November 28, 2020

November 28, 2020

Sharing from the Congregation: David Petty

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name O Most High — Psalm 92:1

Those who know me know that I have a fascination with languages.  I find it interesting that in Latin the word for “high” and “deep” is the same, altus.  That seems odd to the English-speaking mind: aren’t they almost exact opposites?  But to the Latin mind it’s all vertical distance — just in different directions.  In most Latin sentences the meaning would be clear from the context.  If necessary a word could be added to indicate up or down, like we might add “left” or “right” to indicate lateral direction.

In Greek the word charis, which means “grace,” also can mean “thanks.”  Spanish does the same thing: gracias means “thanks” and “graces.”  Similarly, in English we speak of “saying grace” and have the words gratitude and grateful.

The implication seems clear: like height and depth, thanksgiving and giving grace are really the same thing.  It’s just that one goes up and the other goes down.

Do you really believe that?   Is grace something that you and I can give to Almighty God?  Well obviously we can’t do it on the same scale as God, but, yes, I think we are called on to, in our small way, extend grace (unconditional love) to the Lord.  We also are called to extend it laterally, that is, to other people, near and far, known and unknown.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

November 27, 2020

November 27, 2020

17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. – Luke 1:17

No doubt, this odd year has thrown nearly every regular tradition to the wind. Yet, as we wake up on this day after Thanksgiving, we might find that we are still in a way, preparing for something.  For many, this extended weekend is a time to being the preparations for Christmas.  I know many families who will spend this weekend putting up the Christmas decorations, and adding a little joy to the home’s décor. Our family decided to do this a little early this year. We decided that 2020 needed all the joy we had to give, so our tree is up already, stockings hung, and lights hung outside the house.  There, still, may be some other little things we will do to beautify our home for the coming season.

One of the great focal points of this season we call advent, in the church, is the advent wreath.  The advent wreath prepares our hearts for the coming light of Christ.  The wreath consists of four candles, typically, in a circle around a center fifth candle – the Christ candle.  While we use blue, pink, and white candles in the church, any candles can be used in this wreath. The history of this tradition comes from Germany, and many families would make the lighting of this wreath a part of their families own spiritual preparation for the joy of Christmas.  The tradition wasn’t introduced in the church until sometime in the 1920’s.

Now, in the year 2020, when so many of us are spending more time at home, this might be a good year to bring this tradition back into our homes.  We will continue to make the lighting a part of our worship service both online and in person, but I would invite you to create your own wreath to light at home as well.  There are countless ways and ideas of how to make an advent wreath at home, but truthfully, as long as you have five candles (real or battery powered) you can participate in this wonderful tradition, and I want to encourage you to do so.

On Sunday, November 29 we will light our first candle, the candle of hope. Each day that week, our encourager will bring a message of Christmas hope. The weeks that follow will bring themed messages of Peace, Joy, Love, and on Christmas Eve and the days that follow we will focus on the Christ candle.  I truly hope you will prepare a place in your home to celebrate the message of advent, the hope, peace, joy and love of the coming Christ with us as we make ready for our Lord.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 26, 2020

November 26, 2020

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

There are several themes which run throughout the Holy Scriptures. Themes of mercy, grace, and the loving rule of God.  These themes ring true for our lives no matter where we are on the journey of faith.  But this one statement; seen above, doesn’t just run a theme, it is a response.  We see this response repeated again and again throughout the history of the people of Israel.  It’s a common phrase we see in the psalms as well as something people would sing or shout as they enter into battle, or because they survived such battle.  The response is this; that in all things we should give thanks to the Lord because of His goodness and His enduring love that has no end.

Can we imagine a world in which we gave constant praise to God?  Perhaps we live in such world, at least in our inner selves because we are grateful for all that the Lord has done to bless us.  However, to contemplate being thankful in all things, or in all situations,  is a challenge. We constantly are in need for something new from God, that we would have reason to give thanks.  Yet, in God’s enduring love, we have already received the blessing for which we should give our eternal thanks and praise.  Honestly, I don’t think there is anything we have that we can offer God besides our thankfulness.  There is no possible way we can repay God for the all the great things He has done for us, therefore we can only humble ourselves in gratitude to His majestic and enduring love that has no end; for He is good!

Today, on this day of gratitude and thanks, I invite you to pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings you have received, and I want to challenge you to reach out to someone, a family member, a friend, maybe another church member. Let them know that they are a blessing in your life, send them a text, email, card, call them.  I hope that we might all hear words of thankfulness today, that gratitude would swell up, and we would be reminded, in all things, to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Many blessed thanks to you, from my family to yours this Thanksgiving day!

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 25, 2020

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. - John 4:34

As we get closer to the day, set aside for giving thanks, I’m sure there are some out there already preparing some of those favorite dishes. Though depending on how your family is choosing to keep safe and/or socially-distant this year, it might have been the year you finally shared that secret recipe. Just because we may not be together, shouldn’t keep us from those moments of comfort in the food that we love to share. I know my wonderful wife, Samantha, will still make some of her delicious chocolate-chip cookies (I’ve already had a sample batch), and hopefully in the future we can share those with you.

When I think about the food aspect of this season, I often think that it’s the beginning of something great, as we typically share more times together whether, dinners, parties, get-together, but many of those may be cancelled this year. or maybe we’ve found a way to connect online and hold these gathering together yet apart.  I know I’m thankful for the opportunities to “see” my family through online means, even when they aren’t able to come into town.

Though we love the food and gatherings of this season, the words of Jesus remind us that there is something that has not changed this year.  The work that we do for the kingdom of heaven, the way we give thanks for the great many blessings we have received, the sharing of the gospel, all are things that we do as the church, and while the way we do these things may have changed, we continue to work to dot the will of God as we focus on sharing in the ministry of Jesus Christ. As we have been called to be like Christ, we are asked to eat the food of service to God’s will. I know that may sound more like work than relaxation, however, this is the will of God – to show love and compassion to the needy, to humble ourselves as we sustain the orphaned and the widowed, to welcome the stranger. In that position of gratitude in service, we find that this season may ring a little differently. I think we can still do some wonderful things this year, as we reach out to our neighbors, offers words and acts of kindness, as sending out notes of encouragement. We may never know how the comfort and love of God is working through us. Yet, a life in Christ is a life of gratitude through giving in the way grace has been giving to us. So eat, drink, be merry, and go forth and share the merriment of Christ love with all whom you greet.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 24, 2020

Sharing from the congregation: David Petty

Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the Lord by Asaph and his kindred:  O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples — 1 Chronicles 16:7-8

The first Thanksgiving had nothing to do with the pilgrims.  American Thanksgiving, in particular, began as a southern holiday and moved westward and northward.  The reason why the pilgrims get so much attention is that Yankees wrote most of the history books.

Thanksgiving celebrations occurred in ancient times; the Israelites, early Christians, and other religious groups had them.  I don’t know to what extent they were part of Native American life.  The first Thanksgiving celebration by Europeans in what is now the U. S. was in St Augustine, FL, in 1565, among Spanish settlers.  Other Spanish settlements such as El Paso, TX (1598)) and Santa Fe, NM (about 1610) followed.  The first English speaking Thanksgiving was in Virginia in 1619.

The first official United States Thanksgiving was proclaimed by a Virginian, president George Washington, in 1789.  Several other presidents proclaimed official Thanksgivings, and by the 1860’s the holiday was almost universal, although it was celebrated on different dates in different states and municipalities.  President Lincoln (born in Kentucky!) sought to establish a uniform date by declaring, in 1863, the final Thursday in November as the official date, and that set the stage for our current uniform date (though later moved to the fourth Thursday).  The current popularity of turkey probably comes from its use as a feast bird in Lincoln’s time; there is no evidence that the pilgrims had turkey on their first thanksgiving.

The point of all this is not to pick on historians or on New Englanders — or on turkey lovers.  The point is that Thanksgiving celebrations, like much else in our country, are characterized by diversity.  Turkey for Thanksgiving is great, but so is roast beef, tacos, fried fish, or vegetarian fare.  For many of us, there is no such thing as a traditional Thanksgiving.

In 2020 this idea of “nontraditional” Thanksgiving has been, like so many other things, given an additional twist.  Because of social distancing, many of us will not be celebrating in large family gatherings.  Laurie and I will be having a quiet meal at home (with turkey) — one of the few times we have done this for the holiday in nearly 50 years of marriage.  I know that many other families will be doing the same thing.  That’s OK.  Clearly, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is the one indicated by its name.

So this year, give thanks with turkey or tacos or trout or tofu or whatever you like.  Give thanks with a group or individually.  But by all means give thanks.

Gracefully submitted, 
David Petty

November 23, 2020

15 I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 
- Ephesians 1:15-16

The apostle Paul, is writing to his beloved people in the church at Ephesus, and in a moment of reflection for all that they have done, he says; “I do not cease to give thanks for you…” Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be thankful without ceasing - to be in a state of perpetual gratitude?

I believe that this is possible, and it is the most uplifting thing we can do in our souls. Especially this year, as we have struggled through so much, and continue to do so.  It is a year to be grateful for all the things we have, so that we don’t become distraught by all that we do not have.  This year is a time to reflect and give thanks for the many wonderful and blessed years we have experienced, and anticipate with great joy the coming years we will experience. Perhaps we will even realize that we may have tried to overcomplicate things at times, and we will learn to enjoy the simple gifts, like sharing a cup of coffee and conversation with a friend, even more on the others side.

The psalmist in Psalm 30:12 writes: To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. It is that reminder, like the one from Paul, that we can choose to be grateful, and we should. Although our lives may not be perfect and we will have, or do have many trouble, there is still so much more for which to be grateful. Even with all that this would has gone through this year, and continues to go through, gratitude for what we do have should come to mind and heart. There are always blessings to be counted, if we simply look to God.

Thank God for waking us up this morning. Thank God for birds that chirp. Thank God for the home and love we share with family and friends. Thank God for the enteral life he has given in Christ. Thank God for the blessings of knowing we will reunite with loved ones in heaven. Thank God that he has overcome, and his mercy and grace know no end. Thanks be to God that his love never end, nor never fails, and for those things alone, may we never cease in giving our thanks back to God.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 22, 2020

To join our online worship service please visit: https://www.stmarkknox.org/sermons

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. – 2 Corinthians 2:14

We give thanks to God for all the blessings that meet us this and every day. However, on this Christ the King Sunday, we mark the end of the Christian Calendar.  Today is the day to celebrate that Christ is the final victor, that Christ is king of our lives, and give thanks that we are a part of the triumphal procession that rejoices in sharing the good news everywhere it goes.

Today, though we celebrate this great triumph, we look around and come to a reality that though we mark the end of something, the end of the things we see has not yet come.  We are still living through a global pandemic, some families will not be able to gather this year, or their gatherings will be smaller.  We have so many reminders of the hardships of this life.  If I might offer any encouragement today, let it be that we as Christians are called to give thanks in all circumstances. We know that the fragrant blessings of Christ abound even in darkness, we are assured that we stand with Christ, and we will make it through and rejoice on the other side of any pain or suffering we may now face.

As we begin this week, I hope we will focus on all the blessings we do have. I hope that we will be grateful for the ways we are still connected. I pray that gratitude will overcome, and we will laugh and rejoice at the beauty Christ has brought to our lives.

I pray you have a wonderful Thanksgiving week, and may the new Christian year bring you unimaginable joy! Thanks be to God for Christ who carries us through, always and forever. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

November 21, 2020

Sharing from our Congregation – Sue Biggerstaff

The following quotes come from A Case for the Psalms by N.T. Wright.

-Sing these songs and they will renew you from head to toe, from heart to mind.  Pray these poems, and they will sustain you on the long, hard but exhilarating road of Christian discipleship.

-The psalms offer us a way of joining in a chorus of praise and prayer that have been going on for millennia and across all cultures.

-The psalms were there long before us, and they will sustain generations yet to come.  They are, in that respect as in many others, a reflection of the faithfulness of the God of whom they speak.

As we read through the psalms, we are taken from laments and mourning to high exultation and thanksgiving.  We recall the creation story and Israel's history. There are hallelujah and ascent psalms that tell us how man praises God.  But some of the most joyous psalms are how nature praised the Creator.

-Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.  Then all the trees will sing for joy.  (Psalm 96)

-Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing for joy.  (Psalm 98)

- The heavens declare the glory of God;  the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;  night after night they display knowledge (Psalm 19)

Maltbie Babcock must have had some of these verses in mind when he penned his famous hymn.

This is my father's world, and to my list'ning ears all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres.

Gracefully Submitted,
Sue Biggerstaff

November 20, 2020

14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
– Matthew 18:14

We are more accustomed to hearing the parable of the lost sheep in Luke’s gospel, as it follows the parable of the lost coin, precedes the parable of the lost or prodigal son. Within that context we get the point that there is rejoicing over the one who make the wrong choices, and the grace of the father that comes to the one who turns there life around. Yet, as we see the same parable of the lost sheep in Matthew’s gospel, we might hear it a little differently.  Matthew’s account has Jesus instructing his followers about becoming like children to be great in the kingdom of heaven, of how important children are because of their innocents and how important it is to not let them stray or stumble.

When we follow this line of thinking and come to the parable of the lost sheep, it seems as though it is better for that we never become one of the lost ones.  Yes, there is grace for those who are lost, but given the right care, love, and compassion from the time we are children, we might never have to stray to know God’s grace.  We can belong in our Father’s house and rejoice in His presence.  Matthew 18:10 says “..for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.”

There is great rejoicing in the lost that is found, but Jesus is telling us that the will of the Father is that no one is lost.  The idea here is of a totality in God’s kingdom of all. God offers mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love, that we might all be a part of God’s kingdom now and in the age to come. Jesus teachings point us to understand that if we are a part of this kingdom, then we have a job to see that others know they are accepted as well.  The beauty of being a herald for the kingdom of God, is that it should be good news for all to hear. We, as the church today, get the opportunities to be such heralds – to tell people that they are accepted, loved, and forgiven.  If only we understood the true power those actions had, perhaps we would do them more often.

As we come close to celebrating the thanks we have for what God has done in us, I hope that we will share that good news with those around us. We need to share the story of faith, let others know of the struggles God has helped us overcome, and rejoice that we and all who profess Christ as Lord are a part of something that is everlasting.

Praise be to God for we are sheep unto his fold, now and forever. Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

CHURCH CLOSURE - NOV 22

St. Mark Church,

I had truly hoped we would not be back in this position, but as you are probably aware the case numbers of COVID-19 have gone up significantly this week.  Our Church Council discussed earlier some guidelines and metrics that we would follow to help us make a determination on what would be best and safest for our congregation as we continue to navigate this pandemic.

While we all agree that our church is doing all that we can to ensure the safety of our people while present, the significant upturn in case numbers has presented us with a very difficult decision to close for in-person worship for Sunday, November 22, 2020.

Unlike our last closure, this is not indefinite.  We will watch the numbers, pray, and hope this is only a short, temporary set back.  We will look forward to meeting again as soon as the numbers, on a seven-day-rolling-average, decrease to where they were prior to this week.  

Our online service will be available anytime after 9 a.m., on both the website and Facebook,  we hope you will join us in worship online for this Sunday.  We will still celebrate our commitments, pray together, and sing hymns together, though we will be apart.

I truly appreciate all of you, and all that you do to share in the ministry of Jesus Christ through the ministry of St. Mark United Methodist Church.

Grace & Peace,
Sam Ward

• A Quick Note about Commitment Cards: If you have not already done so, please turn these cards into the office, or by email at your earliest convenience so our Finance team can do their important work of balancing a budget for the ministry we will do in 2021.

November 19, 2020

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. – Psalm 105:4

Living a life of worship is about knowing where to place our focus. Every day, no matter how busy or how relaxed, there are multiple things that desire our focus. So often we give our focus to too many things, and find that we aren’t able to get anything done. 

I know I feel that way from time-to-time.  I might want to focus on a writing project, but at the same time, I have an email that needs attention, get a phone call or text message, one of the kids has a question, or needs something, there is a visitor in the office, the list of things that want to draw my attention could go on and on, and has yet to cover the topics of the way news outlets or advertising seeks to gain some of our attention. So how do I or we get back to our main focus?

Some might say, we need to create a space where those distractions are limited or can’t get to us.  That advice might work, but there are plenty of times that isn’t possible. We might try to give everything a little bit of our attention, but after a while, we will probably be so distracted we have no idea what we were trying to do in the first place.  I find that the advice of the psalmist, to seek the presence of God, continually helps everything else fall into place.  I don’t know that it will work for everyone, but keeping the focus on God’s presence to give us strength and encouragement allows us to remember why we do the things we do. It reminds us that there are those who are important to us, and we should acknowledge them, and hear what they have to say. The presence of God also guides us to what is important, so we can decide whether or not to answer the phone call or text now or later.  The presence of God also helps us to realize that the news or advertising isn’t that important right now, and it will be there whenever we have the chance to catch up. I believe our strength is found in God’s call to remember those around us, know the love of God that is in us, and in those relationships. Especially as we approach a time of Thanksgiving, we should make sure our attention is drawn to the things that matter most – giving thanks to God, for give us wonderful people in which to share His divine love.

May your day be filled with focus, and may it be on the presence of our Lord.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

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