Audio unavailable - We apologize for the inconvenience. Sermon text follows:
"Sarah's Sons!"
When I was reading our Scripture lesson before preparing the
sermon, as often happens when we read Scripture - something popped
out at me - made me ask a question.
After Jesus tells us that when we have people over for dinner, we
shouldn't just invite those who can invite us back, but he tells us to invite
the poor, the crippled, and the blind - people who cannot pay us back.
THEY cannot reward you, Jesus said, but GOD will reward you at the
time when all godly people rise from death. My question is - "When
is that time - when do all godly people rise from death."
Christianity often become sort of a "by and by" religion - Everything
happens in the "sweet by and by". But that's not what Christianity is really
about. It's not about THEN, it's about NOW - being a DISCIPLE,
NOW. Thinking about discipleship should bring a growing awareness
that some churches and members of church have focused primarily on
conversion and eternal salvation and neglected a way of life here and now.
"Pardon me, Jesus, but now that I am "saved" won't you excuse
me while I get on with my life, and I'll see you in heaven."
That's not Christianity at all. Christianity is about a
RELATIONSHIP -about people who have a RELATIONSHIP with a
PERSON, Jesus, a Living Lord whom they know to be alive and well
and living among them - walking beside them - leading them in good works
to help the disenfranchised, the poor, the crippled, the blind, the homeless
rounding up all of the above to sit at their tables.
When I was in seminary, I was often "homeless" at holiday times.
I was working my way through and I often couldn't afford to drive from
New York to Ohio, so I stayed in the dorm at Colgate Rochester Divinity
School as did several other seminary students who lived too far away to
go home for the holidays. That's when we became "SARAH'S SONS!"
Sara Scruggs, the dietician of the seminary would invite all of us homeless
wonders to her lovely home for dinner. And, of course, being the dietician,
she could really cook, but more important was the sense of welcome we
had in her home, the laughter and the joy - the camaraderie and the pleasure
of company and the sweetness of her spirit. We called her "Shug" - short
for "Sugar." And as exhausted as she must have been after hosting all of
us, she was energized and empowered and thankful - full of Life.
Opportunities to become truly alive are around us every day.
Godly people rise form death to an exciting life every day as they find and
serve SARAH'S SONS whether they are homeless, or hungry or jobless
or working for less than a living wage. You don't have to wait until you
die to rise to life! Following Jesus gives us life - and it more
abundantly.
Jesus went about doing good. "Go thou, and do likewise" because
if you do, you will get a great sense that you are beginning to discover that
Christianity is a life you live, not a belief you have. We have lots of
"beliefs" at Community Church - they are so diverse that is a divine miracle
that we all get along so well. It is because each of us who believes is
moved by our beliefs into the doing category. We meet the designation
of what is now called the "Simple Church" which is a congregation designed
around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through
the stages of spiritual growth. It moves you from the foyer, to the
living room and on to the kitchen of congregational life. That's
where SARAH'S SONS are fed and strengthened.
Jesus sent his disciples out to be healing agents in the community,
and they came back with stories to tell! If you're thinking correctly, you
see your coming here each week for the specific purpose of being sent
back out - in Jesus' Name. Each week at the end of the service I do a
"commissioning" as well as a "benediction." As Jesus sent forth the early
disciples, so he sends you.
First, you attend the church. Then you join it. Then you start
applying what you receive from it into your life and work, your mission -
until you find being Christ's Person is your Life's Mission. My mission is
not to get you TO the church for long, boring meetings, or to events that
"just aren't you", but to get you out of the church and into the world. The
Church is a unique organization because it exists for the people who aren't
in it - yet"
People who sense your love and compassion and benefit by your
help will be drawn to the source of your compassion, and may well end up
in the pew beside you here at what I like to call The Filling Station - where
we refuel ourselves for the next several miles - taking in so we can give.
Cynde McQueary wrote recently about her father. He was always
helping everyone. A farmer, he hired a lot of people - particularly young
people - took an interest in them - wrote a letter to each of them every
Christmas - telling each one how he prayed for them. And they would
stop by for dinner or just a chat - you never knew who was coming to
dinner or who her father would rush off to help just as they were sitting
down at the table. "Be right back" he's day, getting his hat and stuffing
a roll into his pocket as he headed out the door - if a neighbor got his truck
stuck and needed her father to pull him out with his tractor - it didn't
matter what it was. Often, someone was sick and the family needed help.
"You have to make time for people" he would say. "Giving is the
best way of living." And that's the way he lived until he died - right
when it was time for his crops to be harvested. His daughter and his wife
wondered how they were going to handle the harvesting. They shouldn't
have worried. As Cynde pulled into her mom's driveway, something in
the distance caught her eye. A cloud of dust was forming down the road
- an army of combines and trucks were working in their fields. There
must have been 30 or 40 of them, our neighbors and friends from across
four different counties. When they thanked the leader of the effort, "Big
John" as he was called, he replied. "Cynde, when we work together it
all gets done. That's what your dad always showed me. We're just
here to pay him back."
Cynde says: "Mom and I stood together out in the field,
wiping the tears from our eyes, watch all those friends and neighbors
harvest the bounty my father had planted."
That's the way it's supposed to happen - where we realize that we
are all on this spaceship earth together and must learn to love and help
each other.
We are reminded of that as we come to this Communion Table
because it is a table that stretches around the world to encircle its people
in the loving arms of the Christ - to spread His Compassion and care.
When we work together, it all gets done. We are called to this
table not because we have Spirituality. Spirituality is FINDING peace.
We are called to this table because we are Disciples. Discipleship is
MAKING Peace. Discipleship gives you a life penetrated by love - by
hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances
and by the power to do what is right and to withstand and to stand up to
the forces of evil. So shall we have the abundant life - so shall we be the
godly people who rise from death - NOW.
So, come to this sacred table, not because you must, but because
you may......Come not because you are qualified by your own
righteousness, but come, because Jesus has invited you.......Communion
Communion Meditation Notes(Not edited nor proofed)The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community ChurchA sermon (or meditation) is a simple truth told by someone whobelieves it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)September 2, 2007 10:30 a, m. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our heartsbe acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
23 Help!
Audio unavailable - We apologize for the inconvenience. Sermon text follows:
"HELP!"
Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? If so, do you
know what it is, and if you know what it is, are you doing it?!
When Jeremiah was just a young lad, God spoke to him. Jeramiah
was growing up surrounded by priests - as part of a family of priests in a
town that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Perhaps it was not surprising
that God spoke to him - or does God speak to all of us?
God speaks to all of us! How do we hear God speak? Jeremiah
puts it this way - "The Lord's message came to me" That describes
the process perfectly. It says that deep within you is - shall we say - the
gnawing presence of God's Spirit which nibbles persistently at your
conscious self to make Itself heard. We all have it. Some listen better
than others.
To those who listen, God's plan for them begins to take form. So
while you're going about your daily routine as a business man or woman,
- as a father - as a mother, you should go about with a secret mischievious
smile knowing that you are pursuing your task as God's helper. as your
main job! It's like you're a double agent - you do what everyone expects
you to do but you have another life entirely - a life in the Spirit. You have
learned life's secret - that you are not a body with a spirit, but a spirit that
temporarily has a body attached to it - which one day you will shed like a
butterfly emerging from a cocoon.
On my last cruise which was so long ago it has faded into the
misty past, I went to yet another "Butterfly World" - I guess I like to go
to them because there you see the impossible happen - this incredible
beautiful etherial like body comes out of a silent, death-colored mass of
nothingness. It's unbelievable!
God has an unblieveable life mapped out for you and as you enter
into the exciting, challenging, fulfilling reality of that life, if you give conscious
attention to what God is saying to you from within yourself. Just as Jesus
said, The Kingdom of God is within you. You are so much more than
you know yourself to be!
When God's voice first surfaced in the boy, Jeremiah, telling him
that he would be a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah said: "Hey! Wait a
minute, God. I am just a boy! Get real!" (We are always telling God
how off base He Is!)
You see who you are now. God sees who you can become and
what you can do. God sees what is essential for your life. Unfortunately
what is essential for our lives is often invisible to OUR eyes - that's why
we come here to the mystery of this place where God shares the essentials
- where we catch a vision of where we came from, where we're going
and what we are to do while here. Let me illustrate as is my custom!
I'm a Katy Couric fan and I TIVO her news report each weeknight.
One thing I like about it is that each Friday they have a human interest
story about people who are doing interesting things. - I believe it's called
Eye on America. The audience picks one of three options for each week
. The one chosen for this week, like our Scripture lesson this week,
involved a young lad . The young boy featured this week lamented
that no one was doing anything to restore the parks of New Orleans from
the devastation left by the hurricane. A big problem was that the grass
was growing wild and unkempt. So this young man - I don't remember
his name - began to mow. After all, the park covered only thirteen acres!
Who would start that knowing how big the job was? Only a kid with
good in his Spirit and grit in his constitution - and smarts. He soon
recruited other mowers - one I saw came with a ride-on mower.
Collectively they are known as the Mow Rons. But there is nothing
moronic about them, for they have listened to the still small voice within
them and they have begun to walk the path outlined for them. God said,
HELP! and they responded. They asked,
Who?" and God said, "You!"
What we do for God is also good for us. A recent study shows
that after just one week of volunteering - volunteers found that their degree
of happiness skyrocketed. Doing what we are designed to do releases
chemicals in our bodies that make our lives rich and full - the scientists
conducting the study verified that.
Lining oneself up with Good is lining oneself up with God. Lining
oneself up with God is what I call "Lining Onceself Up With the Universe"
- going WITH the grain of the Universe - a much smoother ride. Anyone
of any faith can do it - even a person without any - though that would put
them in great danger of getting some!
So each morning I want you to say to yourself - "That darned
Reverend said that I am first and foremost a Spirit. I know what
my body is going to do today - that's pretty well prescribed - but
what is my Spirit going to do? What small or large Divine missions
can my Spirit accomplish today? What mischief can IT get into -
what incredibly beautiful, etherial miracles can come out of one
seemingly ordinary day?"
(Don't say any more than that, or you won't have any time to DO
anything!)
I mowed grass when I was a kid, but my motives were not altruistic.
I wanted the money so I could buy things - one of the first things was a
record player so I could listen to classical records - I especially liked
opera and had quite a few Caruso recordings and Mario Lanza's too. My
older brother, Duane, ridiculed my choice of music. His comments about
how opera singers sound will definitely not preach! But just about then,
he discovered his wonderful tenor voice - soon he was putting his ear to
the speakers to hear how the professionals did it! And he has sung in
churches for decades, so though my purposes in cutting grass were not
altruistic or religious, they did have a good result. I noted with some
glee, that the young boy who launched the Mow Rons would not mow the
grass at home. There must be a non-sermon in that somewhere!
God says to you, HELP! Jesus, with a simple "Follow Me" has
called you to walk down a road with Him. And there's no telling what
will happen in your everyday experience.
In December of 1955, a humble, black Methodist seamstress sat
down in a bus seat in the front of the bus. The driver, J.P. Blake, ordered
her to the back of the bus, but on that particular day, Rosa Parks took
upon herself the oppression that weighed down on all her people. She
sat where she was, and justice moved forward. Oppression lifted. History
marveled. God had tears in His Eyes, but He wasn't surprised - not this
God who told a young lad named Jeremiah - "Today I have put you in
charge of nations and kingdoms. you will pull up and tear down.
You will destroy and overthrow. You will build up and plant."
The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom then shall I
fear, of whom shall I be afraid?
So listen to what God has to say to you from deep within you. Be
attentive to your life and find the way that you can make your life count for
God. In your own quiet way, you may well be a guide for others on the
Pilgrim's way - through your joy, your enthusiasm, your thoughtful ways,
your caring spirit.
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting
some kind of battle." (I read that this week) If the people around you
sense that you know they are fighting a battle, they will be strengthened by
your insight - grateful for it - and benefitting by your kindness can learn to
be a friend in need to others. It's a catching kind of thing. Your kindness
will draw people to you.
Sometime ago and also just recently I came across this relevant
story: "Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in
it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you
stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite
amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is
blind.
His owner has not chosen to have him put down, but has
made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.
If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it
comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is
a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is so he can
follow her. As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see
how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her
bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not
lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each
evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her
friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us
away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems
or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our
lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes, we are the blind
horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places
in our lives. Other times, we are the guide horse, helping others
see.
A reporter of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Time Madigan, was
suffering from depression. So he reached out to Mr. Rogers (yes the one
from the Neighborhood), Fred Rogers whom he had interviewed some
time before and had begun a correspondence with. During that interview,
Mr. Rogers had opened up to him and told him how consumed by grief he
had been over the death of one of his best friends. Tim listened quietly as
he revealed his feelings. Tim shared his faith with him and listened some
more. And Mr. Rogers said, "You're ministering to me , Tim. By
listening, you minister to me."
Now it was Tim that needed ministered to - he was consumed by
depression. "Dear Fred" he wrote and then followed with a detailed
account of his anguish, asking pitifully at the end if Mr. Rogers would be
proud of him. His reply came. "Dear Tim. The answer to your
question is YES - a resounding YES. I will be proud of you. I am
proud of you. I have been proud of you since first we met. (Tim and
his wife now refer to the letter as Fred's IPOY - Fred's 'I'm Proud Of
You" letter. The depression lifted.
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing
bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide
horse, helping others see.
As followers of Jesus, we are all on the pathway together with
Him, forming a community that feeds us and fuels us giving us the strength
for the battles we are fighting and to help others with theirs. That's our
calling. When God says "HELP!" we answer and therein find solace
and satisfaction in the daily experience - knowing we are on the right path,
finding helpful and fulfilling things to do - seeking to bring the Love of
Christ into a world much in need of It. May God guide and direct us.
He has told us: "You shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall
speak whatever I comand you. (Jeremiah 1:7.) Amen
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our heartsbe acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Sermon Notes(Not edited nor proofed)The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community ChurchA sermon is a simple truth told by someone whobelieves it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)August 26, 2007 10:30 a, m. Jeremiah 1:4-10
"HELP!"
Do you believe that God has a plan for your life? If so, do you
know what it is, and if you know what it is, are you doing it?!
When Jeremiah was just a young lad, God spoke to him. Jeramiah
was growing up surrounded by priests - as part of a family of priests in a
town that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. Perhaps it was not surprising
that God spoke to him - or does God speak to all of us?
God speaks to all of us! How do we hear God speak? Jeremiah
puts it this way - "The Lord's message came to me" That describes
the process perfectly. It says that deep within you is - shall we say - the
gnawing presence of God's Spirit which nibbles persistently at your
conscious self to make Itself heard. We all have it. Some listen better
than others.
To those who listen, God's plan for them begins to take form. So
while you're going about your daily routine as a business man or woman,
- as a father - as a mother, you should go about with a secret mischievious
smile knowing that you are pursuing your task as God's helper. as your
main job! It's like you're a double agent - you do what everyone expects
you to do but you have another life entirely - a life in the Spirit. You have
learned life's secret - that you are not a body with a spirit, but a spirit that
temporarily has a body attached to it - which one day you will shed like a
butterfly emerging from a cocoon.
On my last cruise which was so long ago it has faded into the
misty past, I went to yet another "Butterfly World" - I guess I like to go
to them because there you see the impossible happen - this incredible
beautiful etherial like body comes out of a silent, death-colored mass of
nothingness. It's unbelievable!
God has an unblieveable life mapped out for you and as you enter
into the exciting, challenging, fulfilling reality of that life, if you give conscious
attention to what God is saying to you from within yourself. Just as Jesus
said, The Kingdom of God is within you. You are so much more than
you know yourself to be!
When God's voice first surfaced in the boy, Jeremiah, telling him
that he would be a prophet to the nations, Jeremiah said: "Hey! Wait a
minute, God. I am just a boy! Get real!" (We are always telling God
how off base He Is!)
You see who you are now. God sees who you can become and
what you can do. God sees what is essential for your life. Unfortunately
what is essential for our lives is often invisible to OUR eyes - that's why
we come here to the mystery of this place where God shares the essentials
- where we catch a vision of where we came from, where we're going
and what we are to do while here. Let me illustrate as is my custom!
I'm a Katy Couric fan and I TIVO her news report each weeknight.
One thing I like about it is that each Friday they have a human interest
story about people who are doing interesting things. - I believe it's called
Eye on America. The audience picks one of three options for each week
. The one chosen for this week, like our Scripture lesson this week,
involved a young lad . The young boy featured this week lamented
that no one was doing anything to restore the parks of New Orleans from
the devastation left by the hurricane. A big problem was that the grass
was growing wild and unkempt. So this young man - I don't remember
his name - began to mow. After all, the park covered only thirteen acres!
Who would start that knowing how big the job was? Only a kid with
good in his Spirit and grit in his constitution - and smarts. He soon
recruited other mowers - one I saw came with a ride-on mower.
Collectively they are known as the Mow Rons. But there is nothing
moronic about them, for they have listened to the still small voice within
them and they have begun to walk the path outlined for them. God said,
HELP! and they responded. They asked,
Who?" and God said, "You!"
What we do for God is also good for us. A recent study shows
that after just one week of volunteering - volunteers found that their degree
of happiness skyrocketed. Doing what we are designed to do releases
chemicals in our bodies that make our lives rich and full - the scientists
conducting the study verified that.
Lining oneself up with Good is lining oneself up with God. Lining
oneself up with God is what I call "Lining Onceself Up With the Universe"
- going WITH the grain of the Universe - a much smoother ride. Anyone
of any faith can do it - even a person without any - though that would put
them in great danger of getting some!
So each morning I want you to say to yourself - "That darned
Reverend said that I am first and foremost a Spirit. I know what
my body is going to do today - that's pretty well prescribed - but
what is my Spirit going to do? What small or large Divine missions
can my Spirit accomplish today? What mischief can IT get into -
what incredibly beautiful, etherial miracles can come out of one
seemingly ordinary day?"
(Don't say any more than that, or you won't have any time to DO
anything!)
I mowed grass when I was a kid, but my motives were not altruistic.
I wanted the money so I could buy things - one of the first things was a
record player so I could listen to classical records - I especially liked
opera and had quite a few Caruso recordings and Mario Lanza's too. My
older brother, Duane, ridiculed my choice of music. His comments about
how opera singers sound will definitely not preach! But just about then,
he discovered his wonderful tenor voice - soon he was putting his ear to
the speakers to hear how the professionals did it! And he has sung in
churches for decades, so though my purposes in cutting grass were not
altruistic or religious, they did have a good result. I noted with some
glee, that the young boy who launched the Mow Rons would not mow the
grass at home. There must be a non-sermon in that somewhere!
God says to you, HELP! Jesus, with a simple "Follow Me" has
called you to walk down a road with Him. And there's no telling what
will happen in your everyday experience.
In December of 1955, a humble, black Methodist seamstress sat
down in a bus seat in the front of the bus. The driver, J.P. Blake, ordered
her to the back of the bus, but on that particular day, Rosa Parks took
upon herself the oppression that weighed down on all her people. She
sat where she was, and justice moved forward. Oppression lifted. History
marveled. God had tears in His Eyes, but He wasn't surprised - not this
God who told a young lad named Jeremiah - "Today I have put you in
charge of nations and kingdoms. you will pull up and tear down.
You will destroy and overthrow. You will build up and plant."
The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom then shall I
fear, of whom shall I be afraid?
So listen to what God has to say to you from deep within you. Be
attentive to your life and find the way that you can make your life count for
God. In your own quiet way, you may well be a guide for others on the
Pilgrim's way - through your joy, your enthusiasm, your thoughtful ways,
your caring spirit.
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting
some kind of battle." (I read that this week) If the people around you
sense that you know they are fighting a battle, they will be strengthened by
your insight - grateful for it - and benefitting by your kindness can learn to
be a friend in need to others. It's a catching kind of thing. Your kindness
will draw people to you.
Sometime ago and also just recently I came across this relevant
story: "Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in
it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you
stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite
amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is
blind.
His owner has not chosen to have him put down, but has
made a good home for him. This alone is amazing.
If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.
Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it
comes from the smaller horse in the field. Attached to her halter is
a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is so he can
follow her. As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see
how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her
bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not
lead him astray. When she returns to the shelter of the barn each
evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her
friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.
Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us
away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems
or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our
lives to help us when we are in need. Sometimes, we are the blind
horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places
in our lives. Other times, we are the guide horse, helping others
see.
A reporter of the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Time Madigan, was
suffering from depression. So he reached out to Mr. Rogers (yes the one
from the Neighborhood), Fred Rogers whom he had interviewed some
time before and had begun a correspondence with. During that interview,
Mr. Rogers had opened up to him and told him how consumed by grief he
had been over the death of one of his best friends. Tim listened quietly as
he revealed his feelings. Tim shared his faith with him and listened some
more. And Mr. Rogers said, "You're ministering to me , Tim. By
listening, you minister to me."
Now it was Tim that needed ministered to - he was consumed by
depression. "Dear Fred" he wrote and then followed with a detailed
account of his anguish, asking pitifully at the end if Mr. Rogers would be
proud of him. His reply came. "Dear Tim. The answer to your
question is YES - a resounding YES. I will be proud of you. I am
proud of you. I have been proud of you since first we met. (Tim and
his wife now refer to the letter as Fred's IPOY - Fred's 'I'm Proud Of
You" letter. The depression lifted.
Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing
bell of those who God places in our lives. Other times we are the guide
horse, helping others see.
As followers of Jesus, we are all on the pathway together with
Him, forming a community that feeds us and fuels us giving us the strength
for the battles we are fighting and to help others with theirs. That's our
calling. When God says "HELP!" we answer and therein find solace
and satisfaction in the daily experience - knowing we are on the right path,
finding helpful and fulfilling things to do - seeking to bring the Love of
Christ into a world much in need of It. May God guide and direct us.
He has told us: "You shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall
speak whatever I comand you. (Jeremiah 1:7.) Amen
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our heartsbe acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Sermon Notes(Not edited nor proofed)The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community ChurchA sermon is a simple truth told by someone whobelieves it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)August 26, 2007 10:30 a, m. Jeremiah 1:4-10
21 The Lord Is My Shepherd
Musical Selection - Dr. Cayce Benton performs 'The Lord Is My Shepherd' by Abraham Kaplan
20 Going Where You've Never Been Before
When we become ignited, fired up, disruptive and disrupted,a purifying and warming blaze, it is a glorious sight to behold.
"Going Where You've Never Been Before!"
Jesus said that there was a kind of baptism that he must suffer
through. It was a fiery baptism in which he must endure the burning pain
of crucifixion - its psychological pain of betrayal and the humiliation of
being lifted up before all as a hated criminal when his only crime was to
love and serve. The powers of evil had done their Worst to destroy the
Best.
The blazing heat and fire of love displayed on that cross set against
the blackening sky made people choose. Imperial Rome thought they
had put an end to this meddlesome believer in peace and love. But now,
people had to choose. Which would last? The Power of Rome or the
Power of this Simple Preacher?
Rome fell! Jesus Rose! Jesus was a burning example of the
conquering power of Love - conquered it seemed on the day of the
crucifixion, but vanquished in the days and decades that followed - as
people made their decision between Caesar and God. Jesus said,
Render to Caesar that things that are Caesar's - and to God the
things that are Gods.
They rendered themselves! To render something is to give it
back - they gave themselves back to God from whom they had come -
because they responded to the seed of Hope that God had planted in
them.
There is nothing so bad that God cannot make it good. Even
Jesus being submitted to the fiery baptism of death by crucifixion could be
used by God for good. As the Seven Steeples solos said it so well:
Last night as the blood-red sun went down,
I saw the flames consume my town;
And seven steeples in silhouette
Were set on fire as the red sun set.
I seemed to see the church spires crash,
Amid a shower of spark and ash,
As death stole in and the dark came down
Upon my shattered and burned out town.
And I stood in the cold and dark alone,
Fear in the flesh, dread in the bone,
For I had seen as the red sun bled
How men must die when faith is dead;
And their smoking cities blacken the sky
As they crawl in the clefts of rocks to di.
Then out of the desperate desolate dark,
A flame leaped up from a flickering spark -
And a man burned there like a burning spire
With truth shut up in his bones like fire!
And the wounded crept from rubble and stone,
To bind their wounds by the light he shone;
And I saw how God begins again
To plant himself in the hearts of men.
This is what Jesus mean when he said, "I came to bring fire to
the world."
He wants our hearts to burn with the fire of Love.
He wants our spirits to glow with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
He wants our lives to demonstrate for all to see, the love of God,
the Heavenly Father.
As He said, "I wish it were already burning."
The fire of faith is still burning in your heart and mine. Jesus is King of
Kings. Rome has no kings - no Herods, no Caesars. The true King has
triumphed - or has he!
Are his representatives - that's you - that's me - fiery, alive,
dynamic? Scintillating, intriguing, charismatic? Not according to the
poet, Swinburne: "Thou hast conquered, O Pale Galilean; the world
has grown grey from thy breath."
Perhaps we have not done the King of Kings justice. Is God
planting himself in the heart of man through us - or not?
How alive are we? Not very according to comedian Eddie
Izzard. I would never have seen him had I not been nice to the younger
generation to whom I mistakenly gave control of the T.V. Friday evening.
Through the ease of Netflix (I hope I have that right) he produced this guy
whose makeup was incredibly good, though I wouldn't have said the same
for his get-up! But he was funny. And when he started in on the church,
he had the paleness down pat. He imitated Christians singing hymns - It
was "O God Our Help In Ages Past" as I recall - sung mournfully slowly
as were his "Alleluias" which bore not one molecule of joy or enthusiasm.
I was so grateful that the hymns in our church move right along at a lively
pace and that our solos have included subjects as far out as "The Dieter's
Prayer."
You see, for us to accomplish our Divine purpose we must go out
of our way to be human - not to profess to be better than we are - but to
be ourselves - warts and all.
So, Number One, we must have a fiery aliveness for God.
Number Two: we must take seriously what is seriously called
The priesthood of all believers.
In other words, my task is your task. My task as a preacher,
according to my good friend, author John Killinger, is "to find the switches
that turn on the best inside of us." That's what I attempt to do in the
sermon each week.....and that's what I would like to challenge you to do
this week - not in a sermon (People hate sermons outside a church -
they're bad enough IN church!) - no not in a sermon, but in any way you
can, see if you can find the switch that turns on the best inside of someone.
And please get back to me with any astounding results.
Also, If you're desperate for a subject, you could begin with
yourself! That will count as well!
For you know that you are the one who decides to or decides
not to turn on the best that is inside of you. As I say so often
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR EMOTIONS. You can be
other directed or inner directed - it's up to you.
You can turn your power over to someone else and let them
ruin your day, or week or Life(!) or you can retain your power and
determine for yourself what kind of day you are going to have.
If you like retaining control, you might not like the new "destination
elevators" that are being used in buildings where they are banks and banks
of elevators. As you arrive you go to a little computer kiosk where you
press the floor you want to go to and the computer tells you which of the
many elevators is going to get you there first. You go to that elevator and
get on it. You will see that there are no buttons in the elevator itself which
means no "kid" can push them all and severely inconvenience you. Having
gone to the kiosk, you can rest assured that you will arrive at your destination
20 - 30 % faster.
In today's Scripture (Luke 12:49-56), Jesus is saying, I'm going
to take you places you've never been before and get you there faster!
All of us are called to be faster pastors! - Moving quickly! Getting
things done!
Jesus said, "Follow me!" and a few did. Twelve at first, then
dozens, then a multitude, despite the risk. He said, "Stick your hand in
the fire and see what happens." And thus was born an incendiary
fellowship spreading like wildfire over the whole world. Jesus said, "I
came to bring fire to the world. I wish it were already burning!"
The Rev. William Willimon, preacher and teacher of preachers
tells of going to Leningrad some years ago during the time of the Soviet
Union. He consulted a map to find out where he was, but he couldn't
make any sense of it. From where he stood, he could see several enormous
churches, yet there was no trace of them on his map. When finally
someone came to his aid, the person explained, "We don't put churches
on our maps!" But there WAS one on the map clearly shown. "No"
his guide said, "that is a museum, not what we call a living church -
it's only the living churches that we don't show!" A living church is
a church where the people are afire with the Spirit of God - real people -
not hypocrites that pretend to be better or more than they are.
We should be on fire enough so that other people can be caught
up and caught on fire as well - not by what we say but by what we are and
by what we do.
Church historian, Martin Marty tells of one of his seminary
professors, Richard Caemmerer who had a tremendous impact on
generations of students, especially on Martin Marty. At his memorial
service, someone said of him,. "We did not climb the stairs to
Caemmerer's office to hear the answer, but to see it."
Will Willemon confesses: " I always feel a dread when we
come to this particular Sunday of the year, this text from Luke, and
this Jesus who runs counter to so much that we've tried to make
him. And in so much of my ministry, in my own discipleship, I have
represented the cement of social conformity, the pleasant, soothing
friend named Jesus. But as Jesus begins to smolder, flicker into
a white-hot flame, well, I get nervous!"
But the fact is that when our church becomes the safe place of
middle class stability and things cool off, cooled down, we have ceased to
be the incendiary fellowship Jesus called us to be - incited us to be! We
should get nervous IF and WHEN that happens.
When we become ignited, fired up, disruptive and disrupted,
a purifying and warming blaze, it is a glorious sight to behold. Jesus
really did come to cast fire on the earth, so that you can be "GOING
WHERE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our heartsbe acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Sermon Notes(Not edited nor proofed)The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community ChurchA sermon is a simple truth told by someone whobelieves it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)August 19, 2007 10:30 a, m. Luke 12:49-56
"Going Where You've Never Been Before!"
Jesus said that there was a kind of baptism that he must suffer
through. It was a fiery baptism in which he must endure the burning pain
of crucifixion - its psychological pain of betrayal and the humiliation of
being lifted up before all as a hated criminal when his only crime was to
love and serve. The powers of evil had done their Worst to destroy the
Best.
The blazing heat and fire of love displayed on that cross set against
the blackening sky made people choose. Imperial Rome thought they
had put an end to this meddlesome believer in peace and love. But now,
people had to choose. Which would last? The Power of Rome or the
Power of this Simple Preacher?
Rome fell! Jesus Rose! Jesus was a burning example of the
conquering power of Love - conquered it seemed on the day of the
crucifixion, but vanquished in the days and decades that followed - as
people made their decision between Caesar and God. Jesus said,
Render to Caesar that things that are Caesar's - and to God the
things that are Gods.
They rendered themselves! To render something is to give it
back - they gave themselves back to God from whom they had come -
because they responded to the seed of Hope that God had planted in
them.
There is nothing so bad that God cannot make it good. Even
Jesus being submitted to the fiery baptism of death by crucifixion could be
used by God for good. As the Seven Steeples solos said it so well:
Last night as the blood-red sun went down,
I saw the flames consume my town;
And seven steeples in silhouette
Were set on fire as the red sun set.
I seemed to see the church spires crash,
Amid a shower of spark and ash,
As death stole in and the dark came down
Upon my shattered and burned out town.
And I stood in the cold and dark alone,
Fear in the flesh, dread in the bone,
For I had seen as the red sun bled
How men must die when faith is dead;
And their smoking cities blacken the sky
As they crawl in the clefts of rocks to di.
Then out of the desperate desolate dark,
A flame leaped up from a flickering spark -
And a man burned there like a burning spire
With truth shut up in his bones like fire!
And the wounded crept from rubble and stone,
To bind their wounds by the light he shone;
And I saw how God begins again
To plant himself in the hearts of men.
This is what Jesus mean when he said, "I came to bring fire to
the world."
He wants our hearts to burn with the fire of Love.
He wants our spirits to glow with the fire of the Holy Spirit.
He wants our lives to demonstrate for all to see, the love of God,
the Heavenly Father.
As He said, "I wish it were already burning."
The fire of faith is still burning in your heart and mine. Jesus is King of
Kings. Rome has no kings - no Herods, no Caesars. The true King has
triumphed - or has he!
Are his representatives - that's you - that's me - fiery, alive,
dynamic? Scintillating, intriguing, charismatic? Not according to the
poet, Swinburne: "Thou hast conquered, O Pale Galilean; the world
has grown grey from thy breath."
Perhaps we have not done the King of Kings justice. Is God
planting himself in the heart of man through us - or not?
How alive are we? Not very according to comedian Eddie
Izzard. I would never have seen him had I not been nice to the younger
generation to whom I mistakenly gave control of the T.V. Friday evening.
Through the ease of Netflix (I hope I have that right) he produced this guy
whose makeup was incredibly good, though I wouldn't have said the same
for his get-up! But he was funny. And when he started in on the church,
he had the paleness down pat. He imitated Christians singing hymns - It
was "O God Our Help In Ages Past" as I recall - sung mournfully slowly
as were his "Alleluias" which bore not one molecule of joy or enthusiasm.
I was so grateful that the hymns in our church move right along at a lively
pace and that our solos have included subjects as far out as "The Dieter's
Prayer."
You see, for us to accomplish our Divine purpose we must go out
of our way to be human - not to profess to be better than we are - but to
be ourselves - warts and all.
So, Number One, we must have a fiery aliveness for God.
Number Two: we must take seriously what is seriously called
The priesthood of all believers.
In other words, my task is your task. My task as a preacher,
according to my good friend, author John Killinger, is "to find the switches
that turn on the best inside of us." That's what I attempt to do in the
sermon each week.....and that's what I would like to challenge you to do
this week - not in a sermon (People hate sermons outside a church -
they're bad enough IN church!) - no not in a sermon, but in any way you
can, see if you can find the switch that turns on the best inside of someone.
And please get back to me with any astounding results.
Also, If you're desperate for a subject, you could begin with
yourself! That will count as well!
For you know that you are the one who decides to or decides
not to turn on the best that is inside of you. As I say so often
YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR EMOTIONS. You can be
other directed or inner directed - it's up to you.
You can turn your power over to someone else and let them
ruin your day, or week or Life(!) or you can retain your power and
determine for yourself what kind of day you are going to have.
If you like retaining control, you might not like the new "destination
elevators" that are being used in buildings where they are banks and banks
of elevators. As you arrive you go to a little computer kiosk where you
press the floor you want to go to and the computer tells you which of the
many elevators is going to get you there first. You go to that elevator and
get on it. You will see that there are no buttons in the elevator itself which
means no "kid" can push them all and severely inconvenience you. Having
gone to the kiosk, you can rest assured that you will arrive at your destination
20 - 30 % faster.
In today's Scripture (Luke 12:49-56), Jesus is saying, I'm going
to take you places you've never been before and get you there faster!
All of us are called to be faster pastors! - Moving quickly! Getting
things done!
Jesus said, "Follow me!" and a few did. Twelve at first, then
dozens, then a multitude, despite the risk. He said, "Stick your hand in
the fire and see what happens." And thus was born an incendiary
fellowship spreading like wildfire over the whole world. Jesus said, "I
came to bring fire to the world. I wish it were already burning!"
The Rev. William Willimon, preacher and teacher of preachers
tells of going to Leningrad some years ago during the time of the Soviet
Union. He consulted a map to find out where he was, but he couldn't
make any sense of it. From where he stood, he could see several enormous
churches, yet there was no trace of them on his map. When finally
someone came to his aid, the person explained, "We don't put churches
on our maps!" But there WAS one on the map clearly shown. "No"
his guide said, "that is a museum, not what we call a living church -
it's only the living churches that we don't show!" A living church is
a church where the people are afire with the Spirit of God - real people -
not hypocrites that pretend to be better or more than they are.
We should be on fire enough so that other people can be caught
up and caught on fire as well - not by what we say but by what we are and
by what we do.
Church historian, Martin Marty tells of one of his seminary
professors, Richard Caemmerer who had a tremendous impact on
generations of students, especially on Martin Marty. At his memorial
service, someone said of him,. "We did not climb the stairs to
Caemmerer's office to hear the answer, but to see it."
Will Willemon confesses: " I always feel a dread when we
come to this particular Sunday of the year, this text from Luke, and
this Jesus who runs counter to so much that we've tried to make
him. And in so much of my ministry, in my own discipleship, I have
represented the cement of social conformity, the pleasant, soothing
friend named Jesus. But as Jesus begins to smolder, flicker into
a white-hot flame, well, I get nervous!"
But the fact is that when our church becomes the safe place of
middle class stability and things cool off, cooled down, we have ceased to
be the incendiary fellowship Jesus called us to be - incited us to be! We
should get nervous IF and WHEN that happens.
When we become ignited, fired up, disruptive and disrupted,
a purifying and warming blaze, it is a glorious sight to behold. Jesus
really did come to cast fire on the earth, so that you can be "GOING
WHERE YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our heartsbe acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Sermon Notes(Not edited nor proofed)The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community ChurchA sermon is a simple truth told by someone whobelieves it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)August 19, 2007 10:30 a, m. Luke 12:49-56
Thursday, September 6, 2007
18 Angie's Letter
Letter from Miami Beach Community Church member Commander Angie Keith of the U.S. Navy, stationed in Afghanistan.
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