Thursday, June 14, 2007
05 Pie Jesu
Musical selection of the week - Pie Jesu - ..................................................................................................
04 Deja Vu 060307
We may well have to be told something three times before we
really hear it -
There is a great deal of DEJA VU in our topic today. Each
week it seems Jesus is telling the disciples he must leave them and
that a Helper in the Person of the Holy Spirit will be there to guide
them. It is all part of a lengthy farewell discourse.
Jesus has to be lengthy and repetitive for the fact is, we don't
listen. We may well have to be told something three times before we
really hear it. That's why in putting the Sunday service together each
week, we deliberately practice reinforced learning - making sure
that, in so far as possible, the hymns, the anthem and the solos carry
the same theme as the Scripture.
Even in sermons we are taught to "tell em you're gonna tell
em" - "tell em!" and then "tell em you told 'em!"
So today, when Jesus tells us in John 16:12-15 that the Holy
Spirit will be around us to help us, we know we've heard that - it's
DEJA VU all over again!
His promise is that the Holy Spirit will give us guidance -
someone to stand beside us - a "paraclete" as the term is in Greek
- someone who will stand beside a defendant in a courtroom and
interpret the legal proceedings with which the average person is not
familiar.
The wonderful Gift that Jesus has given us in the Holy Spirit is a
guide for life's proceedings which we do not understand.
This is not only Communion Sunday but it is also Trinity Sunday
when we gratefully acknowledge that God reveals himself to us as our
Heavenly Father, through what Jesus taught us while on earth, and
through the Holy Spirit - who will share the truth of Jesus with us - AS WE
CAN ACCEPT IT.
It is fascinating that Jesus understood that in those years there
were some things that would be too much for them to understand and
accept. He said, "I have so much more to tell you, but it is too
much for you to accept now"
The people of the time of Jesus were in a world where women were the
property of their husbands and slaves the property of their masters. To
have come out as an advocate for women's rights and civil rights at that
time would have been disastrous for all concerned, so he arranged to
keep the channels of communication open through the Holy Spirit, so
that we can be taught new ways of thinking and understanding.
Understand that this will mean that there may be a discrepancy
between the Scripture of that time and the understandings of our time.
Jesus, remember, said "It HAS been said unto you......thus and
so.......but I say unto you x and y and z - something different -
more enlightened - more Godlike!"
We NEED a "paraclete" to stand beside us and guide us
"through the night with the light from above!"
First, PEACE and REMEMBRANCE are promised to us.
Jesus instituted a new ritual, before he returned to the heavenly
regions. Using the common place elements of bread and wine,
He set up a custom that would be repeated over and over again
across the centuries, even as we repeat it today and WE
REMEMBER HIM - it is as if He is here at our communion table -
which extends out - in and out among all the pews - leaving
the church and stretching around the entire world as His
people remember Him.
And we feel His Peace come upon us - not a temporary
Peace, but a permanent one that even death cannot take
from us - in fact, death takes us further into it.
You may remember that when ABC World News Tonight
anchor Bob Woodruff was reporting from Iraq, he was severely
wounded when a roadside IED drove shrapnel into his head.
"People ask me" he said, "what I remember of the explosion.
Very little...... We were coming to a stand of trees where
insurgents were waiting. They say you never hear the bomb
that hits you, and I didn't. But I recall something even more
profound. I found myself enveloped by a pure white light. It
was peaceful. My body fell back into the tank, but I floated
above it in a place were there was no pain. I don't think I even
knew I'd been hit. The white light felt so good, like soft
welcoming arms. Then it disappeared and I was awake on
the floor of the tank....but it's the memory of the white light
that's clearest. I saw what I think must've been heaven. I can
still feel its peacefulness. Because of it, I have no fear of
death now. Of course, I'd hate to leave my family, but I'm
comforted by the thought of what will come next. (Bob
Woodruff)
The Holy Spirit brings us calm in the midst of chaos, peace
and contentment no matter what we are going through. We are
promised not the contentment that comes when nothing bad is
happening to us, but the peace and contentment that comes no
matter what we're going through - even as the Apostle, Paul said:
"I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be
content.!" - that's the King James translation - our pew Bible has
"I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with
whatever happens. I know how to live when I am poor and
when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live
through any kind of situation - when I have enough to eat or
when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I
have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength
I need to do whatever I must do." Philippians 1:11-14.
The Spirit teaches us a wonderful truth in that. You could
put it this way: Stop telling God how big your storm is:
instead, tell the storm how big your God is!
The Spirit's role is further described as that of a guide in
the knowledge of truth about Jesus. The Holy Spirit has
already guided you to a special understanding about Jesus.
That's why you're here. And that's why you're here on Communion
Sunday, because you want to COMMUNE with the Spirit of
Jesus as you will during the ritual that He has designed for us that
flows from Bible times to our time.
Intuitively, within yourself, with no one having to teach you,
you know that Jesus is special. Just to enter the church and see
the outstretch arms of Jesus before you is a special experience.
I remember my first time. I'm sure you remember yours.
One of our members, now gone on to heaven, who had
three muses - one in Russian, one in French and one in English
wrote these words when she entered the church and saw for the
first time - the stained glass window and the image of the Christ
with his welcoming, outstretched hands: "I think of Thy
perfection, meek in might here in the quiet church on
Lincoln Road. Through consecrated glass the sunrays
light Thy face and tunic, This is Thy abode. Thy welcome
gesture - loving, outstretched hands invite me here, and I
am fortified In love. My humbled spirit understands that I
must follow Thee, our Holy Guide."
Here in this place, instructed by the Holy Spirit, we know
that Jesus is special - not just a son of God (as we are sons and
daughters of God) but the natural Son - born of God - a Divine
Being - who in earthly form taught us more about God than
anyone ever had or ever will.
His coming to the earth resulted in His coming to us –
entering us - living in us - giving us unearthly - heavenly - PEACE
- teaching us, through the Holy Spirit is Truth for now and forever.
We remember His Kindness, His Sacrifice, His Love - we
hold Him in Kindly Remembrance at this TABLE OF
REMEMBRANCE.
A doctor's daughter named Hope, promised her elderly
father that upon his death, she would burn all the outstanding bills
of all his patients. "Then," he said, "No one will owe me
anything except, I hope, a kindly remembrance."
She did as she was asked. Weeks later, after the news
of her father's death had reached the newspaper, his ninety year
old widow received a letter: Dear Mrs. Bounton, It was a
pleasure to see your picture in our local newspaper and to
read of the doctor's and your lives over the many years you
have lived in our community. And congratulations on
reaching your ninetieth birthday.
In 1925 our daughter's foot was seriously injured.
Your husband, who was our family physician, took care of
it and it healed beautifully. At that time we were having
much financial difficulty and $7.50. of the good doctor's bill
was never paid. This has always bothered me because that
was not the way we did things. Please find a check
enclosed to cover that amount. And thank you for the
doctor's kindness and patience. May God bestow His
choicest blessings on you and your loved one."
Hope reflected that out of all the debts owed him, the caring
doctor got what he really wanted - a kindly remembrance.
As KINDLY REMEMBRANCES of all that Jesus has done
for us, - living for us - dying for us -and giving us the daily Guidance
of the holy spirit, let us come to this table as LIVING KINDLY
REMEMBRANCES
AT THIS TABLE OF REMEMBRANCE.
Communion Meditation Notes
(Not edited nor proofed)
The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community
A sermon (or meditation) is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
June 3, 2007 10:30 a, m.
"Deja Vu!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
really hear it -
There is a great deal of DEJA VU in our topic today. Each
week it seems Jesus is telling the disciples he must leave them and
that a Helper in the Person of the Holy Spirit will be there to guide
them. It is all part of a lengthy farewell discourse.
Jesus has to be lengthy and repetitive for the fact is, we don't
listen. We may well have to be told something three times before we
really hear it. That's why in putting the Sunday service together each
week, we deliberately practice reinforced learning - making sure
that, in so far as possible, the hymns, the anthem and the solos carry
the same theme as the Scripture.
Even in sermons we are taught to "tell em you're gonna tell
em" - "tell em!" and then "tell em you told 'em!"
So today, when Jesus tells us in John 16:12-15 that the Holy
Spirit will be around us to help us, we know we've heard that - it's
DEJA VU all over again!
His promise is that the Holy Spirit will give us guidance -
someone to stand beside us - a "paraclete" as the term is in Greek
- someone who will stand beside a defendant in a courtroom and
interpret the legal proceedings with which the average person is not
familiar.
The wonderful Gift that Jesus has given us in the Holy Spirit is a
guide for life's proceedings which we do not understand.
This is not only Communion Sunday but it is also Trinity Sunday
when we gratefully acknowledge that God reveals himself to us as our
Heavenly Father, through what Jesus taught us while on earth, and
through the Holy Spirit - who will share the truth of Jesus with us - AS WE
CAN ACCEPT IT.
It is fascinating that Jesus understood that in those years there
were some things that would be too much for them to understand and
accept. He said, "I have so much more to tell you, but it is too
much for you to accept now"
The people of the time of Jesus were in a world where women were the
property of their husbands and slaves the property of their masters. To
have come out as an advocate for women's rights and civil rights at that
time would have been disastrous for all concerned, so he arranged to
keep the channels of communication open through the Holy Spirit, so
that we can be taught new ways of thinking and understanding.
Understand that this will mean that there may be a discrepancy
between the Scripture of that time and the understandings of our time.
Jesus, remember, said "It HAS been said unto you......thus and
so.......but I say unto you x and y and z - something different -
more enlightened - more Godlike!"
We NEED a "paraclete" to stand beside us and guide us
"through the night with the light from above!"
First, PEACE and REMEMBRANCE are promised to us.
Jesus instituted a new ritual, before he returned to the heavenly
regions. Using the common place elements of bread and wine,
He set up a custom that would be repeated over and over again
across the centuries, even as we repeat it today and WE
REMEMBER HIM - it is as if He is here at our communion table -
which extends out - in and out among all the pews - leaving
the church and stretching around the entire world as His
people remember Him.
And we feel His Peace come upon us - not a temporary
Peace, but a permanent one that even death cannot take
from us - in fact, death takes us further into it.
You may remember that when ABC World News Tonight
anchor Bob Woodruff was reporting from Iraq, he was severely
wounded when a roadside IED drove shrapnel into his head.
"People ask me" he said, "what I remember of the explosion.
Very little...... We were coming to a stand of trees where
insurgents were waiting. They say you never hear the bomb
that hits you, and I didn't. But I recall something even more
profound. I found myself enveloped by a pure white light. It
was peaceful. My body fell back into the tank, but I floated
above it in a place were there was no pain. I don't think I even
knew I'd been hit. The white light felt so good, like soft
welcoming arms. Then it disappeared and I was awake on
the floor of the tank....but it's the memory of the white light
that's clearest. I saw what I think must've been heaven. I can
still feel its peacefulness. Because of it, I have no fear of
death now. Of course, I'd hate to leave my family, but I'm
comforted by the thought of what will come next. (Bob
Woodruff)
The Holy Spirit brings us calm in the midst of chaos, peace
and contentment no matter what we are going through. We are
promised not the contentment that comes when nothing bad is
happening to us, but the peace and contentment that comes no
matter what we're going through - even as the Apostle, Paul said:
"I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be
content.!" - that's the King James translation - our pew Bible has
"I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with
whatever happens. I know how to live when I am poor and
when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live
through any kind of situation - when I have enough to eat or
when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I
have nothing. Christ is the one who gives me the strength
I need to do whatever I must do." Philippians 1:11-14.
The Spirit teaches us a wonderful truth in that. You could
put it this way: Stop telling God how big your storm is:
instead, tell the storm how big your God is!
The Spirit's role is further described as that of a guide in
the knowledge of truth about Jesus. The Holy Spirit has
already guided you to a special understanding about Jesus.
That's why you're here. And that's why you're here on Communion
Sunday, because you want to COMMUNE with the Spirit of
Jesus as you will during the ritual that He has designed for us that
flows from Bible times to our time.
Intuitively, within yourself, with no one having to teach you,
you know that Jesus is special. Just to enter the church and see
the outstretch arms of Jesus before you is a special experience.
I remember my first time. I'm sure you remember yours.
One of our members, now gone on to heaven, who had
three muses - one in Russian, one in French and one in English
wrote these words when she entered the church and saw for the
first time - the stained glass window and the image of the Christ
with his welcoming, outstretched hands: "I think of Thy
perfection, meek in might here in the quiet church on
Lincoln Road. Through consecrated glass the sunrays
light Thy face and tunic, This is Thy abode. Thy welcome
gesture - loving, outstretched hands invite me here, and I
am fortified In love. My humbled spirit understands that I
must follow Thee, our Holy Guide."
Here in this place, instructed by the Holy Spirit, we know
that Jesus is special - not just a son of God (as we are sons and
daughters of God) but the natural Son - born of God - a Divine
Being - who in earthly form taught us more about God than
anyone ever had or ever will.
His coming to the earth resulted in His coming to us –
entering us - living in us - giving us unearthly - heavenly - PEACE
- teaching us, through the Holy Spirit is Truth for now and forever.
We remember His Kindness, His Sacrifice, His Love - we
hold Him in Kindly Remembrance at this TABLE OF
REMEMBRANCE.
A doctor's daughter named Hope, promised her elderly
father that upon his death, she would burn all the outstanding bills
of all his patients. "Then," he said, "No one will owe me
anything except, I hope, a kindly remembrance."
She did as she was asked. Weeks later, after the news
of her father's death had reached the newspaper, his ninety year
old widow received a letter: Dear Mrs. Bounton, It was a
pleasure to see your picture in our local newspaper and to
read of the doctor's and your lives over the many years you
have lived in our community. And congratulations on
reaching your ninetieth birthday.
In 1925 our daughter's foot was seriously injured.
Your husband, who was our family physician, took care of
it and it healed beautifully. At that time we were having
much financial difficulty and $7.50. of the good doctor's bill
was never paid. This has always bothered me because that
was not the way we did things. Please find a check
enclosed to cover that amount. And thank you for the
doctor's kindness and patience. May God bestow His
choicest blessings on you and your loved one."
Hope reflected that out of all the debts owed him, the caring
doctor got what he really wanted - a kindly remembrance.
As KINDLY REMEMBRANCES of all that Jesus has done
for us, - living for us - dying for us -and giving us the daily Guidance
of the holy spirit, let us come to this table as LIVING KINDLY
REMEMBRANCES
AT THIS TABLE OF REMEMBRANCE.
Communion Meditation Notes
(Not edited nor proofed)
The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community
A sermon (or meditation) is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
June 3, 2007 10:30 a, m.
"Deja Vu!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
03 Guess Who I Saw 052707
Pentecost Sunday - Did you ever have a word pop out at you from a sentence that
causes you to ask - "What does that word REALLY mean?" I had
that happen as I was preparing for this Pentecost sermon - commemorating
the day when the Holy Spirit came in a very dramatic way upon some
seventy disciples who were gathered together in one place - tongues of
fire appeared over their heads - a mighty wind was heard - more
importantly they knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was Present.
The Holy Spirit settled around their shoulders like a mantle that would
encase them forever.
In my preparation, I was, of course caught up in the Gospel of
John who has the highest Christology of any of the Gospels, that is, he
puts Jesus on a higher level - knowing him as God's son - not as you and
I are sons and daughters of God, but born of God - His Natural Son - we
may be a lot like him but not the same - even as our loved ones who pass
on before us watch over us in angelic way but are not angels per se.
There are angels and archangels - all kinds of beings - Jesus is a special
being - He is a Divine Being - "the only begotten son of God" - it was the
word, "begotten" that intrigued me - I had never really thought about it.
The dictionary didn't even have it, so I googled it. (I google at
least once each day - it's SO much fun!) It comes from the Greek
menogenes a compound word - mono - meaning only and genesis
meaning birth. Jesus is the only Son of God by nature. He is one of a
kind.
Jesus, being of the same essential nature as God could reveal
God as non other could do.
According to John, Jesus was the Expression of God - the logos
- the WORD of God. Remember how he said, "In the beginning was
the WORD, and the WORD was with God and the WORD was
God and without Him was not anything made that was made.
We have such a vested interest in this because it means that when
we see Jesus, we wee God! If I show you Jesus today, you can go out
from this place and say, GUESS WHO I SAW? And when they ask,
you can say, "I saw God."
Philip asked for clarity as to who Jesus was and he got it! That
reminds me of the homeowner who wrote to Acme Plumbing Company
inquiring about the use of hydrochloric acid in cleaning out pipes in his
house. The plumbing company replied, "Dear Sir: After due
consideration, we are pleased to advise you that the use of this
substance particularly over a sustained period of time could be
extremely disastrous to the integrity of your plumbing system!"
The homeowner wrote back: "Thank you for your kind reply.
I am pleased to hear that I may use hydrochloric acid without bad
effect." The plumbing company replied, "Dear Sir: Please allow us
to explain that we are concerned about what the use of the proposed
substance upon your plumbing system could be, and indeed may
have already been, detrimental to the efficient functioning of this
system. Sincerely, Acme Plumbing."
The homeowner replied, "Dear Acme Plumbing: Like I say,
thank you for your reply. I've poured a bottle of this stuff down the
drain and it works great! Sincerely......"
Finally the company wrote in capital letters, "DON'T USE
HYDROCHLORIC ACID. BURNS THE HELL OUT OF THE
PIPES!
(Clarity. At last we got some clarity - about pipes and about the
nature of Jesus.)
Of course, it is not enough for us to academically know the true
nature of Jesus. We need to get to know him. There is nothing like living
with someone to really get to know them. I wish that young couples had
what they had in Bible times - a society-blessed time in which they could
live together before the final step of marriage. It was called betrothal in
which each of them and their families saw the other as their "intended."
It was more than engagement and less than marriage. It was such a serious
step that if you decided not to go ahead with it you had to get a to break the
betrothal - you had to divorce the other person. - even as Joseph
considered divorcing Mary quietly and privately when he learned she was
expecting a child, not his. Only an angel could have convinced him
otherwise - and so one did!
(There are lots of interesting matings in the Bible as a matter of
fact. In Genesis it is reported that the Sons of Gods dwelt with the
daughters of men - and that from these unions the nephilim - the men of
great renown were born. That's in the 6th chapter of Genesis: "And it
came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth,
and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of
all which they chose......There were giants in the earth in those
days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became
mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6: 1-2, 4)
The Bible is a fascinating book, and the New Testament that
contains the life and teachings of Jesus is invaluable in making it possible
for you to live with Jesus.
Like the followers of Jesus, you can get "all fired up" on this day
of Pentecost - vowing to worship better and more often - learning to lean
upon the Holy Spirit to tell you what to say in witnessing about your faith
to others - making praying the first thing you do in the morning and the last
thing you do at night - and "praying without ceasing in between." - looking
to see what those around you need help with - and helping without being
asked - be creative and intuitive in your caring and your sharing - in short,
to see your main task in life as doing everything possible live in
Jesus and to let Jesus live within you - the WORD, the logos, the
Expression of God, THE SON OF GOD.
I open my mouth to speak
And the word is there
Formed by the lips, the tongue
The organ of voice. Formed by
The brain, transmitting the word by breath.
I open my mouth to speak
And the word is there
Traveling between us - caught
By the organ of hearing, the ear,
Transmitting the thought to the brain
Through the word.
Just so do we communicate -
You and I: the thought
From one mind leaping to another,
Given shape and form and substance,
So that we know and are known through the word.
But let me speak to my very small son
And the words mean nothing,
For he does not know my language.
And so I must show him.
"This is your foot"
I say, "And it is meant for walking."
I help him up: "Here is the way to walk!"
And one day "walking" shapes in his brain with the word.
God had something to say to Man,
But the words meant nothing,
For we did not know his language
And so we were shown: "Behold the Man,"
He said, "this is the image, the thought
In my mind - Man as I mean him, loving and serving.
I have put Him in flesh. Now the Word
Has shape and form and substance
To travel between us. Let Him show forth love
Till one day "loving" shapes in your brain with THE WORD.
(The Word, For Heaven's Sake)
The WORD of God, the CHRIST OF GOD - the ANOINTED
ONE is with us always - living, working, calling, healing, protecting -
HE'S NOT A PAST-TENSE PERSON BUT A PRESENT PRESENCE!
A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be
an Olympic diver. The only religious influence in his life came from his
outspoken Christian friend.
The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend's
witnessing words, even though he heard them often. One night he went to
the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all off, but as
the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of
light to practice by.
The young man climbed up to the highest diving board, turn his
back to the pool at the end of the diving board and prepared to dive. He
extended his arms out, and in the shadowy light conditions, saw the cross
that his extended arms formed as he saw his shadow on the wall. It
brought back to him his friend's words about Jesus. He felt as if Jesus
were speaking to him, and he was so overcome that he knelt down, right
there on the diving board and asked the living Jesus to come into his life.
As he stood to go back to the dive, a maintenance man came in
and turned on the lights - revealing that the pool had been drained. Had
he dived, had he not seen the cross - had he not responded to that feeling
within Himself that Jesus was speaking to him, his life would have been
different - it would have ended that very night. Instead, his new life as a
follower of THE WORD had begun. Now he had a story to tell and it
began with the words: GUESS WHO I SAW?
Sermon Notes
(Not edited nor proofed)
The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community Church
A sermon is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
May 27, 2007 10:30 a, m. John 14:8-27
PENTECOST SUNDAY
"GUESS WHO I SAW!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
causes you to ask - "What does that word REALLY mean?" I had
that happen as I was preparing for this Pentecost sermon - commemorating
the day when the Holy Spirit came in a very dramatic way upon some
seventy disciples who were gathered together in one place - tongues of
fire appeared over their heads - a mighty wind was heard - more
importantly they knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was Present.
The Holy Spirit settled around their shoulders like a mantle that would
encase them forever.
In my preparation, I was, of course caught up in the Gospel of
John who has the highest Christology of any of the Gospels, that is, he
puts Jesus on a higher level - knowing him as God's son - not as you and
I are sons and daughters of God, but born of God - His Natural Son - we
may be a lot like him but not the same - even as our loved ones who pass
on before us watch over us in angelic way but are not angels per se.
There are angels and archangels - all kinds of beings - Jesus is a special
being - He is a Divine Being - "the only begotten son of God" - it was the
word, "begotten" that intrigued me - I had never really thought about it.
The dictionary didn't even have it, so I googled it. (I google at
least once each day - it's SO much fun!) It comes from the Greek
menogenes a compound word - mono - meaning only and genesis
meaning birth. Jesus is the only Son of God by nature. He is one of a
kind.
Jesus, being of the same essential nature as God could reveal
God as non other could do.
According to John, Jesus was the Expression of God - the logos
- the WORD of God. Remember how he said, "In the beginning was
the WORD, and the WORD was with God and the WORD was
God and without Him was not anything made that was made.
We have such a vested interest in this because it means that when
we see Jesus, we wee God! If I show you Jesus today, you can go out
from this place and say, GUESS WHO I SAW? And when they ask,
you can say, "I saw God."
Philip asked for clarity as to who Jesus was and he got it! That
reminds me of the homeowner who wrote to Acme Plumbing Company
inquiring about the use of hydrochloric acid in cleaning out pipes in his
house. The plumbing company replied, "Dear Sir: After due
consideration, we are pleased to advise you that the use of this
substance particularly over a sustained period of time could be
extremely disastrous to the integrity of your plumbing system!"
The homeowner wrote back: "Thank you for your kind reply.
I am pleased to hear that I may use hydrochloric acid without bad
effect." The plumbing company replied, "Dear Sir: Please allow us
to explain that we are concerned about what the use of the proposed
substance upon your plumbing system could be, and indeed may
have already been, detrimental to the efficient functioning of this
system. Sincerely, Acme Plumbing."
The homeowner replied, "Dear Acme Plumbing: Like I say,
thank you for your reply. I've poured a bottle of this stuff down the
drain and it works great! Sincerely......"
Finally the company wrote in capital letters, "DON'T USE
HYDROCHLORIC ACID. BURNS THE HELL OUT OF THE
PIPES!
(Clarity. At last we got some clarity - about pipes and about the
nature of Jesus.)
Of course, it is not enough for us to academically know the true
nature of Jesus. We need to get to know him. There is nothing like living
with someone to really get to know them. I wish that young couples had
what they had in Bible times - a society-blessed time in which they could
live together before the final step of marriage. It was called betrothal in
which each of them and their families saw the other as their "intended."
It was more than engagement and less than marriage. It was such a serious
step that if you decided not to go ahead with it you had to get a to break the
betrothal - you had to divorce the other person. - even as Joseph
considered divorcing Mary quietly and privately when he learned she was
expecting a child, not his. Only an angel could have convinced him
otherwise - and so one did!
(There are lots of interesting matings in the Bible as a matter of
fact. In Genesis it is reported that the Sons of Gods dwelt with the
daughters of men - and that from these unions the nephilim - the men of
great renown were born. That's in the 6th chapter of Genesis: "And it
came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth,
and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of
all which they chose......There were giants in the earth in those
days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the
daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became
mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6: 1-2, 4)
The Bible is a fascinating book, and the New Testament that
contains the life and teachings of Jesus is invaluable in making it possible
for you to live with Jesus.
Like the followers of Jesus, you can get "all fired up" on this day
of Pentecost - vowing to worship better and more often - learning to lean
upon the Holy Spirit to tell you what to say in witnessing about your faith
to others - making praying the first thing you do in the morning and the last
thing you do at night - and "praying without ceasing in between." - looking
to see what those around you need help with - and helping without being
asked - be creative and intuitive in your caring and your sharing - in short,
to see your main task in life as doing everything possible live in
Jesus and to let Jesus live within you - the WORD, the logos, the
Expression of God, THE SON OF GOD.
I open my mouth to speak
And the word is there
Formed by the lips, the tongue
The organ of voice. Formed by
The brain, transmitting the word by breath.
I open my mouth to speak
And the word is there
Traveling between us - caught
By the organ of hearing, the ear,
Transmitting the thought to the brain
Through the word.
Just so do we communicate -
You and I: the thought
From one mind leaping to another,
Given shape and form and substance,
So that we know and are known through the word.
But let me speak to my very small son
And the words mean nothing,
For he does not know my language.
And so I must show him.
"This is your foot"
I say, "And it is meant for walking."
I help him up: "Here is the way to walk!"
And one day "walking" shapes in his brain with the word.
God had something to say to Man,
But the words meant nothing,
For we did not know his language
And so we were shown: "Behold the Man,"
He said, "this is the image, the thought
In my mind - Man as I mean him, loving and serving.
I have put Him in flesh. Now the Word
Has shape and form and substance
To travel between us. Let Him show forth love
Till one day "loving" shapes in your brain with THE WORD.
(The Word, For Heaven's Sake)
The WORD of God, the CHRIST OF GOD - the ANOINTED
ONE is with us always - living, working, calling, healing, protecting -
HE'S NOT A PAST-TENSE PERSON BUT A PRESENT PRESENCE!
A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be
an Olympic diver. The only religious influence in his life came from his
outspoken Christian friend.
The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend's
witnessing words, even though he heard them often. One night he went to
the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all off, but as
the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of
light to practice by.
The young man climbed up to the highest diving board, turn his
back to the pool at the end of the diving board and prepared to dive. He
extended his arms out, and in the shadowy light conditions, saw the cross
that his extended arms formed as he saw his shadow on the wall. It
brought back to him his friend's words about Jesus. He felt as if Jesus
were speaking to him, and he was so overcome that he knelt down, right
there on the diving board and asked the living Jesus to come into his life.
As he stood to go back to the dive, a maintenance man came in
and turned on the lights - revealing that the pool had been drained. Had
he dived, had he not seen the cross - had he not responded to that feeling
within Himself that Jesus was speaking to him, his life would have been
different - it would have ended that very night. Instead, his new life as a
follower of THE WORD had begun. Now he had a story to tell and it
began with the words: GUESS WHO I SAW?
Sermon Notes
(Not edited nor proofed)
The Rev. Dr. Garth R. Thompson Pastor, M.B. Community Church
A sermon is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
May 27, 2007 10:30 a, m. John 14:8-27
PENTECOST SUNDAY
"GUESS WHO I SAW!"
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
Monday, May 28, 2007
02 Jesus, Present In His Absence
Mother's Day - Instead of rushing through the storm shouting "Where's God,Where's God?" - we need to slow down - increase the visibility - help us to see God's help all around us - not in mysterious ways, but in verypractical ways - through our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters,friends and neighbors, fellow church members: A young monk arrived at the monastery. He is assigned to helping
the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by
hand. He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from the
copies, not from the original manuscript. So the new monk goes to the
head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a
small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that
error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies. The head monk
says, "We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you
make a good point, my son."
He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery
where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that
hasn't been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by and nobody sees
the old abbot.
So the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him.
He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing, "We missed
the "R." We missed the "R!" His forehead is all bloody and bruised
and he is crying uncontrollably. The young monk asks the old abbot.
"What's wrong father?" With a choking voice, the old abbot replies. The
word was CELEBRATE!
It's easy for clergymen to miss things. Last week was a very busy
week for me, getting everything ready for Sunday early in the week because
I was going to a church conference for two days at the end of the week.
As it was, I heard no news - I never learned that a whole town in Kansas
had been leveled by a tornado - with many injured and several killed. But
I missed it, so I didn't mention it in my morning announcements, prayer or
sermon.
Today, in our church it's Mother's Day, but if you look at the texts
and sermon materials chosen for this Sunday by the lectionary people,
they are not connected in anyway with paying tribute to your mom and
mine. A preacher could easily miss the opportunity to put a good word in
for our mothers. What percentage of the sermon will be designated to
mothers will vary from pulpit to pulpit....some will say the preacher said
too much - others will say he said to little.
The wife of an acquaintance of mine, was listening to the movie
that her minister husband was watching. The movie simply took the Gospel
of John, (our Gospel for today) word for word. About halfway through
one of Jesus' many long speeches, his wife had had enough. She looked
up and said, "Will Jesus ever shut up?!" (So if I get criticized for
saying too much or too little, I won't mind at all.
Our Gospel text today is lodged in the middle of Jesus' longest
speech, one lasting the better part of chapters 14-17 of the Fourth Gospel.
Thank Goodness Jesus DIDN'T shut up, because those early disciples
were told that despite the fact that Jesus was leaving them, He would be
Present in His absence through the Holy Spirit which would come upon
them and give them peace far beyond the peace that the world could ever
offer - though some things - some people come close - like our mothers -
or at least mine!
Years ago, I was asked to give an invocation at a Breakfast of
Champions. I sat next to the featured athlete, the diver, Greg Louganis. I
asked him what he thought of just before his critical dives. He said it was
a question he was often asked and that his answer was always the same,
"No matter what I do here, my mother will always love me."
Knowing we are loved makes all the difference in our lives, the
way we think of ourselves, the confidence we have, the ability to move
forward in life.
In last week's Scripture, the Apostle Peter broke tradition by taking
his Jewish self into the home of Gentiles - something forbidden by Jewish
law. But God had directed him to do it, so we was not surprised that
when the people in that household of Cornelius committed themselves to
Christ, the Holy Spirit came upon them just as it had come upon Peter and
the other disciples on the Day of Pentecost. They felt different. They
were changed.
Couples walk into this church for their wedding ceremony. When
they walk in they are unmarried. When the walk out they are married. It's
a mystery - it's a miracle. I most often ask them if they feel married.
Without exception, they all say they do - because they do. God has given
us watershed moments that mark our transition from one state to another.
As a teenager, I listened as a missionary told me about Jesus and
invited me to be a follower. The missionary was from California, living in
New York State on his way to Brazil. I was from Ohio, but temporarily
living in New York State and working in Pennsylvania as was the missionary
- that's where we met.
After I dedicated myself to Jesus, I felt different - accompanied -
that no matter what I did, Jesus would love me. It changed the way I felt
about myself and the people and events around me. No, there was no
tongue of fire above my head - at least that I know of - but now there was
a fire burning within my heart to be like Jesus - to follow his teachings - to
do His work.
There was no sound of rushing wind, like at Pentecost, at least as
far as I knew - but there was a mighty, overwhelming feeling rushing through
my being - almost mind-blowing - that I was a child of the King of Kings.
My mother was a very humble person. She didn't yearn for great
wealth or even to have the best of things. If one placed three things in
front of her and asked her to choose, she would choose the thing of least
value. She would say, "This is good enough for me." The truth was,
nothing was good enough for her. Trust me, there wasn't a thing about her
that God would change. She lived for her family and friends and worked
tirelessly from dawn to dark and more to make a wonderful life for her
husband and children.
The Bible says "How hard it si to find the perfect wife. My
father had no trouble at all. He found my mother. The Scriptures in the
31st chapter of Proverbs describes the perfect wife. Excerpting from the
passage we learn:
How hard it is to find the perfect wife. She is worth far more than
jewels. Her husband depends on her. He will never be poor. She
does good for her husband all her life. She never causes him trouble.
She wakes up early in the morning, cooks food for her family. She
works very hard. She is strong and able to do all her work. She
works late into the night. She always gives to the poor and helps
those who need it. She is a strong person, and people respect her.
She looks to the future with confidence. She speaks with wisdom
and teaches others to be loving and kind. She oversees the care of
her house. She is never lazy. Her children say good things about
her. Her husband brags about her and says, "There are many
good women, but you are the best!" Grace and beauty can fool
you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised. Give
her the reward she deserves. Praise her in public for what she has
done." (Why don't the lectionary people choose THAT passage for
Mother's Day?!)
All of us here have a relationship with Jesus. Like all relationships,
they will vary from close to distant, from dramatic to not so dramatic.
When a married couple leaves the church after their wedding
ceremony, nothing is different in one way, but in another way everything is
different. A few words have made the difference.
These words of Jesus make a difference to you and me: MY
FATHER AND I WILL COME TO YOU (THEM) AND LIVE
WITH YOU (THEM....THE HELPER WILL TEACH YOU
EVERYTHING AND CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER ALL THAT
I TOLD YOU. THIS HELPER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THE
FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME.
One of the best ways to see how God has been with you is to
look back upon times when you have gone through difficult times. At the
time, you may have wondered where God was. After the time, as you
look back upon it, you know that had God not been with you, you would
never had made it through.
I thought about that in driving back from the church conference in
St. Petersburgh - it began to rain very heavily. You could see very little
in front of you - a glimmer of flashing tail lights at best, and you hope
THEY stayed on the road! But I noticed too, that if I looked in back of
me by looking in the rear view mirror, the visibility was far better. I was
making my own visibility crisis by rushing through the storm.
Instead of rushing through the storm shouting "Where's God,
Where's God?" - we need to slow down - increase the visibility - help
us to see God's help all around us - not in mysterious ways, but in very
practical ways - through our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters,
friends and neighbors, fellow church members.
Barbara Brown Taylor says that "When God and Jesus move
in with us, they make lots of keys - keys for the Holy Spirit, keys
for the other disciples, keys for all kinds of indwelling cousins in
Christ. Coming and going we learn to recognize each other and to
call upon each other for everything that people who live together
do."
In other words, we who follow Jesus are not only part of the
band of his disciples, and friends, but we note that they have become a
family. When we come here, we come into the family home.
Like your family, my family is quite scattered across the globe.
But family is family wherever they are. One of my nephews called me
recently to ask if I was going to come "home" for the Mount Union College
reunion as I had hoped to do - at which time we would have a family
reunion.
Unfortunately, the Florida Conference of the UCC decided to
meet yearly instead of every other year, and the meeting was the same
weekend. I couldn't go to Mount Union College - (MUC) because I had
to go to the UCC - PRONOUNCED "UCH". I couldn't go to MUC
because I had to go to UCC. I couldn't go "home" to Ohio.
A nephew and niece email me regularly - a piece of home. My
sister-in-law writes me monthly from Virginia - yet I said to here in my last
letter - it's good to hear from "home" despite the fact that I'm from Ohio.
It's the people that make the difference.
People are home - God's home is full of people who know us,
love us - sometimes because of us, sometimes in spite of us. If we keep
close to them - God keeps close to us. God's home is his people.
Something special happens when we come through our newly reconstructed
and refinished doors - this is none other than the gate of heaven.
A member of a church, who previously had been attending services
regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit
him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone,
sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the
man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and
waited.
The Pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave
silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a
brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the heart all alone.
Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet
contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished,
there was a momentary glow and the its fire was no more. Soon it was
cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor
glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood
up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of
the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth
of the burning coals around it.
As the Pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear
running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and
especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next
Sunday."
This is the home where JESUS IS PRESENT IN HIS
ABSENCE. Happy was the home where our mothers were present
with their love and care. Today we honor them - pay them tribute and
thank God for them. Let us sing to God's Praise.
the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by
hand. He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from the
copies, not from the original manuscript. So the new monk goes to the
head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a
small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that
error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies. The head monk
says, "We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you
make a good point, my son."
He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery
where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that
hasn't been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by and nobody sees
the old abbot.
So the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him.
He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing, "We missed
the "R." We missed the "R!" His forehead is all bloody and bruised
and he is crying uncontrollably. The young monk asks the old abbot.
"What's wrong father?" With a choking voice, the old abbot replies. The
word was CELEBRATE!
It's easy for clergymen to miss things. Last week was a very busy
week for me, getting everything ready for Sunday early in the week because
I was going to a church conference for two days at the end of the week.
As it was, I heard no news - I never learned that a whole town in Kansas
had been leveled by a tornado - with many injured and several killed. But
I missed it, so I didn't mention it in my morning announcements, prayer or
sermon.
Today, in our church it's Mother's Day, but if you look at the texts
and sermon materials chosen for this Sunday by the lectionary people,
they are not connected in anyway with paying tribute to your mom and
mine. A preacher could easily miss the opportunity to put a good word in
for our mothers. What percentage of the sermon will be designated to
mothers will vary from pulpit to pulpit....some will say the preacher said
too much - others will say he said to little.
The wife of an acquaintance of mine, was listening to the movie
that her minister husband was watching. The movie simply took the Gospel
of John, (our Gospel for today) word for word. About halfway through
one of Jesus' many long speeches, his wife had had enough. She looked
up and said, "Will Jesus ever shut up?!" (So if I get criticized for
saying too much or too little, I won't mind at all.
Our Gospel text today is lodged in the middle of Jesus' longest
speech, one lasting the better part of chapters 14-17 of the Fourth Gospel.
Thank Goodness Jesus DIDN'T shut up, because those early disciples
were told that despite the fact that Jesus was leaving them, He would be
Present in His absence through the Holy Spirit which would come upon
them and give them peace far beyond the peace that the world could ever
offer - though some things - some people come close - like our mothers -
or at least mine!
Years ago, I was asked to give an invocation at a Breakfast of
Champions. I sat next to the featured athlete, the diver, Greg Louganis. I
asked him what he thought of just before his critical dives. He said it was
a question he was often asked and that his answer was always the same,
"No matter what I do here, my mother will always love me."
Knowing we are loved makes all the difference in our lives, the
way we think of ourselves, the confidence we have, the ability to move
forward in life.
In last week's Scripture, the Apostle Peter broke tradition by taking
his Jewish self into the home of Gentiles - something forbidden by Jewish
law. But God had directed him to do it, so we was not surprised that
when the people in that household of Cornelius committed themselves to
Christ, the Holy Spirit came upon them just as it had come upon Peter and
the other disciples on the Day of Pentecost. They felt different. They
were changed.
Couples walk into this church for their wedding ceremony. When
they walk in they are unmarried. When the walk out they are married. It's
a mystery - it's a miracle. I most often ask them if they feel married.
Without exception, they all say they do - because they do. God has given
us watershed moments that mark our transition from one state to another.
As a teenager, I listened as a missionary told me about Jesus and
invited me to be a follower. The missionary was from California, living in
New York State on his way to Brazil. I was from Ohio, but temporarily
living in New York State and working in Pennsylvania as was the missionary
- that's where we met.
After I dedicated myself to Jesus, I felt different - accompanied -
that no matter what I did, Jesus would love me. It changed the way I felt
about myself and the people and events around me. No, there was no
tongue of fire above my head - at least that I know of - but now there was
a fire burning within my heart to be like Jesus - to follow his teachings - to
do His work.
There was no sound of rushing wind, like at Pentecost, at least as
far as I knew - but there was a mighty, overwhelming feeling rushing through
my being - almost mind-blowing - that I was a child of the King of Kings.
My mother was a very humble person. She didn't yearn for great
wealth or even to have the best of things. If one placed three things in
front of her and asked her to choose, she would choose the thing of least
value. She would say, "This is good enough for me." The truth was,
nothing was good enough for her. Trust me, there wasn't a thing about her
that God would change. She lived for her family and friends and worked
tirelessly from dawn to dark and more to make a wonderful life for her
husband and children.
The Bible says "How hard it si to find the perfect wife. My
father had no trouble at all. He found my mother. The Scriptures in the
31st chapter of Proverbs describes the perfect wife. Excerpting from the
passage we learn:
How hard it is to find the perfect wife. She is worth far more than
jewels. Her husband depends on her. He will never be poor. She
does good for her husband all her life. She never causes him trouble.
She wakes up early in the morning, cooks food for her family. She
works very hard. She is strong and able to do all her work. She
works late into the night. She always gives to the poor and helps
those who need it. She is a strong person, and people respect her.
She looks to the future with confidence. She speaks with wisdom
and teaches others to be loving and kind. She oversees the care of
her house. She is never lazy. Her children say good things about
her. Her husband brags about her and says, "There are many
good women, but you are the best!" Grace and beauty can fool
you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised. Give
her the reward she deserves. Praise her in public for what she has
done." (Why don't the lectionary people choose THAT passage for
Mother's Day?!)
All of us here have a relationship with Jesus. Like all relationships,
they will vary from close to distant, from dramatic to not so dramatic.
When a married couple leaves the church after their wedding
ceremony, nothing is different in one way, but in another way everything is
different. A few words have made the difference.
These words of Jesus make a difference to you and me: MY
FATHER AND I WILL COME TO YOU (THEM) AND LIVE
WITH YOU (THEM....THE HELPER WILL TEACH YOU
EVERYTHING AND CAUSE YOU TO REMEMBER ALL THAT
I TOLD YOU. THIS HELPER IS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT THE
FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME.
One of the best ways to see how God has been with you is to
look back upon times when you have gone through difficult times. At the
time, you may have wondered where God was. After the time, as you
look back upon it, you know that had God not been with you, you would
never had made it through.
I thought about that in driving back from the church conference in
St. Petersburgh - it began to rain very heavily. You could see very little
in front of you - a glimmer of flashing tail lights at best, and you hope
THEY stayed on the road! But I noticed too, that if I looked in back of
me by looking in the rear view mirror, the visibility was far better. I was
making my own visibility crisis by rushing through the storm.
Instead of rushing through the storm shouting "Where's God,
Where's God?" - we need to slow down - increase the visibility - help
us to see God's help all around us - not in mysterious ways, but in very
practical ways - through our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters,
friends and neighbors, fellow church members.
Barbara Brown Taylor says that "When God and Jesus move
in with us, they make lots of keys - keys for the Holy Spirit, keys
for the other disciples, keys for all kinds of indwelling cousins in
Christ. Coming and going we learn to recognize each other and to
call upon each other for everything that people who live together
do."
In other words, we who follow Jesus are not only part of the
band of his disciples, and friends, but we note that they have become a
family. When we come here, we come into the family home.
Like your family, my family is quite scattered across the globe.
But family is family wherever they are. One of my nephews called me
recently to ask if I was going to come "home" for the Mount Union College
reunion as I had hoped to do - at which time we would have a family
reunion.
Unfortunately, the Florida Conference of the UCC decided to
meet yearly instead of every other year, and the meeting was the same
weekend. I couldn't go to Mount Union College - (MUC) because I had
to go to the UCC - PRONOUNCED "UCH". I couldn't go to MUC
because I had to go to UCC. I couldn't go "home" to Ohio.
A nephew and niece email me regularly - a piece of home. My
sister-in-law writes me monthly from Virginia - yet I said to here in my last
letter - it's good to hear from "home" despite the fact that I'm from Ohio.
It's the people that make the difference.
People are home - God's home is full of people who know us,
love us - sometimes because of us, sometimes in spite of us. If we keep
close to them - God keeps close to us. God's home is his people.
Something special happens when we come through our newly reconstructed
and refinished doors - this is none other than the gate of heaven.
A member of a church, who previously had been attending services
regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit
him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone,
sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the
man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and
waited.
The Pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave
silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a
brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the heart all alone.
Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet
contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished,
there was a momentary glow and the its fire was no more. Soon it was
cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor
glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood
up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of
the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth
of the burning coals around it.
As the Pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear
running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and
especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next
Sunday."
This is the home where JESUS IS PRESENT IN HIS
ABSENCE. Happy was the home where our mothers were present
with their love and care. Today we honor them - pay them tribute and
thank God for them. Let us sing to God's Praise.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
How To Subscribe
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A sermon (or meditation) is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
To subscribe, simply click the button in the upper right that says "Subscribe to our free podcast!" If using iTunes, go to "Subscribe to Podcast" under the "Advanced" tab, and enter this URL into the dialog box:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/MiamiBeachCommunityChurch
A sermon (or meditation) is a simple truth told by someone who
believes it to people he knows and loves (Phillips Brooks)
Sunday, May 20, 2007
01 If We Let THOSE People In Here
From exclusion to inclusion; from I to We:
The title of this sermon is "If We Let THOSE People In Here!"
I hate to tell you, but WE are THOSE PEOPLE! Almost the only
people IN the early church were, of course, Jews. Jesus was a Jew as
were the majority of his followers. Early on, they weren't meeting in
churches. they were meeting in the synagogues. The people in the early
meetings of the church were scandalized when they heard that the Apostle
Peter, was admitting THOSE PEOPLE - (Gentiles - that's us) into the
fellowship of the followers of Jesus. It was hard to believe that he would
do that - he was so concerned about the survival of the Jews who were
under Roman domination, that, like other zealots or nationalists, he carried
a sword on his person to be able to defend the Israelite nation at a moments
notice. Letting THOSE people into their fellowship was inexcusable -
what was he thinking? They called him on the carpet - or what passed for
carpet in those days!
What Peter said in essence was, "Don't argue with me, argue
with God!", explaining that GOD had shown him in a vision that the
fellowship of the followers of Jesus was to be an inclusive one. He readily
admitted that God had to show him - tell him - three times before He
himself could come to terms with the fact of coming into contact with
THOSE PEOPLE .
In Jerusalem we Gentiles were THOSE PEOPLE. In Miami
Beach in our time, the Jews were THOSE PEOPLE - If we let THOSE
PEOPLE In here....!"
Strange, isn't it. God made everyone in creation, why should we
not welcome those whom God has made. The Jewish dietary laws had
prohibited them from sharing at the table of the gentiles. But Jesus dined
with them all. (And I was thinking as I was driving along and developing
this sermon) that Jesus would invite everyone to come to His table. Over
the centuries, the church has made His table a very exclusive place for the
very few.) Too bad!
Like Jesus, now Peter was doing what Jesus had done - entering
into the homes of the Gentiles, dining with them, inviting them to follow the
Risen Christ.
Right after his vision, three men were waiting for him to invite him into a
Gentile home - the home of Cornelious who had been visited by an angel
and instructed to send people to get Simon Peter who would tell him and
his family about the new thing God was doing through Jesus.
God is hungering for us to know and welcome all of his people.
How welcoming are you? How charitable are you in your thoughts about
persons different from yourself - who worship in other ways - who vote
differently than you do - whose skin is of another color. How do you treat
THOSE PEOPLE in your thoughts? How do you treat THEM.
The first thing we can do to put God's vision to Peter into
effect in our lives is to cross some things out of our vocabulary.
Cross out "them". Cross out "those". There is only us!
In a premarital counseling session the other day, I asked the groom
who was saying "I - this" and "I - that: "When are you going to
transist from "I" to "We" You're not on your life's journey
alone any more.
Has your "I" turned to we - Has it finally dawned that all on Space
Ship Earth are your fellow travelers?
How long has it been since you expanded your circle of friends?
Can I guess who's coming to dinner?
Who have you invited to church lately. Who has the church
invited to church? Again this year, under the sponsorship of the Counseling
Ministry of South Florida - A Samaritan Center, persons of all faiths will
be here the night before Thanksgiving to that the Creator for blessings
received.
At the last one, I was so saddened to hear a sarcastic remark
from one of the rabbis when the Islamic speaker got up to address us.
We can either kill each other or learn to understand and get along with
each other.
Unfortunately, we so often judge a group by the worst person of
that group. I like to pick the best person I know that is in any ethnic, racial
or religious group than my own, and judge the group by that person.
I am listening now to Barak Obama's book in which he tells of a
man who used very bad language when referring to one racial group - until
at work he got to know and appreciate several members of that race. His
thinking changed. His vocabulary changed. His attitude changed.
Our coming to understand and appreciate each other and
care for one another is the very thing that can save us from
ourselves as fellow travelers on this terrestrial ball. And those of us
who practice a religious faith have possibility than any other group to
make a difference. We have allowed our faiths to divide the world and be
responsible for more wars than anything else. It is time for us to turn that
around!
But to do that, we must practice what we will call "Sacred envy"
First, we look at other denominations than our own - and other faiths than
our own and find some things to envy. The Rev. Thomas Goodhue,
Executive Director of the Long Island Council of Churches says that he
loves the infectious joy of African American congregations where worship
is exuberant praise as in Latin and Korean congregations. He loves the
churches that emphasize that "God is still speaking". He likes the
ways Muslims and Bahais focus on doing good rather than avoiding
evil.....the way Buddhists and Quakers gently nudge us to unplug, turn off
the noise, shut up, sit down and just be silent for a while. He is indebted
to Judaism for teaching him over and over again that we are called to
"tikkun olam" - to repair the brokenness of our world - and for raising a
certain Jewish kid who he strives to follow. Practice religious envy!
Remember that the is something larger than self, family, tribe and
nation. It's name may vary: God, Kosmos, Higher Power, Universal
Spirit, Source of the Sun that is greater than the parts. Let us expand our
circles of care and compassion and bring about a more peaceful world -
as we join the Prince of Peace at His table - his inclusive, around the
world table to which He welcomes all.
Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but becauseyou may.....
The title of this sermon is "If We Let THOSE People In Here!"
I hate to tell you, but WE are THOSE PEOPLE! Almost the only
people IN the early church were, of course, Jews. Jesus was a Jew as
were the majority of his followers. Early on, they weren't meeting in
churches. they were meeting in the synagogues. The people in the early
meetings of the church were scandalized when they heard that the Apostle
Peter, was admitting THOSE PEOPLE - (Gentiles - that's us) into the
fellowship of the followers of Jesus. It was hard to believe that he would
do that - he was so concerned about the survival of the Jews who were
under Roman domination, that, like other zealots or nationalists, he carried
a sword on his person to be able to defend the Israelite nation at a moments
notice. Letting THOSE people into their fellowship was inexcusable -
what was he thinking? They called him on the carpet - or what passed for
carpet in those days!
What Peter said in essence was, "Don't argue with me, argue
with God!", explaining that GOD had shown him in a vision that the
fellowship of the followers of Jesus was to be an inclusive one. He readily
admitted that God had to show him - tell him - three times before He
himself could come to terms with the fact of coming into contact with
THOSE PEOPLE .
In Jerusalem we Gentiles were THOSE PEOPLE. In Miami
Beach in our time, the Jews were THOSE PEOPLE - If we let THOSE
PEOPLE In here....!"
Strange, isn't it. God made everyone in creation, why should we
not welcome those whom God has made. The Jewish dietary laws had
prohibited them from sharing at the table of the gentiles. But Jesus dined
with them all. (And I was thinking as I was driving along and developing
this sermon) that Jesus would invite everyone to come to His table. Over
the centuries, the church has made His table a very exclusive place for the
very few.) Too bad!
Like Jesus, now Peter was doing what Jesus had done - entering
into the homes of the Gentiles, dining with them, inviting them to follow the
Risen Christ.
Right after his vision, three men were waiting for him to invite him into a
Gentile home - the home of Cornelious who had been visited by an angel
and instructed to send people to get Simon Peter who would tell him and
his family about the new thing God was doing through Jesus.
God is hungering for us to know and welcome all of his people.
How welcoming are you? How charitable are you in your thoughts about
persons different from yourself - who worship in other ways - who vote
differently than you do - whose skin is of another color. How do you treat
THOSE PEOPLE in your thoughts? How do you treat THEM.
The first thing we can do to put God's vision to Peter into
effect in our lives is to cross some things out of our vocabulary.
Cross out "them". Cross out "those". There is only us!
In a premarital counseling session the other day, I asked the groom
who was saying "I - this" and "I - that: "When are you going to
transist from "I" to "We" You're not on your life's journey
alone any more.
Has your "I" turned to we - Has it finally dawned that all on Space
Ship Earth are your fellow travelers?
How long has it been since you expanded your circle of friends?
Can I guess who's coming to dinner?
Who have you invited to church lately. Who has the church
invited to church? Again this year, under the sponsorship of the Counseling
Ministry of South Florida - A Samaritan Center, persons of all faiths will
be here the night before Thanksgiving to that the Creator for blessings
received.
At the last one, I was so saddened to hear a sarcastic remark
from one of the rabbis when the Islamic speaker got up to address us.
We can either kill each other or learn to understand and get along with
each other.
Unfortunately, we so often judge a group by the worst person of
that group. I like to pick the best person I know that is in any ethnic, racial
or religious group than my own, and judge the group by that person.
I am listening now to Barak Obama's book in which he tells of a
man who used very bad language when referring to one racial group - until
at work he got to know and appreciate several members of that race. His
thinking changed. His vocabulary changed. His attitude changed.
Our coming to understand and appreciate each other and
care for one another is the very thing that can save us from
ourselves as fellow travelers on this terrestrial ball. And those of us
who practice a religious faith have possibility than any other group to
make a difference. We have allowed our faiths to divide the world and be
responsible for more wars than anything else. It is time for us to turn that
around!
But to do that, we must practice what we will call "Sacred envy"
First, we look at other denominations than our own - and other faiths than
our own and find some things to envy. The Rev. Thomas Goodhue,
Executive Director of the Long Island Council of Churches says that he
loves the infectious joy of African American congregations where worship
is exuberant praise as in Latin and Korean congregations. He loves the
churches that emphasize that "God is still speaking". He likes the
ways Muslims and Bahais focus on doing good rather than avoiding
evil.....the way Buddhists and Quakers gently nudge us to unplug, turn off
the noise, shut up, sit down and just be silent for a while. He is indebted
to Judaism for teaching him over and over again that we are called to
"tikkun olam" - to repair the brokenness of our world - and for raising a
certain Jewish kid who he strives to follow. Practice religious envy!
Remember that the is something larger than self, family, tribe and
nation. It's name may vary: God, Kosmos, Higher Power, Universal
Spirit, Source of the Sun that is greater than the parts. Let us expand our
circles of care and compassion and bring about a more peaceful world -
as we join the Prince of Peace at His table - his inclusive, around the
world table to which He welcomes all.
Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but becauseyou may.....
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