wonder. Don't you get the feeling of awe sometimes as you walk about or travel about in this wonderful place God has placed us? Doesn't it just make you want to “celebrate” as Joel puts it?
The psalmist continues this when he says, “...it seemed like a dream, too good to be true...we laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune...God do it again.” Have you ever thought to yourself, “This must be a dream. This is too good to be actually happening to me?” That's what the psalmist is feeling.
So, I know, sometimes our lives aren't really so good and we just don't feel like celebrating or singing or laughing. What do we do then, crawl in a hole, stick our heads in the sand like an ostrich? That doesn't fix anything but sometimes we are just too overwhelmed by what the world is doing to us.
Good friends, I believe it's then we need to remember Paul's words to Timothy, “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.” Have you ever got up in the middle of the night and then went back to bed and couldn't fall back to sleep? What do you do? Get up for a snack or maybe something hot to drink? How does that work for you? Have you ever tried praying for everyone you can think of? Have you ever thought of praying for the people on your block or your neighbors when you couldn't get back to sleep? It may be that God is telling you to pray not because he needs your prayers but because you need prayer, you need to take your mind off yourself and consider others. Who knows, it's got to be better than tossing and turning and trying to count sheep or goats or ceiling tile.
Have you noticed how every time the television goes to commercial it's an advertisement about something every person should have in their kitchen, their bathroom, their living room, entertainment room or their workshop? We just have to have it. If we don't how could we possibly live? The world continually tells us we have to own this or that. We just can't be complete with it, whatever it may be.
Matthew gives us Jesus' answer in chapter 6 that we heard read this evening. I don't believe he's telling us its wrong to possess “things.” I think he's telling us we need to decide where our priorities are. If we are the Christians we profess to be then we must realize we need to make a commitment to follow Jesus. When we do that then the focus is no longer on us it's on others. After all it's not about us but it's about what God is doing in and around us, that's what's important.
Making the commitment to serve Jesus and trust him to provide for us is certainly scary for us but as God grows our faith we are able to do so much more than we ever imagined we could do.
God is telling us that excessive worry and anxiety will get us nowhere. It only serves to separate us from God. In the verses that precede this passage we are told that we can't serve two masters. That's what Jesus continues to elaborate here. He wants us to think about where our priorities are, where are our values. The world would have us think that God comes after our jobs, after our homes, after our retirement accounts, you can fill in the blank with many other things we worry about.
Friends, where is our allegiance, where do we place our loyalty? Jesus told us we only have two commandments to concern ourselves with and the first is to love God with our hearts, our souls, and our minds. That should be our number one priority. And then we are told to love our neighbors as we ourselves want to be loved. It's still not about us. It's all about God and others and serving them.
So this thanksgiving season as you sit down to tables overflowing with delicious meals prepared with loving hands remember why we're all here, what our work is as children of God. We are called to serve and we all need to decide what that means.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God for his many blessings. Amen.
As you heard the scriptures read what did you think about? How did they speak to you this evening? How did you hear God talking to you in his Message?
As I read the lessons from The Message I was struck by the words. They just seemed to jump out at me, almost like they were saying, “Hey, this is important. Pay attention to what's being said here.” It may be because of the present condition of the world around at this time that they seemed particularly profound to me. At any rate I think there is a Message here for all of us in this season of thanksgiving.
The OT reading from the prophet Joel says in so many words that we, the children of God, should celebrate. Be glad in our God...full of praises to our God, the God who has set us back on our heels in wonder. Don't you get the feeling of awe sometimes as you walk about or travel about in this wonderful place God has placed us? Doesn't it just make you want to “celebrate” as Joel puts it?
The psalmist continues this when he says, “...it seemed like a dream, too good to be true...we laughed, we sang, we couldn't believe our good fortune...God do it again.” Have you ever thought to yourself, “This must be a dream. This is too good to be actually happening to me?” That's what the psalmist is feeling.
So, I know, sometimes our lives aren't really so good and we just don't feel like celebrating or singing or laughing. What do we do then, crawl in a hole, stick our heads in the sand like an ostrich? That doesn't fix anything but sometimes we are just too overwhelmed by what the world is doing to us.
Good friends, I believe it's then we need to remember Paul's words to Timothy, “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.” Have you ever got up in the middle of the night and then went back to bed and couldn't fall back to sleep? What do you do? Get up for a snack or maybe something hot to drink? How does that work for you? Have you ever tried praying for everyone you can think of? Have you ever thought of praying for the people on your block or your neighbors when you couldn't get back to sleep? It may be that God is telling you to pray not because he needs your prayers but because you need prayer, you need to take your mind off yourself and consider others. Who knows, it's got to be better than tossing and turning and trying to count sheep or goats or ceiling tile.
Have you noticed how every time the television goes to commercial it's an advertisement about something every person should have in their kitchen, their bathroom, their living room, entertainment room or their workshop? We just have to have it. If we don't how could we possibly live? The world continually tells us we have to own this or that. We just can't be complete with it, whatever it may be.
Matthew gives us Jesus' answer in chapter 6 that we heard read this evening. I don't believe he's telling us its wrong to possess “things.” I think he's telling us we need to decide where our priorities are. If we are the Christians we profess to be then we must realize we need to make a commitment to follow Jesus. When we do that then the focus is no longer on us it's on others. After all it's not about us but it's about what God is doing in and around us, that's what's important.
Making the commitment to serve Jesus and trust him to provide for us is certainly scary for us but as God grows our faith we are able to do so much more than we ever imagined we could do.
God is telling us that excessive worry and anxiety will get us nowhere. It only serves to separate us from God. In the verses that precede this passage we are told that we can't serve two masters. That's what Jesus continues to elaborate here. He wants us to think about where our priorities are, where are our values. The world would have us think that God comes after our jobs, after our homes, after our retirement accounts, you can fill in the blank with many other things we worry about.
Friends, where is our allegiance, where do we place our loyalty? Jesus told us we only have two commandments to concern ourselves with and the first is to love God with our hearts, our souls, and our minds. That should be our number one priority. And then we are told to love our neighbors as we ourselves want to be loved. It's still not about us. It's all about God and others and serving them.
So this thanksgiving season as you sit down to tables overflowing with delicious meals prepared with loving hands remember why we're all here, what our work is as children of God. We are called to serve and we all need to decide what that means.
Friends, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God for his many blessings. Amen.
Still Waiting
Another church year has ended and a new one begins today with the first Sunday of Advent. Today’s Message from the Scriptures talks again about Christ’s coming again. When Luke wrote his gospel the people were waiting…and waiting…and waiting…and we are still waiting. Have people given up on Christ ever coming back? Have we become discouraged with all the waiting? I wonder.
How patient are you? Some days I’m very impatient and other times it doesn’t matter, but the world has been waiting a long time for Christ to return and bring with him the new heaven and earth and a New Jerusalem. Do you think we’re ready?
We have heard this Message so many times and he hasn’t come yet that I wonder if we haven’t been putting changing our lives or even thinking about changing that we may be in danger of not being ready. Friends, I’m speaking from experience here. I am the classic procrastinator who puts things off until they absolutely can’t be put off any longer. But this is something I shouldn’t put off and neither should you.
Jesus said that he is coming and we are to watch for the signs. When these signs appear that means that the kingdom of God is near. So, should we be watching for signs or preparing ourselves for Christ’s coming? What do you think?
I think if we spend our time watching for the signs and trying to interpret what we think they mean that we may be in danger of putting of the hard work of changing our lives and doing the work God has called us to do. It could easily happen. We get so involved with listening to the news that we forget that we are to telling the Good News and bringing people into the kingdom of God that is here right now.
Our prayer should be what Paul wrote in his letter to the Thessalonians, “13May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you… May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.”
Our goal for the new year should be to do what we know we should be doing so that we are ready for Christ’s return, reading Scripture, studying Scripture, praying to God and spending time in silence so we can hear what God has for us. And then sharing the Good News of God’s love with our friends and neighbors and people we don’t know yet whom God brings to us everyday.
That sounds like a full-time job, and it is, but once we have decided how we can get this discipline ingrained in our lives it ceases to be a chore and becomes as natural as breathing. It’s just part of our daily living and then we don’t have to be worrying or anxious about whether we’re ready or not. It doesn’t matter that we’re still waiting, because we’re ready for Christ to return.
Friends, I can’t empathize enough how important this is. What if Christ came today? Would we be ready? I didn’t use to think about this very much but when I read Luke’s Message to us I am reminded of the state of the world today. It looks to me like “all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.” I’m not sure the leaders of the world powers are quaking or not but it sure looks to me like the things Luke talks about have begun. There’s war, there’s economic turmoil and uncertainty, there’s global warming, and who knows what else we’ll hear about in the news today. And so it’s even more important for us to make sure people are ready and not just biding their time waiting because they’ve been waiting so long and nothing’s happened yet.
So if God has set things right with Jesus coming into the world then I believe we should make the psalm reading today our prayer. Verses 5-7 speak to me in particular, “5 Take me by the hand; Lead me down the path of truth. You are my Savior, aren't you? 6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, GOD; Rebuild the ancient landmarks! 7 Forget that I sowed wild oats; Mark me with your sign of love. Plan only the best for me, GOD!”
Friends, I think we have our work cut out for us. We’ve put off doing the things we should have been doing and every day that we let slip by without changing is one more day wasted and maybe one more life that may be lost, never knowing that there is a God who loves and cares for all his children and doesn’t want to see even one of them lost to the Evil One.
So even though we are still waiting for Christ’s return we shouldn’t be sitting around watching the signs and waiting. There is work to be done. We are to be making disciples and loving and caring for neighbors. We are to be worshipping God and spending Sabbath time with Him. If we do these things we can be assured that we will be more ready when Christ does come with all his followers.
Friends, lets not wait any longer. Let’s make the commitment to give it all to God and do all he has called us to be and to do. Begin today by getting back in his Word and spending time with him. He misses you.
Sisters and brothers, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
How patient are you? Some days I’m very impatient and other times it doesn’t matter, but the world has been waiting a long time for Christ to return and bring with him the new heaven and earth and a New Jerusalem. Do you think we’re ready?
We have heard this Message so many times and he hasn’t come yet that I wonder if we haven’t been putting changing our lives or even thinking about changing that we may be in danger of not being ready. Friends, I’m speaking from experience here. I am the classic procrastinator who puts things off until they absolutely can’t be put off any longer. But this is something I shouldn’t put off and neither should you.
Jesus said that he is coming and we are to watch for the signs. When these signs appear that means that the kingdom of God is near. So, should we be watching for signs or preparing ourselves for Christ’s coming? What do you think?
I think if we spend our time watching for the signs and trying to interpret what we think they mean that we may be in danger of putting of the hard work of changing our lives and doing the work God has called us to do. It could easily happen. We get so involved with listening to the news that we forget that we are to telling the Good News and bringing people into the kingdom of God that is here right now.
Our prayer should be what Paul wrote in his letter to the Thessalonians, “13May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you… May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.”
Our goal for the new year should be to do what we know we should be doing so that we are ready for Christ’s return, reading Scripture, studying Scripture, praying to God and spending time in silence so we can hear what God has for us. And then sharing the Good News of God’s love with our friends and neighbors and people we don’t know yet whom God brings to us everyday.
That sounds like a full-time job, and it is, but once we have decided how we can get this discipline ingrained in our lives it ceases to be a chore and becomes as natural as breathing. It’s just part of our daily living and then we don’t have to be worrying or anxious about whether we’re ready or not. It doesn’t matter that we’re still waiting, because we’re ready for Christ to return.
Friends, I can’t empathize enough how important this is. What if Christ came today? Would we be ready? I didn’t use to think about this very much but when I read Luke’s Message to us I am reminded of the state of the world today. It looks to me like “all hell has broken loose—sun, moon, stars, earth, sea, in an uproar and everyone all over the world in a panic, the wind knocked out of them by the threat of doom, the powers-that-be quaking.” I’m not sure the leaders of the world powers are quaking or not but it sure looks to me like the things Luke talks about have begun. There’s war, there’s economic turmoil and uncertainty, there’s global warming, and who knows what else we’ll hear about in the news today. And so it’s even more important for us to make sure people are ready and not just biding their time waiting because they’ve been waiting so long and nothing’s happened yet.
So if God has set things right with Jesus coming into the world then I believe we should make the psalm reading today our prayer. Verses 5-7 speak to me in particular, “5 Take me by the hand; Lead me down the path of truth. You are my Savior, aren't you? 6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, GOD; Rebuild the ancient landmarks! 7 Forget that I sowed wild oats; Mark me with your sign of love. Plan only the best for me, GOD!”
Friends, I think we have our work cut out for us. We’ve put off doing the things we should have been doing and every day that we let slip by without changing is one more day wasted and maybe one more life that may be lost, never knowing that there is a God who loves and cares for all his children and doesn’t want to see even one of them lost to the Evil One.
So even though we are still waiting for Christ’s return we shouldn’t be sitting around watching the signs and waiting. There is work to be done. We are to be making disciples and loving and caring for neighbors. We are to be worshipping God and spending Sabbath time with Him. If we do these things we can be assured that we will be more ready when Christ does come with all his followers.
Friends, lets not wait any longer. Let’s make the commitment to give it all to God and do all he has called us to be and to do. Begin today by getting back in his Word and spending time with him. He misses you.
Sisters and brothers, God loves you and so do I. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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