November 18, 2020

 27 However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.” – Matthew 17:27

If you like a good fishing story, then this is the scripture for you.  We have all probably heard a fishing story before, they can sometimes be outlandish, with very little possible truth left in them, as the exaggerations seems to expand each time they are told. My best fishing story was the first time I went deep sea fishing.  The weather was hot, the boat was crowded, but I did manage to catch a shortfin mako shark. It wasn’t the largest on the trip, but still had fun pulling it in. However, fun and exciting my catch was, I didn’t get to pay my taxes with it. We often use the phrase God will provide, but in this unusual story, Jesus shows to what lengths God’s provision can go.

The story starts out with a representative of the Jewish temple coming to Peter and asking him if Jesus pays his temple tax. The temple tax was to be paid by all Jewish men to support the upkeep of the temple building. It was a tax they paid once a year above and beyond their regular tithing. The temple was central to Jewish life. The representative is essentially asking if Jesus was a good Jew. Peter responds, “Yes, Jesus pays the tax.” Then Jesus asks Peter a question… “Who pays taxes? The king or the king’s people?” Jesus was teaching Peter a deeper truth, this was His house. Jesus is the King, but the people weren’t ready for this truth yet and Jesus didn’t want to offend them so He tells Peter how to pay the tax.

Makes us wonder how the coin go in the fish’s mouth in the first place. Maybe someone dropped it and the fish saw something shiny and tried to swallow it but it got stuck. Maybe Jesus was helping the fish out too?

Peter went and did what Jesus said. He didn’t hesitate. Maybe because he had seen Jesus do other things that didn’t quite make sense. Things like saying, “let down your nets” even though it was the wrong time of day, in the wrong place in the lake, and yet they catch so many fish the boats start sinking. In each of these miracle Peter witnessed, however, God or Jesus didn’t just make it happen. Peter had to do something for the miracle to happen.

Just like our faith needs nurturing, we have to put to action what God is asking us to do, put to action the work of the kingdom, and then we will see God providing along the way.  God will make something happen, but we she do more than simply wait, we should be active in growing our faith through prayer, study, and worship, as we learn and give thanks in all circumstances, and God will do amazing things in and through us. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for our future.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 17, 2020

For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20

Only the smallest amount of true faith allows God to do amazing things in and through us.  I have always found this passage meaningful.  The way in which Jesus is responding to his disciples lack of faith is interesting.  They have faith in God, and faith in Jesus, but they themselves are having doubt in their ability to cast our demons or heal as Jesus has.  It makes us wonder if there is doubt in their hearts, or if they hadn’t said the right words, or prayed fervent enough.  It might make us doubt our own ability to have the kind of faith to do the miraculous in Jesus name – and we do doubt it.

I wish we could have that little amount of faith, to truly believe and see the wonderful things of God, but doubt always seems like a larger seed, striving to take over and squashed out faith.  However, there is something important we should realize about faith – it isn’t about the size of the seed at all, it’s about having the seed in the first place.

Size isn’t important, as long as the faith is there. No seed means no action, and no consequence, if we don’t plant seeds, we can’t expect there to be anything to harvest. If we don’t have faith at all, clearly, no miracles will occur. Yet, eve a miniscule seed will be enough for something to happen. But let’s take the analogy a little further. That ‘something’ that is going to happen also requires us to do something with the seed. Just like a real seed needs water, soil, care, so does our faith. We need to water it with prayer and study, we need to plant it relationships that tend to our soul, and we care for it by worship. When we do these things, the Master Gardner, will work to grow our faith into something amazing.

Let us plant our faith – no matter how large or small – and give it to the hands of God, that we might see it grow into the peace, mercy, and love of a kingdom that is beyond our own, with God in heaven.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 16, 2020

5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” – Matthew 17:5-9

Matthew’s account of the transfiguration. Jesus is seen by Peter, James, and John for exactly who he is, and they hear the voice of God making such proclamation.  While they were with Jesus on this mountaintop, they got a glimpse into the true Promised Land, the place where the presence of God was pleased to dwell.  Peter, like many of us, wants to stay in that place forever, he doesn’t want to leave.  However, there is work to be done below, and Jesus knows it.

I’m often reminded in this passage of a sermon delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 3, 1968. History tells us this is the last public address Dr. King made before he was assassinated.  The end of that sermon says this:

Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.

And I don't mind.

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!

And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man! Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!

In much the same way that Jesus knew his time was coming, I feel that Dr. King knew something was coming.  Many strides had been made, and many good things accomplished in the campaign for equality in those days, but there was still work to be done, and Dr. King was rallying his people to continue to work for such equality.  Even today, we see the remnants of injustice and inequality rear their head in our world, but when we look to the mountaintop, and remember that there is a Promised Land on the other side, we can give praise to God, knowing that we all have an equitable share in the inheritance of our Lord’s mercy and grace.  Each receives as is their need through faith. 

The kingdom of God is rich with diversity, and it is something to be celebrated, as we see one another as sisters and brothers. In those mountaintop moments with Jesus, perhaps we can see that, but we know that there are plenty of spiritual valleys we must still work through.  In those times, like the disciples, we must remain faithful, work for the glory of God, and look forward to the next mountaintop where we will again see the glory of God and the Promised Land of the kingdom of heaven.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 15, 2020

To view today’s online service please visit - https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,  and I will tell what he has done for me. 17 I cried aloud to him,  and he was extolled with my tongue. 18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer.20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. – Psalm 66:16-20

We know that our God is the God who listens to our prayers. How often do we celebrate that reality? It is easy for us to celebrate our prayers being heard and answered when we are in a time of great need or distress, for God is our help and our strength in those times of need.  However, God is with us more than that, God is with us at all times. I know, even in my own prayer life, it is easy to give God thanks when I have overcome something trying, but I become more subdued in prayers when life is going well.  Every once in a while, I need that reminder, that I should worship and praise God more for the good day, and should celebrate them more than the overcoming of the hard days.

The psalmist, above, has a story to tell.  The story is how God has done wonderful things for the people of Israel, how God has led the people to a spacious place.  There they offer what they have back to God in the form of burnt offerings. And in the closing lines, printed above, the psalm reminds us that we have plenty of God’s deeds that we can share. We have more stories of God’s goodness to us, and it should remind us that we are now the storytellers.  We are the ones who get the grand opportunity to tell of God’s steadfast love towards us, in this generation, and to share it with the next.

We are coming up on some time that we might get to spend a little more time with family as the holiday season approaches.  Perhaps as we gather around the table, giving thanks for each other, we also remember to give thanks for steadfast love of God that continues to move us forward, being bold enough to share our stories of faith and love so that our children, grandchildren, and all present may hear the goodness of God, and give Him praise.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 14, 2020

Sharing from our Congregation – David Petty

Blessed are the peacemaker, for they will be called children of God – Matthew 5:9.

Peace is something we all long for, whether it is a moment, a state of being, or for the places in which we live.  If we watch the news, we might question the ability to have peace in our nation. Recently, we have heard from the Council of Bishops about how United Methodist are to take a stand against systemic racism in our nation. We could look at placing blame on various people or groups for causing a divide, but truly the only thing powerful enough to divide us is ourselves. We might look to government and elected officials to help bring us unity, but as the church, or as Christians we should realize that the way towards peace is by doing the work of the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus our Lord.

Initially, we might view peace as a passivity, in that we find peace within. While inward peace is important, there is something to be said about an active peace or that it ‘comes with work to do.’ John Wesley, among many others understood this active peace.  But what does Wesley really have to say about peace?

In 1739, Wesley preached a sermon on the Sermon on the Mount, which includes a section on the seventh beatitude.  The published form of this sermon must have undergone one or more revisions, because there are some slightly different variations in existence, but those differences aren’t the important part.

Wesley points out that the Greek word, Eirene, is broader in meaning that our word peace. Eirene implies a general sense of goodness or wellbeing to oneself and to others. It would be more similarly equivalent to the Hebrew word, shalom. In this sense of the word we translate as ‘peace,’ the great understanding is that it is more a way of being than just feeling. Peace transcends the outward and the inward to be a calm amidst the storms of our world.

Wesley acknowledges that the first job of the peacemaker is to prevent strife, conflict, etc., and failing to do so, one should attempt to stop such actions taking place. Wesley says that peacemaker are called to go beyond, to do good for others in every way possible, in essence sharing a pathway of peace with neighbor. A more modern stance might be that peacemaking has both reactive and proactive components.

Wesley stresses that doing good involves good for both the body (feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and imprisoned, etc.) and for the soul. He admits that in the end only God can change hearts, but he emphasizes the role of the Christian: “Nevertheless, it please Him who worketh all in all, to help man chiefly by man.”

In a single phrase Wesley links peace and unity. It may seem straightforward enough to follow, but we could admit this advice is difficult to implement sometimes. How can one have peace without unity? Some modern writers have noted, unity can be often confused with assimilationism, where minority cultures or thoughts fade away as their members adopt the attitudes and behaviors of the majority culture. However, that can be a problematic idea. Unity amidst diversity can exist (and should). Truthfully, we see this emersion of coexistent unity and diversity in our everyday society, but most of us have not realized it has happened.  When we consider that America was once called ‘the great melting pot’ that very phrase emphasized the grand diversity of cultures in our land that all work together to form our culture and community.  Furthermore, we have the great diversity of the kingdom of heaven, where so many are accepted and adopted into one family through the unifying love of Christ.  People of all nations, creeds, and origins, through Christ are made one body, that celebrates its diverse parts.

Paul illustrates this in the parable of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. Wesley notes that people may be ‘distinguished by things of lesser importance,’ however they are still unified in Christ.

Wesley affirms that peacemaking is hard work. Using a familiar biblical image, he says that the peacemaker cannot “stand idle in his vineyard … He is ever labouring therein.” Wesley may have not had in mind the United States of America in 2020 or 2021 when he made such comments, but these lessons from history can teach us that Christians have longed work for the unity of peace found in the gospel message, and we can hear there speak so directly to us in our day and time, as we continue to strive for the same.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 13, 2020

November 13, 2020

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. – Matthew 16:15-17

There comes a moment, when we go beyond knowing the stories of Jesus, to truly knowing Jesus.  When Jesus was traveling with his chosen disciples, this time came while traveling, they had seen the miracles, heard the parables, but in this moment, Jesus askes them directly, “who do you say that I am?” Jesus is making a change in the way he interacts with his disciples, as he is about to begin their preparations to be the heralds of the gospel. Yet, all of the teaching will be hinged on this moment of belief.

Simon, who is called Peter speaks, and seemingly he and all the disciples have their eyes and hearts opened to truly see the one who is, and was, and is to come.  They see Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

In that moment, they made their choice to truly follow God, to be committed because of this answer.  In the same way, we all make that choice. We choose God, because we realize that God first chose us.  We begin to learn and understand that our choice calls us to be committed to Christ, to emulate Christ’s love, forgiveness, and mercy in our lives.  In doing so, we gain a divine mark, or some might say we regain that divine image in which we were once created.

Jesus responded to Simon’s answer, that He is to now be called Peter and that he is blessed because the answer he gave could only come from that divine mark, it had only been revealed by the Father in heaven not by flesh or blood, not by study or education, but only by God. 

We, too, have our Ah-Ha moments, those times when our eyes and minds are open to the divine inspiration of God.  In these moments, we are no longer our own but belong to Christ and live new lives for the purpose of the kingdom of God. Our responsibility, in this purpose, is to first share in all that we have and do out of love for God and love for neighbor.  The divine mark pushes us beyond what we could learn or understand in our conviction of sin. It also causes us to react to all situations out of love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  We are called to share this love to all whom we meet, because our identity is found in Christ who loved the world so much that He gave of Himself that all might be redeemed through His blood.  We are the agents of this love, and each of us are marked to share it.

Jesus calls us to understand this love, to claim who He is, and allow it to be true in us. We claim him as the author and perfector of our faith as we allow that divine mark to the Holy to arise an “Ah-ha” moment in us, transforming our lives into a reflection on His, sharing in God’s love, grace, and mercy, building towards the kingdom that is already and still to come.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 12, 2020

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. – Psalm 85:8-9

In a world bombarded with anxiety, stress, turmoil, etc… peace is the answer to a question we do not yet know.  The question might come in the form of an exhausted, I don’t know what to do. The question might seem more of a cry, please help me. Yet, peace is the answer, and finding peace is possible even in the midst of the daily trials.

Finding peace is a key part of understanding that God is in control. When we are able to relinquish control of our life and its situations, to stop and breathe, to pray, to seek a wisdom beyond our own, these are steps to finding that peace.  The psalmist pleads, “let me hear what God the Lord will speak…” Too often the last voice we want to listen to is that still small one. The reason is that we are too busy, living in a very noisy world to listen.  However, if we could just stop for a moment, close our eyes, take a deep breath…

God, speak, for your servant is listening…

Peace is found in the presence of the Lord, and some of the ancient teachers would tell us how important it is to find that quietness in the midst of the day, I know we might make excuses as to why we can’t do so, or how we are living in a constant state of noise, and believe me, I would say I understand (remember Samantha and I have 3 young children in our house at all times).  We understand noise.

However, even in the midst of such noise we can stop for a moment, close our eyes, and take a deep breath…. In those moments, which are so needed, we seek to know the peace that comes from above. Peace gives us an assurance that we are not in this alone, that God is an ever-present help, that God is speaking into our hearts if we slow down enough to listen.  God does still offer the peace of his salvation, even in our busy and hectic days. We simply need to stop for a moment, close our eyes, and take a deep breath… placing our minds in that moment on God’s divine presence might make the biggest difference in how we tackle the rest of the day.

God, grant us the peace of knowing you are here. Speak to us in our deep breaths, and calm us in our trouble. You are our salvation now and always. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 11, 2020

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
    preserve my life from the dread enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the scheming of evildoers,
3 who whet their tongues like swords,
    who aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from ambush at the blameless;
    they shoot suddenly and without fear.
5 They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us?
6     Who can search out our crimes?
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”
    For the human heart and mind are deep.

7 But God will shoot his arrow at them;
    they will be wounded suddenly.
8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake with horror.
9 Then everyone will fear;
    they will tell what God has brought about,
    and ponder what he has done.

10 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
    and take refuge in him.
Let all the upright in heart glory. – Psalm 64

To all who have served in our nation’s military, today we offer our thanks!
Happy Veterans’ Day.

While, I myself have never served, my family has. My father made a career in the National Guard, and several of the members of my Mother’s side, including my grandfather served our nation during World War II.  I am thankful for the wonderful freedoms that have been defended by enemies both foreign and domestic by our military. I’m am glad God’s protection of each who serve now, and hope that there will come a day that you all hear the words of our Lord, “well done, good and faithful servants.”

Cries for God’s help are always evident among those who find themselves in harm’s way.  The Psalmist offers a prayer of protection in this 64th psalm. The cry to the Lord is from one who knows that enemies will find a to bring dread upon them.  Such enemies could arise at any moment, from any place. Yet, in our faith, we believe the Lord is present even and especially in times of danger.  God will bring those who oppose His justice to ruin, God will bring fear to those who elicit fear, and God will bring rejoicing to the righteous.

One day, this prayer will be completely answered, when we all are in that wonderful place of eternal peace, but until such time I pray that God will continue to protect those who serve us, will continue to fight with us for justice in all places, and will be a place for all to find refuge and strength.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 10, 2020

22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
– Matthew 15:22-28

For whom did Jesus come to save? Most of us would answer that Jesus came to save the lost, and we would find that answer repeated by many if not most persons of faith, today.  In this little story, tucked into the gospels, however, we hear that there was, at least initially, a different purpose of the Messiah. 

In this story, Jesus has an encounter with a Canaanite woman. Other translations might say “Syrophoenician”, or “Greek” woman, but the main point is that she was not Jewish, not of Israel.  The point of this, is that when we look at the words of the Prophets they speak of the Messiah as one who comes to save God’s chosen people.  The word Messiah means the “chosen one” he is supposed to come to restore Israel, to lead God’s people and make them great. Jesus does so much more. The one who came to restore the house of Israel, came to do more than what the prophets could see or speak about. God has more in his plan than anyone had imagined.

I believe the idea that Jesus came to do more than anyone expects is vitally important to our faith. Our expectations don’t often match the beautiful abundance of our God’s extravagant grace. Often we fall short of what God is willing to do through us. We especially fall short on offering the amount of grace, forgiveness, mercy, and love that should be offered as we emulate Christ in our lives.  We often make our own judgements as to who is worthy of our love, or even our support, or our prayers.  We make excuses as to why we cannot love or support someone. We claim that they made choices that moved them out of God’s grace.  However, when we see this woman, who is truly outside of the promise of the prophets, make claim that she has faith, believes in the power of Jesus; Jesus is astounded, and so should we. We should be astounded that Jesus offers healing and grace beyond our comprehension, we should be astounded that Jesus brings life to this woman by giving her back a healed daughter. We should be astounded that Jesus is doing more than we expect, because he is greater that we may understand or imagine.

We stand amazed at the great healer, who I believe even now, will do more than we can imagine as we pray, as we place our hope in him alone, and as we speak and work for a better tomorrow for our faith, for our nation, for our world.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 9, 2020

November 9, 2020

Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” – Mark 9:50

For those who struggle with high blood pressure, and aren’t able to enjoy as much salt anymore, I apologize. 

Salt is one of those natural occurring compounds that makes everything better.  For centuries, salt was used to help preserve food, especially meat, and of course adds wonderful flavor.  It’s hard to image some food without salt. Yes, I know it is possible to cook and eat those foods, but given the choice, I will choose to add the salt.  Salt, though it has it’s own flavor, also works to amplify the flavors of the food on which it is put. In much the same way, Jesus uses salt as an analogy for the amplification of our actions.

In the nineth chapter of Mark, Jesus is giving a series of lessons to his disciples after the transfiguration (when Peter, James, and John beheld the glory of Jesus as the Son of Man on the mountain top). In these lessons, Jesus is answering the questions that seem to trouble the disciples. John asks a question about others who are casting out demons in Jesus’ name. Jesus responds by saying “whoever is not against us in for us” (9:40). Then Jesus goes on to say that anyone who does a good deed, “offers a cup of water to drink” will not lose the reward.  Those who do good, do what is right or righteous, who work for peace are ‘salted’ by the name of Christ, in other words their good deeds amplify the goodness of God. 

Jesus then warns about those who become stumbling blocks and temptations to sin, and how it is better to enter the kingdom maimed than have the entirety thrown into the fire. In their own way, these actions are salted, but they amplify destruction.

Everyone has the opportunity to use the ‘salt’ of life in a way that amplifies the goodness of God or the destruction that is to come.  Salt, Jesus says, is good, but it can lose its appeal, its luster if it no longer brings about peace, joy, and love. The beginning of bringing out the goodness of God is learning to live at peace with yourself, with those around you, and even those whom you may disagree.  Peace is the salt in which our nation and world needs as we seek to amply the goodness of God, today, and every day.

Grace & Peace be to you,
Sam

November 8, 2020

To worship online today, please visit: stmarkknox.org/sermons

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
    The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
    He will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12     let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13     before the Lord; for he is coming,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with his truth. – Psalm 96:10-13

God is still in control! The Lord is still king!  I hope and pray that this Sunday message finds you well.  We continue in this challenging year, continue to press through, and continue to cling to the hope that God is in control.

As I come to the psalm of the day, I am reminded of the great promises of our faith, that God is not just our king, but the king among all the nations.  I am reminded that as much as we might try, God has established the earth and it will not be moved, and as the Lord does come to judge, it is with equity, righteousness, and truth.

These are sometimes challenging word for us; equity, righteousness, and truth.  As a justice term, the word equity means that God will judge without bias or favoritism. Righteousness is a term associated with virtue and integrity. Truth, in this context, is God’s absoluteness. There will be no standing outside of God’s truth, for in omnipotence, God see the heart, and knows what truth there is within.

Being an older teenager as we neared the turn of the century from the 1900’s to the 2000’s it was interesting how much I heard about God’s coming to judge the earth, and for what we would be judged.  History has shown that similar claims have been made at many points throughout history, and there are some who claim such time is coming soon.  While I believe there is prudence in living an upright and godly life, I also understand that even Jesus taught that no one, not even the Son of Man, knows the day nor the hour of God’s coming.  The psalmist does tell us, however, how God will come.  It will be with great acclamation, with rejoicing, singing.  The fear of God’s return is left to those who have something to fear within the heart.  If God’s judgement comes with equity, righteousness, and truth; then those who live in such character should sing, on that day, with great rejoicing. If, however, we fear such returning, perhaps today is the day we turn again to the one whom we call savior. We turn to Jesus, and realize that we haven’t lived fully in the light of his love. We seek the forgiveness Christ offers us, and the grace that we might be seen in Christ righteousness rather than our own; we might live as Christ’s truth rather than our own. 

We do not know the time of God’s return, but I hope that when that return does come, we live without fear, because we are living in the joy of God’s truth and grace even now.

May the grace and peace of God fill you with all goodness now, and forever. Amen.

Sam

November 7, 2020

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

There is a wonderful promise given by Jesus in the Scriptures that if we remain in Him, He will remain in us (John 15:7).  This promise is so important, because it correlates with so many other promises: that God will never leave nor forsake us; that we have a blessed assurance that God is with us; and if God is with us and for us than nothing can stand against us.  These promises, found the holy Scriptures are on our minds, and written in our hearts, and we know them to be true.

Yet, we must be careful. We should realize that as true as these promises are, they are also conditional. The condition is “if.”  If you remain in me… And as wonderful as it is to be in the presence of almighty God, there are times when we must confess we are not.  God has not left us in these times, but we have left God.  It’s not that we have denied faith, but sometimes along our faith journey we get distracted.  We might get led astray for a moment by something that has caught our attention, and moved it elsewhere.  We might become so focused on one thing, that it causes us to have blinders and miss what and where God might be leading us next.  We get tired along the way and need a rest, but forget that our rest is in God alone. 

It is when these times happen in the life of the Christian, that the words written in Hebrews become both powerful and dangerous.  The power in what Hebrews says is that if we become refocused on God by reading what God’s word would speak anew in us; it may help us to come back the source of our conviction, our salvation, and the wellspring of life.  It can penetrate us, and help us to realize that we have fallen short of the disciples Christ has called us to be.  We find that the words of life are spoken again over us and in us, and lead us back on the path of faith by grace and mercy.

The other side of this, is that when we get tired, unfocused, or even wrong-focused, temptation rises.  While the Scriptures teach us wonderful things about God and lead us to the fountain of life, people in the past have used these same Scriptures to push personal agendas, and even to lead the Christian astray. Lest we not forget that when Jesus is tempted in the dessert, the deceiver used even the Scriptures to temp Jesus away from his path. 

God in all of this, knows our heart, knows our intentions, and will stand ready to support us, or rebuke us. Let us continue to spend time each day allowing the word of God to speak into us, and may we be aware, focused, and determined to follow Jesus the true Word of God.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 6, 2020

When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. – Matthew 14:14

What do we do when we receive unexpected bad news? This little verse from Matthew’s gospel shoes us what Jesus did.  Just before this, Jesus had received word that his cousin, John the baptizer and fellow proclaimer of the coming kingdom of God has been beheaded.  John was no longer alive to see the kingdom of God come to fruition.  The Scriptures say that John took this news and decided to withdraw from the crowds and find a place of solitude. I would venture to say that many of us would want such time, to pray, to think, to mourn. 

However, what happens next is the crowds of people follow Jesus. Jesus had left in a boat, but the people by foot went to the place they heard he was going. The great crowd gathered, about 5,000 men, and that didn’t include the women and children.  When Jesus saw this crowd he had compassion on them.  Even in the midst of his own human suffering, the suffering of the loss of family, Jesus showed compassion.  Jesus healed the sick among them, spoke with them, and when the evening came performed a miracle and fed them.

So often when we look at this passage we want to focus on the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. We want to focus on what Jesus did to provide for those in need. Yet, if we dive deeper into the soul, we learn a little more. We learn that the character of the Christian is to look out for others, have compassion on others, even when the self is hurting.

It is so often said that hurt people tend to hurt other people.  We have a tendency to take out our personal pain on others.  Jesus teaches us a different way.  Even in the midst of personal pain we can show compassion. Even when we are not feeling up to doing good, we can do what is right.  Even when we are at a loss and want to retreat, we are capable of compassionate deeds towards others.  The greater miracle found in this passage, perhaps is the miracle that helps us overcome our pain in a way that helps others. 

I’ve often felt, that when I’m at a low point in my own spiritual walk, that is when I have relied more on the Holy Spirit to work in me, and when I look back on the conversations, the mission, or the ministry I have done during those low times, I often see them as great successes, or times of great encouragement.  We don’t always want to do what we are called to do in Christ, but being obedient to that call, will lift us higher, as we work to have the love and compassion of Christ in all that we do and say. God will uplift the broken and brokenhearted, and they will be blessed.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 5, 2020

Sharing from the Congregation – David Petty

They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. — Jeremiah 6:14

Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division. — Luke 12:51

A lot is being written about peace these days (there usually is).  This time most of it seems to have less to do with international peace than with domestic peace — specifically, all the issues that the media, at least, see as a conflict between police and African Americans. There is a great irony about peace: almost everybody wants it, but after centuries of trying we don’t seem to be any closer.

The church has a standard answer on the subject of peace, but for the next few paragraphs I want to take another perspective.  I realize that in presenting this “alternate view” I am oversimplifying, but I still think it’s worth discussing.

The church’s standard answer is that what it offers is something other than worldly peace; it offers “inner peace,” a peace “that passes all understanding.”  There’s a lot of truth in that, in the sense that this type of peace is far more important than any other kind.  The reality, though, is that we rarely achieve this kind of peace either.  For most of us most of the time, this “surpassing” peace is as difficult to attain as any other sort.  In addition, there is danger that a focus on our own inner peace can deteriorate into an indifference to the needs of our brothers and sisters.

Consider the apostle Paul.  Paul alleged that he had learned to be content in any circumstance.  I’m sure he was telling the truth in regard to his own well-being.  But if his letters are any indication, he was riddled with anxiety about his friends and the fate of the churches.

The English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, who was also a Jesuit brother, wrote a poem (in about 1879) which is called simply “Peace.”  Hopkins was remarkable not only for his skill at putting words together, but also for his honest acknowledgement of human frailties.  In the poem, he admits that moments of peace do occur, but he calls them “piecemeal peace.”

Instead, Hopkins says, God gives us something in lieu of peace — patience.  Patience is akin to peace, but it’s somewhat different, I think.  Patience is the willingness to wait with the expectation that what we want will come to pass; it involves an element of faith.

Hopkins goes on to say that when peace does come, it “comes with work to do.”  Peace is not passivity (nor is patience).  Certainly Paul understood that.  Many others have understood it also, including John Wesley.

Gracefully and peacefully submitted,
David Petty

November 4, 2020

November 4, 2020

…but God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. – Psalm 9:18

Triumph, victory, conquest, these are often the words we use when we are on top.  These words mean a great deal as nations conquer other nations, especially within a biblical context, and of course the great victory that Christians profess, is the victory over death itself in the resurrection of Jesus our Lord. 

Words of victory in our modern world, and everyday lives sometimes mean something different. Whether it is winning the latest sport contest, seeing a cause take root, or winning an argument, we use the same since of triumph over the other whom we oppose.  There are winners and there are losers, and, for whatever reason, we love to let the losers know who the winner is. But what about hope?  Especially the hope that keeps us motivated when we’re up, and gives us life when we’re down.

If there were never losers, or contests, or difficulties, or victories would there still be hope? 

I say, yes, hope will always be present.

Hope is expectation or desire for something to happen. No matter if one is on the bottom or the top, the winner or the loser, even if everyone was on the same level, there will always be the hope for something better. 

This is what I see as the part of the purpose of Christ, to give a great hope to the nations of a better way.  Theologian Dallas Willard said “the gospel is less about how to get into the kingdom of heaven after you die, and more about how to live in the kingdom of heaven before you die.” In no way was Willard saying that eternity isn’t important, but we must realize that while we are here, it is important to share the kingdom of heaven, found in the hope, peace, and love of God as we know it in Jesus Christ.

Hope is the greatest thing, because it helps us to realize that which matters is that which is both now and eternal.  When we truly have the hope of the resurrection in us, we see the world and it’s lack of infiniteness, and perhaps then turn our attention to things more infinite. 

In the ninth Psalm there had been a great conquest over the enemies of Israel, but instead of taking the glory for the armies of Israel, glory was given to the Lord Almighty and Eternal, whose reign never ends.  In the midst of this, the psalmist is saying to us, let God, who is eternal, always hear the cries of those who hope for something better, because hope will lead us to be something better.

So, yes, let us hope is something better. Let us build something better. Let our worship and praise of God be a foretaste of the better world we hope to see as “the things of earth grow strangely dim, in the light of God’s glory and grace.”

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 3, 2020

God revealed his hidden design to us, which is according to his goodwill and the plan that he intended to accomplish through his Son.  This is what God planned for the climax of all times: to bring all things together in Christ, the things in heaven along with the things on earth. 
- Ephesians 1:9-10

As Christians we share a common belief with many of our fellow world religions (at least the big 3 Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) and that belief is in a sovereign God.  What exactly does it mean to be sovereign?  The basics of sovereignty are supreme power and rule.  God rules over all, even though there may be people who rule over us. Therefore, we believe in a God who has ultimate, supreme power and rule over everything that happens, whether we understand that or not. The difference in the faith of a Christians is not that we believe in a different sovereign leader than the other religions, but that we have authority through, and are in relationship with this supreme power through Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of Jesus we have access to our sovereign God, and can make prayers and petitions as such.

We believe that Jesus was, and is, and is to come.  Jesus is everlasting, and He is God’s only Son.  God’s plan is that through the Son all things will come together on heaven and earth and God will be our sovereign king, forever.  For those of us who accept the belief that Jesus is alive in us, and empowers us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we have found the place where our sovereign may rule over us, in our everyday lives. Though we often consider this a relationship more than a sovereign rule.  We strive to do what brings blessing, and seek to see the blessing even in the lessons we learn along the way. We who believe, allow God’s will to be the very essence of our lives and find joy in serving our almighty king. 

I stive to live in the hope that my life, and the life of my family would find such joy, and find joy in serving others in our faith.  I allow Christ to be my leader, guiding me to live into the will of God, and to do so in a way that serves others for the kingdom that is still to come.  It is also my hope that others will live the same, especially those who have power and authority over other people on this earth.

If we live to be like Christ, live to reflect Christ love for all, even if we have power over others, we should guide them on a righteous path with grace and peace.  I am prayerful today that our country and our world would be led by such leaders who would seek to do the good and pleasing will of a sovereign God, through the same humility of Christ Jesus. It is a blessing to be in such position, yet we should always remember who is really in charge – our sovereign God.  Jesus led us to God by giving of himself, that we would know love, and have power through such love to offer the same love to other in His name. I remember that God is working to bring us together, in this life as well as the next.  I pray that we might find unity under Christ’s holy name.  May God bless you in all your days ahead.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 2, 2020

If you get the Holston Conference Daily Devotion, I apologize for the double message as I am also using this message for today's daily encourager.

17 But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy! - 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

Yesterday, we celebrated one of the high and holy days of the church – All Saints Day.  One of the things I enjoy about All Saints day is hearing the stories of the saints that have gone before us into glory.  Each year, we remember those who have gone ahead into glory that particular year, but we are also reminded of the saints that have gone before, those who established our churches, were workers in their community, who lived into the example of Christ.  It is a wonderful time to be reminded that we are all, who profess Christ, a part of that great cloud of witnesses that surround the throne in glory.

Like so many celebrations this year, things are a little different this year. It has been a year where we have been reminded of our mortality, of death more than many others.  The pandemic has called all of us to grieve in some way, but for those who have lost loved ones this year, the grieving process has been even more difficult.  We may have not been able to gather with family and friends, we may have had private funerals, or travel restrictions to go and be with loved ones.  Some of us are still grieving and may have difficulty celebrating the life eternal that is still to come when we join again with that great cloud of witnesses including those closest to us.  Some may still be grieving the ability to gather in the sanctuary of their church, desiring to see friends and siblings in Christ, but staying home for their own safety or the safety of others.

Paul, in this letter to the Thessalonians, speaks of the great desire to return and see the people of God at Thessalonica face-to-face. Even now, after many months apart, some of us have not seen face-to-face, and it is difficult to remain hindered even though we know it is the best course of action for us.  We long to see one another, to gather together, to see the saints whom we love.  Yet, after Paul speaks of what hinders him from returning to Thessalonica, he speaks of the true glory of the church and Christ.

Paul asks a series of questions, but the point is, you, the people of God, you are the glory of the church, and the glory and joy of the Christian gospel.  The treasure of heaven is the people who believe, who find themselves joined with Christ now and always. The beauty of this statement is that even when we are kept from one another, we are a united people.  We are united in the glory of the gospel message, our salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord.  It is a struggle for us to be separated from one another, whether on the earth or by the veil between this life and the next. Still, we are united in Christ, we are a part of the great cloud of witnesses, and I hope we can find, in us, the joy that is everlasting, as we are in Christ.

I know that we still grieve many things this year, but it is my hope that we might be reminded of the hope of Jesus Christ in us; that we might take a moment to give thanks to God for the uniting love of Christ that keeps us together, even while we are yet apart.

To God Be the Glory! Amen.
 

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 1, 2020

November 1, 2020

To join the online worship community please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
    And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
    who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
    and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord,
    and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him,
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob. – Psalm 24:3-6

If you were to read a commentary on Psalm 24, most would agree that Psalm 24 is read or recited as an entrance liturgy.  The idea of the question and answer is to help the person entering into the temple put themselves in the right head and heart space as they come to give their offerings or prayers to God. The heart of the psalm describes the contrasting nature between God who willingly enters into human space and the nature of humans who are able to meet God – the King of glory. The essence is that God accepts those who “seek the face of the God of Jacob” often seen as a heart that truly desires God.

In the given portion of the psalm, the liturgy moves to a very specific purpose of those who would be entering the Jerusalem Temple – in the minds of Hebrew people, this would have been the place that heave and earth intersect, where they could go and literally be with God. The surprise of the requirements to go and be with God is that they are not ritual (which is what most of the Old Testament Law was made to be). Instead these questions and responses are of a moral nature.

The requirement that the people do not lift their souls to what is false or do not swear deceitfully is that they are doing what they can to be in the nature of God, and being honest, with great integrity, and showing God’s loving kindness. 

As this psalm indicates those who understand this are able to receive the blessing of God’s salvation. As we look at from the day we celebrate the saints of God who have received their reward, and now rest from their labor with God, I see this as the culmination to the journey of faith.

The whole understanding of our faith is it get into a place where we are constantly seeking to do the will of God.  If we haven’t figured that out yet, the will of God is to act in a way that is loving towards our neighbors. In fact the very nature of God’s saving grace is to bring us into a community where love is spread from the grace of God to everyone.  The culmination of this journey is when we arrive with those who have been on this journey before us, in the arms of an ever-present, all-loving God.  We find that we have become a part of something, we are more than just ourselves, and we have our eyes opened to the reality that we truly are one body in Christ.

The end our journey in this lift has us ascend to the greatest heights of heaven to be face-to-face with the God whom we profess and love.

Today, we celebrate those who have made it to such heights, we give glory to God for their shining example, and pray that we may ascend to be with them and God when our journey is complete.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

October 31, 2020

Happy Halloween!

Then He said, “Watch out that you are not deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’  Don’t follow them…” -  Luke 21:8

Halloween is here, and while there may not be as many ghouls and goblins running round your neighborhood as in years past, I can’t think of a time when deception is more common (I refuse to talk about politics). 

There are some who live for this holiday, where the entire point is to personify something other than oneself. Halloween is a time for frivolity, masks, and deception; for candy and the excitement of being scared. My kids love the candy more than any of the rest of it, but they also like to personify their heroes, characters, and even animals of choice.

I find it interesting to think about the festivals of Halloween from a Christian perspective.  Of course, even Halloween has a basis in the Christian faith once being called “All Hollow’s Eve” or the night of remembrance.  It was once believed to be a night when the veil between this life and the next was extraordinarily thin, to remember loved ones past, to pray for their souls in hopes that they would be counted among the saints the very next day; “All Saints Day.”

Now, almost all of the festivals we celebrate are highly secularized and don’t hold much if not any of the original meanings. Now, we pursue the opportunity to dress and be someone else, and let’s not forget the joy of eating all that candy the kids collect (parent tax) and the start of our “winter weight gain.” 

We must be reminded that this is all in fun, and none of it should be taken seriously.  After all, the purpose of the season’s end is to bring about a new season and a day when we celebrate the saints in the church that have gone to glory ahead of us.  They were not deceivers of the word, but doers of the word of God.  They were not deceived by the ways of this world, nor did they follow falsely, but they went on in life, paying attention to the Scriptures and living according to the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is for them that we should look and rejoice; knowing that if we follow in their shining example, as they followed in the example of Christ, we, too, will be made perfect, saints in heaven.  So as you celebrate this weekend, forget not those persons in your life who lived according to God’s will, follow them and find yourself resting in God’s awesome presence. And enjoy the candy if you can.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

October 30, 2020

October 30, 2020

But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. – Psalm 54:4

Knowing that we have been accepted and saved; moreover, loved by the God of the universe can have a very freeing effect on our being.  We can probably think of many an old hymn to quantify such lifting. One that comes to mind is, “Loved Lifted Me”

I was sinking deep in sin / Far from the peaceful shore
Very deeply stained within / Sinking to rise no more

But the Master of the sea / Heard my despairing cry
From the waters lifted me / Now safe am I

Love lifted me / Love lifted me / When nothing else could help / Love lifted me

The idea of a love that is lifting isn’t just God’s saving act towards us. It can also be expressed as we allow the love of God to work in us as we strive to love others, or fulfill the goal to love our neighbor as ourselves.  This command by Jesus that we find at the end of his ministry with the disciple – love others as I have loved you (John 13:34). Is repeated in the book of James, and often in the letters of Paul.  The idea that we would be more than just receptive of God’s love, but offer it the same tells me that there is more to the connectedness of the divine love to our human love than we might first realize.

At the very basic, we should understand that God is love, and that without God love is not present. Following that understanding helps us to see that God is all thing, even and especially in the love that we share with one another, uplifting one another and caring for one another. God’s help and upholding of our life, as the psalmists remarks is, in some way, the infusion of God’s love into us, gives us a dose of the dive within us to spur us on to do good works, and especially to show love to those around us.

Maybe the uplifting love of God is calling you to lift someone else today, to be their helper and connect us even more with the one who lifts us all.

Grace & Peace,
Sam