Thursday, March 12, 2015
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Sermon Oh Good Grief (United Church of Beloit 1/25/15)
A
song of ascents.
1 When the Lord restored the
fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
we were like those who dreamed.
2 Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord,
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
like streams in the Negev.
5 Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.
Romans
8:31-39 NIV
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for
us, who can be against us? 32
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up
for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us
all things?33
Who will bring any charge against those whom God
has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34
Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ
Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the
right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword? 36
As it is written:
“For
your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us. 38
For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
any powers, 39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
(intro)
continuing our Sermon series on “Giving up our baggage”
Now
I have to admit, I have some baggage...ok I have a lot of baggage.
Many of us do! It's part of the human condition! I have worked hard
to get rid of some of it, but there is more work to be done! So when
I asked Steve which particular baggage I would be preaching on, he
gave me a partial list to choose from. This was after a recent
meeting and some of the folks were still there. I read through the
list ...loneliness, weariness, anger, doubt, worry, anxiety; and
said, “Bingo!”
we
all deal with some of these at one time or another. Several of you
have said you have a lot of them too! We are all a work in progress!
Sometimes we get 'stuck' and just can not let go. Sometimes we are so
used to having these things in life we can't fathom another way!
Oh Good Grief! We don't think of grief as being good...but it's sure common. Grief happens when we lose someone we love of course. It's also part of any sort of loss...job, health issues for example. and even part of change..even good changes. There is a process that happens through any change of life...
So
let's look at our Psalm. This is one of the Psalms of ascent..that is
one of the songs sung by the Jewish people as they ascended, walked
to worship at the temple in Jerusalem. This psalm refers to the
return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Exile―more than 500 years
before the time of Jesus. The Exile had lasted for 70 years! Most of
those marched away from Jerusalem had died off, their children and
children's children were the ones who returned to Jerusalem..so they
were 'coming back home for the first time!” this psalm is a hymn of
joy, the streams in the Negev means streams of water in a desert,
parched land into vibrant life! Carrying sheaves..sheaves are bundles
of grain, so that is symbolism of a plentiful harvest! that God had
intervened and their deep grief and sadness had been turned into joy.
This
is a theme in many of the psalms and prophets, that the struggles and
despair that happen in life will turn into joy, mourning into dancing
one psalm says! The troubles of life are not permanent. There is
MORE!
So
let's look now at our new testament lesson. This is from Romans,
Paul's incomparable letter to the church in Rome. Romans is a book
that is challenging, inspiring, will make you say WOW and Huh?!
Sometimes all in the same breath! This is a part of chapter 8....
“these
things...”... He says earlier...in Verse 18
“ I
consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the
glory that will be revealed in us.”
Paul
is talking here about the struggles of life, the challenges that come
with being human, and trying to live for God..for Christ.
{READ Romans 8:31-39}
{READ Romans 8:31-39}
NOTHING
can separate us from the Love of God.....
this
is a text that we share at funerals.. it's a powerful reminder that
the one we lost is not lost for all time! NONE of us is, if we are in
Christ! God who did not spare his own son...part of Gods very self!!
Jesus who died. Who more than that was raised to life!
Now
I confess when I read this at a funeral I do skip verse 36, the sheep
to be slaughtered. That's a reference to Psalm 44, another psalm of
the struggles of life.. that Paul's listeners would get....but modern
families prob won't..
we
are MORE than conquerors....imagine the power of hearing this read to
you, when you live in ancient Rome, with soldiers in full armor
always around! We are MORE than those warriors! Through the One who
loved us...and Loves us and will always love us because God was and
is and ever shall be!
So
what does this mean to us and our baggage, to our grief?
Grief
is part of any sort of loss, or change..even good changes. (marriage,
births, church mergers...) There is a process that happens through
any change of life...
most
of us have heard the 'stages of grief” defined by Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross in her ground-breaking work. Denial, anger, bargaining,
depression, acceptance. One of the things we need to be reminded is
that our work through the stages does not happen neatly. It is rarely
a set period of time, with an orderly progression through each stage,
culminating in a sigh of relief and gratitude. Nope...in my
experience personally, and with family and friends, as well as a
pastor, it;s almost never a neat tidy process.
Our
reactions to grief are in large part a reaction to something we can't
control. Yes we love to be in control. We want things to be a certain
way. When change happens, when someone is ill or dying, we are not in
charge any more and it makes us crazy. We may complain about things,
we may find something else that we do frequently to bring that sense
of control back...years back, when my dad was dying of cancer, I
realized that I was obsessively doing laundry. I got over that! It
was something that I could keep on top of, my way of finding some
sort of order in a situation that I couldn't handle.
When you are going through these emotions, pray about them! It's ok to say to God “I am hurting here!” or even “i am angry!” and it can help a lot to pray it out. It really is ok to tell God you are mad that God took your loved one...or whatever the situation is...It's not a sin to say you are mad at God. God has big shoulders. And praying out these feelings can help. It's helpful too to journal, write things down in a notebook.. journaling is a powerful tool to help with the grief process and in most life situations. And using support systems, like your church, Hospice counseling and so on, are great tools to help get us through, especially if you start to feel stuck at any point.
When
we have these feelings one positive thing we can do is create a new
tradition or new ritual to honor the past. When holidays come, maybe
having a special ornament to remember your loved one. Giving to their
favorite charity! Friends of ours have fundraisers every year for
the Leukemia Lymphoma Society to honor the memory of their loved one
who died of leukemia.
We
commemorate the good events..celebrate anniversaries and birthdays.
We have rituals for these celebrations. (NOTE when I suggest
creating a new tradion or ritual to honor a loved one, I am saying we
have to spend a lot of money! It's possible to do things that are
very economical...even if it's serving their fave food at the holiday
meal...getting out pictures and sharing memories...great way to
commemorate losses and celebrations!
As
I said earlier, our psalm speaks of -deep grief and sadness had been
turned into joy.
Not necessarily happiness, they are different. To be happy is more of
a temporary thing, it's transient, it depends on circumstances. but
Joy lives deep inside and is a recognition that things will be ok,
that God is in charge. It's a realization of the big picture. We can
have joy even in the midst of trouble or grief...i guess that is
'good grief.'
This
week Ernie Banks died, the legendary Chicago Cubs shortstop. He was a
terrific ball player, and also a person who was universally viewed as
a happy man who people loved to be with. He was well known for his
quote..."It's a great day for a ballgame. Let's play
two!” That's
more than happiness, that's Joy.
this
week author Marcus Borg died. He was a prolific writer, sometimes
thought of as a very 'liberal' theologian, but his writings showed a
depth of faith in Jesus as Lord. -some so called liberal theologians
seem to think Jesus was nothing more than a nice guy...but Borg's
faith was much deeper than that. I want to share a quote of his with
you...this is from his book Speaking Christian.
“So,
is there an afterlife, and if so, what will it be like?
I don't have a clue. But I am
confident that the one who has buoyed us up in life will also buoy us
up through death. We die into God. What more that means, I do not
know. But that is all I need to know.”
For I am convinced that neither
death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor
the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friday, January 23, 2015
a new Friday Five from RevGalBlogPals
It’s official. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you are experiencing winter. SO… tell us:
- Winter: What do you think about it in general? Do you love it? Hate it? Or say, “meh – it’s just another season!”I have lived all my life in Southern Wisconsin and I hate winter. I hate being cold, I dislike snow, I especially hate ice.....but I LOVE spring and fall, and one doesn't get either of those without winter. And I very much appreciate the beauty of fresh snow. Every season has beauty and my camera and I like finding the beauty of nature all year round ;)
- Footwear: Show us or tell us about your favorite winter shoes/boots.I wear Crocs...old school black Crocs, because they are comfy on my achy feet, and Crocs do not slip easily on snow and ice :) but....they are ugly LOL
- Discuss: Pedicures in winter – necessity or silly? Necessary, tho my budget keeps me doing my own mani-pedis.
- Toasty toes: Whether you knit your own or buy them, tell us what socks keep your feet toasty warm!::::blushing::: I am so boring...plain old white cotton sports socks.
- Driving me crazy: What do you wish the drivers around you would do to make travel during the winter months a little less nutty?Pay ATTENTION! Ice is not always visible! and your SUV, being very heavy is going to skid a LOT further than you think.
BONUS: What’s
the weather like out there? Share a picture so we can shiver or be
jealous!
This is a pic i took a year or two ago by the river in town. Today looks pretty much like this :) yes, it;s cold!
This is a pic i took a year or two ago by the river in town. Today looks pretty much like this :) yes, it;s cold!
Monday, January 12, 2015
The Spirt Flows (sermon given at Sun Valley Pres Jan 11, 2015.
Genesis 1:1-5
1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
1:4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,
1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
1:3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
1:4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Mark 1
1The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God.
“Behold, I
send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
1:4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
1:5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
1:6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
1:7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.
1:8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
1:9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
1:10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
1:11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
Our Old Testament lesson is of course the very first verses of the Bible, indeed the word “Genesis” means “in the beginning”. It's so familiar, and so beautiful!
1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
Formless void.....also
translated chaos..... God creates order of out of chaos!
“Wind from God'
Hebrew word is Ruach...which is translated spirit, wind, breath, this
is the Holy Spirit, hovering over the waters...
a bit later in Genesis
God will breathe the breath of life into the humans.
Mark's gospel
first one written. Matthew and Luke wrote about 10 years or so later,
expanding on what was in Mark and writing for specific
audiences..Matthew writing to Jewish people, Luke to Gentiles (prob
in asia minor) Mark was writing to get these stories DOWN, people had
been telling about Jesus and each of the Gospel writers determined to
get a good accurate version recorded, now that it was about 30 years
after Jesus' time, the original disciples and witnesses to Jesus
miracles and teachings were getting old and dying off. And there was
serious persecution from Rome after Nero became Emperor.
{READ GOSPEL LESSON}
Mark 1, “The
Beginning of the Gospel...” I think Mark deliberately used the word
Beginning here! To echo the very beginning of the scriptures. John's
gospel of course also echoes the 1st five verses of
Genesis.
gospel.
A term meaning “good news.” The Greeks used this word for
events such as the birth of an emperor or a major military victory.
So when the authors of the NT used it, this was a means of saying,
the emperor, the military, this is all temporary, there is REAL good
news...the Good News of Our God, the one true God, not the pagan
gods.
Mark 1:4 John appeared
proclaiming baptism of repentance for sins,..
there was before this a
tradition of cleansing, purification at the temple, which was for
'paying customers', wealthy people. John is proclaiming this for
everyone! “all the people' from all over Judea -note, John did NOT
offer forgiveness....that was the job of God alone, this was purely
an act of repentance.
“clothing and
locusts....” genuine prophet in the tradition of the Hebrew
Scriptures, our Old Testament. Jewish people had not had a genuine
prophet of God for centuries. John was perceived to be the real deal
and they were ready!
in the
wilderness. John’s preaching in the wilderness
symbolically reminds Israel of her covenantal origins in the Exodus.
The Hebrew people were yes indeed wandering for 40 years, but God
never left them through all that time. God was present as a cloud by
day—protection from the sun! And a pillar of fire by night—
providing light and heat, and protection from wild animals.
so John opened things
up for everyone and anyone. And then Jesus came along...
and John tells the
people, “I baptize with water but he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit. -John himself was 'filled with the holy spirit from before
birth! He leapt in his mother's womb when she heard the voice of
pregnant Mary....
and John (and others?)
saw the spirit descending like a dove...and remaining on Jesus.
The Holy
Spirit...flows..going where it pleases like wind or like flowing
water...(metaphor used sometimes since we can see water flow, we
can't really see currents of air! We only see and feel the effect! So
flowing water helps us envision the spirit flowing.)
Jesus gave the
disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit after his resurrection, when
they were gathered in the Upper Room and he appeared to them, he
breathed on them and said 'receive the Holy Spirit” --for their
guidance.
Then the spirit
appeared on followers-Christian Converts- 50 days later, on
Pentecost...this time as tongues of flame above their heads!
The spirit is
symbolized by wind, water, flames....3 of the most powerful forces of
nature!
The Spirit serves as
our Advocate...Prays for us, intercedes for us, helps get our message
to God when we have no words...thank God!
Jesus
gave this third person of the Holy Trinity, father son and holy
spirit (or holy ghost) to be our advocate, our helper, our companion.
And the spirit is there, available and will guide us if we ask.
Sometimes I pray
quickly,
Lord give me the right words, or tell me to be still...when someone
confides to me. And often the stillness is the best help.. or the
spirit may guide us to do something for someone,... whether we are to
listen and just BE there, or even to pray with a friend, a neighbor,
a church member....that is God working through us every day.
Spirit
is voice of God, our intercessor, guides us, that little nudge that
reminds you havent heard from So and so in a while... and when you
call, they say, “Wow I was just thinking about you!”
“this is my son, beloved...”
God is Love. God's Son
is Love and of course God's Son is Beloved...
we all are loved by
God.
When we act in love, we
are sharing God...that is what our faith life is all about!
author Anne Lamott who
writes with deep honesty about her recovery from alcoholism and other
things, and what she describes as teeny tiny self esteem
issues...said,
“I
believe in two things, God and my friends. They are both Love, and
they stay close to me no matter how awful I am being.
Both {seem to} have
very low standards, which is all I have going for myself.”
-Anne Lamott
We are all God's
Children, allow the Spirit of God to envelop you in that love, allow
it to permeate your life and help shape you to share and care for
others In His Name.
there are lots of references to the Holy Spirit in scripture, here is
one of my favorites....
2 Corinthians 13:13
13
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Communion..also
translated as “fellowship”, “Sharing with”
the words for communion
and community literally mean together with.
Author Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together:
Christian
community is not an ideal we have to realize, but rather a reality
created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more
clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and
promise of all our community is in Jesus Christ alone, the more
calmly we will learn to think about our community and pray and hope
for it.’
There is some
parallelism later in Mark's gospel that echoes this passage..the
Heavens being torn open, the Spirit and the voice saying This is My
Son...
Mark
15:37 And Jesus {On the cross} uttered a
loud cry and breathed his last. 38
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two,
from top to bottom. 39
And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw
that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was
the Son of God!”
“the communion of the
Holy Spirit” the spirit of God is what brings us together-with God
and with each other. The Spirit flows, as long as it is not blocked!
Acting in UN loving ways blocks it, unforgiveness blocks it...If we
are open to the Spirit, it will flow through us, It will help us
realize that we all have things in common, with other people, even
people very different from ourselves! and helps us to look at those commonalities
rather than the differences.
That is real community, that is how we will effect change in our own
lives, in our churches, in our city and beyond! That is the REAL
peace of God, having God's love in our hearts and lives, and serving,
bringing God's Shalom to others-the perfect peace that gives
protection, wholeness.
May it be so today and
always!
Friday, January 9, 2015
Friday Five topic: NEW
NEW. (Friday Five topic from RevGalBlogPals.org)
- If you have one, what is your new resolution?Lose the last 20 lbs! And I am rocking the plan. Regular exercise and healthy foods, whole grains, fruit and veggies at every meal, lean protein. Savor tastes, aromas, colors, textures. (stay away from the ice cream! Ben & Jerry, I have broken up with you!)
- Many folks choose a new word for a year’s beginning, as Marci’s congregation does with StarWords. Some let their word choose them, like Christine at Abbey of the Arts. Do you have a word for the year?
My word for the year is Community. This has been so much on my heart and in my mind. In the past 2 years since our church merger, 2 things kept coming up in my reading and in worship...Keeping our focus on God first and foremost, and community. We are better together than separately, both as people and as churches--especially in outreach. And I am working with other pastors to bring more togetherness into our city through our churches.
- What is your new favorite exclamation/phrase at times of joy or frustration?Hmm, I don't have a 'new' exclamation or phrase....and I need to get rid of some old ones! taming my mouth is a full time job ;) My Dad always said the kitchen was Mom's 'cussing room' and I seem to have carried on that tradition pretty well.
- Do you have a new favorite food, or an old one you are newly enjoying?current fave is plain Greek Yogurt. I love it with granola and fruit for breakfast, and have been cooking with it, using it in place of cream cheese in dessert or ricotta in baked pasta. Works great, and cuts fat and calories!
- Finally, in general: what is your new favorite thing?
Putting
a system in place to achieve my goals. It's great to decide
something, but one must have a plan to make it happen! For example, I
am reading through the Bible this year. I resolve to do so every
year, and have read all of it, but never stayed with a plan. It ends
up being sporadic. So I decided, I eat breakfast every day, why not
set that as my reading time? I have my plan printed off close by and
when I sit down to eat, I read. It's working great. And I have a
checklist at night to mark off that I read, that I did my exercise
and that I got in my 5 a day of fruit & veggies. That system is
keeping me on task.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Confession and renewal!
Confession...
As those close to me know, weight is a
struggle for me. I was not heavy as a teen or in my 20s, in fact I
could eat almost anything and not gain! but I slowly gained through
my 30s and beyond. In my early 50s I weighed over 200 lbs. I am
barely 5'3”...so yes I was quite overweight, obese.
That was the end of 2007. in 2008 I
lost between 25-30 lbs. Some crept back over the next couple years,
but I kept off a total of 15 lbs. At the end of 2012, I was back up
over 200 and not happy about it! Not all the way back up to 'morbid
obesity” but definitely in bad shape. I reviewed what I had done in
the past, mistakes & successes, did a lot of reading and research. My budget did not allow
for joining a paid program. But online there is a TON of information,
and some is even reliable! (a lot isn't! One MUST use common sense
and do research. And ignore the TV doctors, who shill for their
advertisers.) I didn't want to “diet.” I wanted to be healthy, to
enjoy my family and to be able to serve God and serve my church for a
long time to come. There is a site called Spark People that I had
used before. It is all free to use. Tracked what I ate, tracked
exercise. There is community support, good recipes. Lots of articles
about motivation, nutrition info. They are ALL about helping people
make good choices to live a healthy lifestyle, which is exactly what I wanted! They have recommended
diets to follow, but with my allergies and general pickyness I worked
out my own plan. Drink plenty of water. Have fruit and veggies at
every meal, whole grains, lower fat, but use olive oil for the
healthy Omega fats it provides. Lots of salads and fresh foods. Savor
what I eat..enjoying the colors and textures, aroma and tastes. And a
bit of chocolate...good quality dark chocolate is OK! That way one
does not feel deprived :)
SO in 2013 I lost 48 lbs ::big smile!::
I felt great, following a healthy lifestyle, for maybe the first time
in my whole life!
This year, 2014 I had hoped/planned to
maintain over the winter and lose the last 15 before my 60th
birthday in October.
Oops.... I didn't quite make it. I
maintained over the winter, but...I have a thing for ice cream. And
after a rough winter I celebrated spring. Some of those 'small
servings, savored' gradually became larger, frequent servings.. and I
wasn't as diligent about exercise. So about 10 lbs crept back. I am
not blaming myself, but learned from the experience! I geared up
in November and even through Thanksgiving stuck to my healthy eating,
and have ramped up the exercise . I am back on the losing track. I am
ready to make 2015 my best year ever. I know that after
years-indeed decades-of failing to care for myself, it's something to
commit to every day! Just as I read Bible passages and a devotion
every single morning, I have to commit to care for myself
in order to help serve God well. I am making 2015 new, as God makes all
things new! Will you join me?
Friday, December 26, 2014
Dec 26, Friday Five "Recovery Mode"
Friday Five (from RevGalBlogPals page http://revgalblogpals.org/)
- What’s your “chill out” foot gear? Slippers or socks? Or Birkenstocks? (Poem not intentional)(answer) athletic sandals (support for my achy-breaky feet) with nice fuzzy sox on chilly days.
- A holiday treat or beverage that just makes you say “AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!”
(a)
I make cookies and brownies for Christmas, and this year the brownies
were extra good. AND I replaced half the butter with plain Greek
Yogurt, reducing fat and calories significantly. The texture and
taste were great. This is now my go-to recipe.
- What sight or sound moved you during the season? (This can be good or bad.)(a) the first song at our Christmas Eve service was O Holy Night, sung by a tenor from our choir, with his wife accompanying on piano. It was beautiful rendition of one of my faves. It set the tone for the service beautifully and helped me feel so worshipful and enjoy the service. also seeing a young bald eagle pair that are evidently living near the park where i like to walk.
- With whom did you enjoy sharing time with over the Christmas season?Older son. He and I got to just sit and chat 1 on 1 for a bit, it's been a while!
- Was there someone missing from your festivities? How are you doing with that?This is one Christmas our immediate family hasn't lost anyone. We've had a few rough ones in the past. So I am grateful to be able to remember those gone from a distance. I was remembering how when our boys were young we would be together with Martin's Mom & Grandma and my Dad and Stepmother. And M's eldest brother and his sons. It was fun and chaotic!
BONUS:
A
photo of a bodaciously wonderful present, delicious food, or lovely
place that was a part of your holiday.
Well, since i forgot to take pics of dinner or gifts, here is a pic of Ashley Kitty "helping" after we did gifts.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Hopes and Dreams Sermon given at United Church of Beloit Nov 30, 2014
Old
Testament Lesson Isaiah 64:1-4 (ESV)
Oh that you would rend the
heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence―
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil―
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
that the mountains might quake at your presence―
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil―
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him.
New Testament Lesson 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 (ESV)
4
I give thanks to my God always for you because of
the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5
that in every way you were enriched in him in all
speech and all knowledge— 6
even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed
among you— 7
so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you
wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8
who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the
day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9
God is faithful, by whom you were called into the
fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Came across some interesting quotes from experts–
"Everything
that can be invented has been invented."
--Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
--Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
"Stocks have reached what
looks like a permanently high plateau."
--Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.
--Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.
"The concept is interesting
and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea
must be feasible." --A Yale University management
professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable
overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express
Corp.
"This
'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a
means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
-Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"So
we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even
built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding
us? Or, we' ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary,
we'll come work for you.' And, they said, 'No.' So then, we went to
Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't
got through college yet.'" --Apple Computer Inc.
founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his
and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.
"We
don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
So
much for listening to the 'experts” right? I think they perhaps
just didn't have the whole “Big Picture' in mind!
Advent―time
of waiting, expectation, ...yearning! It is also a time when we
repent, (that's why purple is the color, same as lent!) so that we
can properly behold the Newborn King!
The
first candle is
traditionally the candle of Hope
(or
in some traditions, Prophecy). There are a few
different traditions for the meaning of the advent candles. The most
familiar is Hope, Joy, Love, Peace. There is also Prophecy,
Shepherds, Bethlehem, and Angel. You see how each is an aspect of the
Christmas story :D
fortunately,
the prophet Isaiah did NOT turn out to be like that Decca Records
executive!
Isaiah
prophet during, some of the hardest times the Hebrew people endured.
There were two eras in their history that they commemorate in worship
on a regular basis. One is the Exodus, led by Moses, (including the
Passover meal, which we commemorate with Communion) and the other is
the Babylonian Exile. This was a time of about 70 years, that began
nearly 600 years before the time of Jesus. Their homeland was
embattled, their Temple destroyed, the temple dedicated by King David
and constructed by his son Solomon. The belief was that God resides
in the Temple in the Ark of the Covenant, and so with it's
destruction, God had no home, they were exiled and had no home and so
were completely lost without even God!
Isaiah
is praying, prophesying that God would come in PERSON! To right the
wrongs. To free those in exile, under the thumb of an oppressive
foreign government.
Hard
for us in US to imagine this...but I think in some ways we are
oppressed...by a culture of advertising, of wanting more and giving
less, by a culture that tells us over & over! that the wants of
an individual...that “MY' wants are more important than the needs
of those around me. And it's pervasive, it's hard to resist this!
People want to be liked, to be popular, to have nice things, to go to
fun places. But truly I believe that the commercialism of our times
is a 'false prophet”.
Isaiah's
reminder that God did “Awesome things that we did not look for..”
what a message of hope this is. God does things that we don't even
expect! “no one has seen a God like you..” We are reminded
through these words that God is never absent, has never abandoned
god's people, even when everything seems hopeless. That God will come
down, to be with God's own people.. Isaiah's writings contain many
prophecies of Jesus, including those of the virgin birth, as well as
visions of the 'suffering servant'. All of these were recorded
hundreds of years before Jesus' time.
Our
new testament lesson comes from the Apostle Paul. This is from his
letter to the church in Corinth.
(READ NT LESSON)
God
is faithful....and will come back again!
If
Paul viewed his churches as his children, Corinth was 'the wild
child'. It was a seaport with lots of diversity of peoples and
activities, most of those activities were not exactly wholesome!
And
within this church were lots of opinions, many of which were NOT in
line with good Christian teachings! Paul later in this letter rebukes
folks especially for their 'puffed up” attitudes, it would seem
there was quite a bit of 'holier than thou”. (some of those
'experts” again!) But he is starting off by recounting their
blessings, and they did have many!
In
this passage Paul is speaking to the church as a whole..the pronoun
“you” in the original language is plural pronoun. So Paul is
writing to them as a community. Later on he will address issues that
some individuals have, but he is speaking to them as a whole, about
what they have and what they do that is good and right! Because they
are better together than they are as individuals. The prophecies OT
and New are given to people IN community. Because God created us to
be together with God and with each other.
Because
we each have different gifts and skills and when we put them together
we can accomplish some amazing things!
Last
week our church hosted a Community-Wide service. We had folks here
from a total of 7 churches, including at least 2 African-American
churches. We had good worship time together and most everyone had
some snacks after, and best of all, folks lingered downstairs,
getting to know one another. There was a real effort to promote
Christian community and there were some great ideas for ways to
continue and grow this kind of activity. By finding common ground, we
can celebrate our diversity while intentionally spend time to get to
know each other. We can then look past the outward differences and
see what's important to us! We can therefore work together to help
break some of the divisions in our city and beyond.
Of
course this week the news has been full of the racial problems. I do
not want to start any debates, all of us together could not solve
this problem! But maybe, together we can do some good!
But
I came across a statement posted online by a young man named Benjamin
Watson. He is an NFL player in New Orleans, and I want to share what
he said,.
“At some point while I was
playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football, the news broke
about the Ferguson Decision. After trying to figure out how I felt, I
decided to write it down. Here are my thoughts:
I'M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.
I'M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety movie sets and music studios.
I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon as a "threat" to those who don't know me. So I will continue to have to go the extra mile to earn the benefit of the doubt.
I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.
I'M SAD, because another young life was lost from his family, the racial divide has widened, a community is in shambles, accusations, insensitivity hurt and hatred are boiling over, and we may never know the truth about what happened that day.
I'M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.
I'M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.
I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.
I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.
I'M HOPELESS, because I've lived long enough to expect things like this to continue to happen. I'm not surprised and at some point my little children are going to inherit the weight of being a minority and all that it entails.
I'M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it's a beautiful thing.
I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.”
I'M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.
I'M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety movie sets and music studios.
I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon as a "threat" to those who don't know me. So I will continue to have to go the extra mile to earn the benefit of the doubt.
I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.
I'M SAD, because another young life was lost from his family, the racial divide has widened, a community is in shambles, accusations, insensitivity hurt and hatred are boiling over, and we may never know the truth about what happened that day.
I'M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.
I'M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.
I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.
I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.
I'M HOPELESS, because I've lived long enough to expect things like this to continue to happen. I'm not surprised and at some point my little children are going to inherit the weight of being a minority and all that it entails.
I'M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it's a beautiful thing.
I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.”
Hope...
Benjamin
Watson reminds all of us of the hope we have this season. He said
later on CNN, and I believe his lessons, his wisdom pertains to many
situations;
He said the key is to get past that first level of emotion. You have to understand why you are angry, he said.
And
then take it a step further.
We
need to understand the other side brings his own experiences to each
situation.
"It's
really important that we take a step back sometimes and think about
the other side before we make accusations and assumptions," he
said.
We
need to step back and think about the other side. We all want things
neat and tidy and to OUR expectations. We want the world to turn
according to our own direction. But if we step back and think about
the other side, that we have a variety of peoples and experiences.
Not all are what WE would live, but maybe if we listen to each
other's stories we will better understand. And when we strive to
understand, we are better people, and better followers of Christ.
thru
Advent and Christmas, we look at prophecies of God, we hear the words
of the prophets, who wrote of the One in whom we Hope, the one who
brings joy, love, peace, Emmanuel, God within. Yes God within, we
each have Jesus inside of us, and Jesus is in others, too! can we see
Jesus in each other? God created all kinds of people...and God came
to live with and within God's own creation. And even us....Let us
love and live better today as we wait in hope for the coming Christ
Child!
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