Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Light Burden

He aint heavyLent
February 12, 2016

Scripture Reading: Romans 10:8b-13

because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ –Romans 9-13

What does it mean to be saved? We have a whole nation, world as far as that is concerned, that wants to be “saved”. What is it we want to be saved from? Certainly we want to be saved from death and destruction. All want to be saved from hunger, poverty, lack of shelter, not having their basic needs met. What may be more important is what is it we want to be saved for. All want to live at peace with one another, even enjoy each other’s company. All people want to reach their fullest potential and for their children to do the same.

We sometimes have an unrealistic desire to be saved by some magical act. Jesus did not die on a cross to save us by magic. He died on a cross to show us the better way of living, the way of peace and love, not power and violence. Peace and love gives birth to life, to resurrection. Power and violence is designed for death and destruction.

We have been called by God to partner with Christ in turning this world upside down. Nobody said it would be easy when much of the world is pulling in the opposite direction. Jesus, however, declared his yoke is easy and his burden is light, (Matthew 11:30) if we join him in his mission. The phrase “he ain’t heavy he’s my brother”* might explain that attitude best.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us from turning our backs on the greatest gift we could ever receive, your loving salvation. We do want to share your burden, continue to show us the way. Amen.

*See the Hollies Lyrics of this song at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hollies/heaintheavyhesmybrother.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Fulfilling the Law

fire-truck-crash2-222x160Epiphany
January 16, 2016

Scripture Reading: John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ –John 2:1-4

And so Jesus’ ministry begins. Water is necessary for life. We humans can survive many days without food but only a few days without water. God’s presence had been with the people from the beginning, the water of life. While it was enough for survival, God wanted so much more for God’s people and provided even the food of life, manna in the desert, as the Lord led the people out of slavery. Ways of living were set forth to provide the means of successful existence but still that was not enough. Something more was needed for God’s kingdom to not just survive but flourish. So God sent God’s own son as an example for all and as a savior.

I pulled into a left turn lane and stopped because the light was red. It was a busy intersection and cars were speeding by to my right with a green light directing their path going north. A fire truck with sirens blaring and lights flashing came from the east hurriedly headed west. One north bound car in the intersection sped up to get out of the fire truck’s way followed by six cars barreling through trying to take advantage of the green light paying no heed to the fire truck that had to come to a full stop until finally a driver in the north bound lane let the fire truck through. Shortly, my light turned green and I turned left following the fire truck’s path. It was stopped at a home a few houses from the intersection where there was no discernable fire. It was most likely an emergency run to assist a person with a health emergency. The minute or so of time wasted at the stop light, because of the selfishness of others, could have cost someone his or her life. Of course impeding the course of an emergency vehicle is against the law, but if the law is not written on someone’s heart it doesn’t matter.

Jesus came not to replace the law but to fulfill it.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be aware of those around us in this world and how our actions impact their lives and how it is possible for all of us to live together in loving concern for each other. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Praising God

WeatherChristmas
December 30, 2015

 Scripture Reading: Psalm 147:12-20

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
   Praise your God, O Zion!
For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
   he blesses your children within you.
He grants peace within your borders;
   he fills you with the finest of wheat.
He sends out his command to the earth;
   his word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool;
   he scatters frost like ashes.
He hurls down hail like crumbs—
   who can stand before his cold? –Psalm 147:12-17

As I sat down to write this morning, I truly was not ready for a Psalm that praises God because of God’s control of the weather. Oklahoma was besieged by the weather over the past several days, which is now moving toward the east coast including blizzards and floods, tornados and black ice. I awoke this morning at 5:28 am being rocked in my bed by a 4.3 earthquake whose epicenter was ten or so miles north of me. Felt the 3.5 aftershock too. While some believe we are being punished for what they construe as our sinful behaviors, others believe that we are suffering from our own failed care of the earth causing global warming and greed-driven wastewater disposal processes that cause earthquakes.

In both cases our priorities are off point. We are called to live a life driven by love and such a way of being demands moral imperatives of respect for ourselves and others in all aspects of life. We have never, however, been given the assignment of assessing ultimate judgment on ourselves or others and certainly not making our judgments litmus tests for our love. I do not think it is possible to love the person and hate what we perceived to be their sin. We must work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in [us], enabling [us] both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12b-13) And we must allow others the same opportunity while loving them completely just as they are and trusting that God will use our love in God’s work with both us and them.

And in like manner the need to establish blame never solves a problem and may impede identifying causes. Global warming and earthquakes are now realities. If identifying causes and implementing changes in our behaviors are necessary toward our meeting God’s charge to care for the earth, we need to do so with all due haste. It will require all of us to repent from the lifestyles to which we have become accustomed and to learn new, more responsible ways to live our praise to the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, order our lives so that our acts of love and care of the earth may being pure praise to you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Let us Magnify the Lord

Magnify the lordAdvent
December 19, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation. –Luke 1:46-50

My mother was a great egalitarian. She was not raised that way. Her mother showed preferences toward the boys and even between her two grandsons. Perhaps Mom learned to treat everyone equally from seeing the pain it caused not to. She and I never talked about it, but we, her children, have laughed many times about having inherited the trait from her. She worked really hard at treating all people equally and expected us to do the same. It was a part of her very being. I must admit, I have always admired this quality in her and appreciate the influence it has had on my life.

Our scripture today is appropriately called The Magnificat, the Song of Mary, where the mother of Jesus describes her calling to bear the Son of God as her soul magnifying the Lord. The song is about justice for all people, the justice her offspring would bring to fruition through his life, his death, and his resurrection. God obviously knew the influence she would have on her son no matter what the world about them had to say about justice.

In the final analysis, we are all called to magnify the Lord through our love for God and our love for one another. Our tasks may differ but our purpose is the same.

Prayer: God who called a young woman to the extraordinary task of being the mother of our Savior, help us to find our calling in the ordinary things of life. Help us to feed the hungry, provide pure water for the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, care for the sick, and offer restoration to those in prison and in so doing to magnify you in the name of Mary’s little boy, Jesus. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Sharing the Abundance of God’s Grace

rom-5-10-much-more-we-will-be-saved-in-His-life-having-been-reconciledAdvent
December 6, 2015

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-6

as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’ –Luke 3:4-6

I am sure I have quoted the following song before but I doubt if any church actually sings it anymore. The tune is as ponderous as the words prescribe, but it speaks clearly to those of us who claim to be a part of the Kingdom Jesus Christ described for us and called us to help actualize. It is fitting that the tune by Shaw is named Purpose.

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.*

Peoples steeped in the need for instant gratification have little tolerance for a long repetitious song calling us to stay the course investing our very lives in the work of peace, mercy, and justice in coalition with God. We think we can buy or shoot our way into making everything right but we cannot.

All will not be right until we all love each other, and like the lamb and the lion (Isaiah 11:6), share equally in the abundance of God’s grace.

 Prayer: God cleanse our souls, help us to let go of all those things that hinder our ability to love like Jesus. Amen.

*God is working His Purpose Out by Arthur Campbell Ainger see al http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/g/g179.html

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.

Wandering from the Truth

judging-others-blue_designLiving in the Spirit
September 27, 2015

Scripture Reading: James 5:13-20

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. –James 5:19-20

How do we bring someone back from wandering from the truth? The crux of much of the dialogue in our society today rests in the answer to this questions. The question, first works from the assumption that we can readily identify when someone has indeed wandered. We know that is shaky ground upon which to walk because of the examples of Jesus being condemned by religious leaders from wandering from their ideas of wandering from God’s ways. We are clearly chastised not to judge others without being able to stand in judgment by others. (Matt, 7:1) John 5:22 states that Jesus is the only one who can judge.

I fear we stand in need of judgment when we take on the role of judging others based on our own perceptions of what we has determined is the right way for ourselves. Is their only one way of loving God and loving one another and how can we be sure that the way we have found to be in synch with God is that only way?

On the other hand, there always seems to be another hand, what is our responsibility to a fellow traveler on God’s journey who seems to be struggling, in pain, feeling a lack of grace or so caught up in the worship of lesser God’s they could care less about the one God? We are challenged to love them to the point that they can see a glimpse of the one God’s love in us. When we stand in condemnation of people we most likely will never have the opportunity for them to experience our love. We can only love in this dimension when we are ourselves as fully in synch with God as we can be and through prayer rely totally upon God’s love, the example of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, help me remove the beam from own eye before I ever attempt to take help another take the speck from his or her eyes. Amen.

 

Substance over Presentation

fruit-sermon-graphic-podcastLiving in the Spirit
September 15, 2015

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
   but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
   and let her works praise her in the city gates. –Proverbs 31:30-31

Growing up female in the USA is not for the faint of heart. I suppose that could be said for males, also. We live in a world where merchandizing tries to define us to enhance its profits. Proverbs warns us about getting caught up in the power of presentation over substance.

I attended the first symphony of the season recently by our Philharmonic Orchestra. The music was exquisite, but I enjoyed the people watching too. When I first started going to the symphony some dressed up but most of us wore what I would describe as our Sunday best. Over the years, I have noticed every type of clothing possible. Young adults may come together, some in long formal dresses and suits others in jeans. I must say I rather enjoy the self-expression in the variety of clothing. I noticed there were a lot more women in dresses at this concert. I guess dresses rather than pants are experiencing a comeback. I try to present myself in all instances in ways that do not cause a distraction from forming a positive relationship with others.

Our scripture today, I think, is saying let the fruits of our hands be the measure of our character. How we deport ourselves is far more important than what we wear. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Prayer: God let my life present my faith in you well in all that I do and say. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Joy in Service

GARDENING-TOOL-facebookLiving in the Spirit
September 14, 2015

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 31:10-31

A capable wife who can find?
   She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
   and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
   all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
   and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant,
   she brings her food from far away.
She rises while it is still night
   and provides food for her household
   and tasks for her servant-girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
   with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. –Proverbs 31:10-16

My brother, sister, and I asked that Proverbs 31 be read at my mother’s memorial service. It faithfully describes her. She made most of our clothing including my father’s tailored suits. She was never happier than when she was in a vegetable garden. Most I think thought she grew up on a farm where we lived, but not true, she was a town girl. Her dad worked in the local general store. Later after he suffered a debilitating stroke, her mother worked at a canning factory.

She was also a deaconess in the Methodist church during the Great Depression serving first in south Texas along the border and later in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. She learned to sew and garden as a child; she strengthened those skills facing the abject poverty, racism, and injustice that plagued the people with whom she worked as she became the hands and feet of Christ in her home mission areas. I always thought she preferred to craft a dress for my sister and me from hand-me-downs rather from new cloth. She was educated as a math teacher and she liked the challenge of arranging patterns across odd sizes of material salvaged from those old clothing. I know she mastered the art of quilt making from turning fancy taffeta dresses donated from churches into warm comforters for people who had little or no heat in the winter. She would grin a bit when telling us stories wondering if the original owners of the clothing knew how the clothing had been used.

Prayer: Holy One, guide us through this scripture to see ways of being that complement the work of your Son, Jesus, the Christ, and make the completion of this work a joy for us and for you. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Love has Everything to do with It

Domestic-ViolenceLiving in the Spirit
August 24, 2015

Scripture Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-13

8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag.
Look, there he stands behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice.
10 My beloved speaks and says to me:
‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;
11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. –Song of Solomon 2:8-11

This love poem from the wisdom literature occurs in the midst of scriptures describing the comings and goings of good and bad leaders and the prophetic warnings associated with not following God’s way. Life goes on every day. Family happens. Winter turns to spring and young love is eternal. We do need to stop occasionally and remember love drives all parts of our lives whether it is love of God, love of siblings, or love of a spouse. Love drives all parts of our lives, if we let it.

Our society throws up many barriers to love’s wanting the best for another. It is frightening how many accounts we hear on the news of domestic violence: allegations of a boyfriend left in charge of his girlfriend’s baby who kills the child, teenagers who kill their parents and siblings, football players beating women, and a mother investigated 40 times for complaints of neglect of her children. All of these stories were reported in one day’s worth of news. Why is this happening? What do we need to do to help people learn the art of love in all aspects of their lives?

Evil overcomes us only when we drift away from God. Drifting away takes many forms and perhaps the most insidious is when we substitute manufactured false religious fervor for love and trust and hope in the living God. Selfishness overcomes love. Greed overcomes love. When the church sells both it tears at the fabric of faith.

Prayer: Lord forgive us when we choose to worship idols of self-indulgence rather than your great love. Merciful God help us love one another as you love us. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Help Us Accept Each Other

common-goodLiving in the Spirit
August 18, 2015

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 8: (1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43

41“Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name 42 for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm when a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, 43 then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.
–1 Kings 8:41-43.

People have flocked to America since its inceptions with great dreams formed from what they heard of its promise, primarily, freedom and prosperity. We who are second or third or in some cases ten generations removed from those first people who arrived know the reality of living in this country. We know that it is as free and prosperous as we are committed to keeping it so. New arrivals must make that commitment also.

Although the type of governance was different when the kings ruled in Israel, the people at that time and in that place, too, were accountable for the continuing success of their nations. When people get caught up in their own selfish pursuits and lose sight of the responsibility of sharing in the common good, nations fail. It does not matter what kind of governance they have.

In either case, now or then, when the people of a nation drift away from God, their nations drifts into discord and destruction. It is not a matter of the government making people follow some prescribed precepts of God’s way. It is a matter of God’s way being lived by the people and that being reflected in the government.

The common good becomes a reality when we love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. When those actions are lived in our communities governance will take care of itself.

Prayer:
1 Help us accept each other As Christ accepted us;
Teach us as sister, brother, Each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us And bring us to believe
We are ourselves accepted And meant to love and live.

2 Teach us, O Lord, Your lessons, As in our daily life
We struggle to be human And search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, For all, not just for some,
To love them as we find them Or as they may become.

3 Let Your acceptance change us, So that we may be moved
In living situations To do the truth in love;
To practice Your acceptance Until we know by heart
The table of forgiveness And laughter’s healing art.

4 Lord, for today’s encounters With all who are in need,
Who hunger for acceptance, For righteousness and bread,
We need new eyes for seeing, New hands for holding on:
Renew us with Your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!* Amen.

*Help us Accept Each Other by Fred Kaan. See at http://www.hymnary.org/text/help_us_accept_each_other
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.