February 19, 2021

February 19, 2021

However, as it is written:  “what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” – the things God has prepared for those who love him – these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. - 1 Corinthians 2:9-10a

There are many things in this life that I have yet to see.  Many sounds that I have yet to hear, and many things that I have yet to understand or conceive in my mind.  Yet, one thing I do know is, that in all things, God is at work.  I think that is the beauty of being a person of faith.  I don’t have to know everything to believe I n something I don’t completely understand. God mysterious ways are working, even when we are unaware.

When we, as disciples of Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to be at work in us and through us, we might not understand why we feel our hearts tugged in a certain direction, why we have a desire to try something new, or even stop something old.  We might not quite understand why new people come into our lives, or why all of a sudden they feel like family.  But this is the working wonder of God’s preparation in us.  God prepares each of us for His will and purpose, but we don’t always know the end result. That is okay, because as God leads us, and we follow, we see a little more with each step.  It is only by faith and our love for God that draws us to follow.  

Truth is, none of us know what the future holds, and this past year even the next week as seemed uncertain at times. However, I do believe that God knows, and as we are prepared by His love, these things will be revealed to us.  Our hope is found in our trust of God.  We, with the community of faith, believe that our eyes, ears, minds, and hearts might have new things revealed to us as we seek to live in His love, and offer such love to all God’s children.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

 

February 18, 2021

February 18, 2021

Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. – Luke 10:3

We often view the season of Lent as a time to ‘give up’ something that might draw us closer to Jesus, but as we flip the page from our Ash Wednesday text (if you haven’t yet watched it is available at stmarkknox.org/sermons) we find that Jesus is asking the disciples to take on a new task. To go, and to do the work that Jesus has given them to do.

This analogy is quite disturbing, however. For those who may have been accustomed to the work of shepherding lambs, they know that the job of the shepherd is sometimes dangerous. Lions, wolves, and the like were not the things any shepherd wanted to face. Yet, they would fight one off if they had to. I imagine, that was not a desirable part of the job, of working with lambs.  The disciples, though, are not being compared to the shepherds who fought off the wolves, but the lambs themselves.

Lambs are mostly defenseless, especially when they are young, and especially if they have recently been sheered. Jesus looks at these who have followed him, and as a shepherd, he sees them as little lambs, precious, valuable, but potentially unable to defend themselves.  Wolves don’t travel alone, they work in packs, and typically try to separate a potential victim from the heard and from the shepherd, it’s not a single wolf one needs to watch out for, but the entire pack.

So, as Jesus sends out these seventy-two disciples, he sends them out in pairs, that they would rely on one another, that they would encourage one another, and these pairs are able to do a great many things. They go and teach, preach, heal by the power of the Holy Spirit. Demons are cast out, the sick are made well, and everywhere these disciples go, people are amazed, and the disciples themselves are amazed at what is happening.  Though the took with them only the essentials Jesus commanded, they are able to do a great many things in Jesus name.

Jesus reminds us as disciples today, when we take away the distractions, the excess from our lives, we may seem vulnerable, but this vulnerability, that of a lamb amongst wolves, is a path towards humility, and in our humility, we find the strength and authority of Christ’s greatness.

I believe that lent allows us to take away the distractions of life, if we can, to focus on the most important, and the hope is that we keep our focus on that which is most important well after the season of Lent is ended.  May we focus on the mission Jesus has called us to today, to love and care for all God’s children.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 17, 2021

February 17, 2021

To join the online Ash Wednesday service please visit: stmarkknox.org/sermons
(service should be available any time after noon)

46 An argument arose among [the disciples] as to which one of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.” – Luke 9:46-48

Greatness is so often associated with those who have great power, prestige, or prominence. In our society we seem to begin to award greatness to those who among us are the smartest, best in their sport or field of study.  Even the disciples argued amongst themselves who is the greatest at being a disciples, in other words who is most like their teacher/leader, Jesus.

Jesus disrupts this kind of talk, in much the same way Jesus disrupts the notions of power and authority in this world throughout the gospels. Jesus speaks to the very heart of those who have ears to listen, and when we do truly listen, our worldly notions of power, authority, and kingdoms crumble. Jesus, is instead, showing us the path to humility, to be least in order to be greatest – “for the least among all of you is the greatest.”

At the beginning of the season of Lent, the time of reflection and repentance preparing ourselves for Easter, I find that it is best to remind each of us that Jesus call to be great is a call to humility, to follow in His example, he who humbled himself in obedience, and even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-11).

When we look to Jesus, we should realize that the status quo is disrupted, because Jesus does not replicate the world’s way of thinking. Jesus turns to the margins, calls a little child to come and stand in their midst, and says the one who welcomes this little one, is the one who is truly great. Wouldn’t it be great for us to think of how Jesus loves the little children? And then, we could begin to treat others as if they too are children of God, because that is truly who they are.

This lent, what can we do, individually, or as a church, to humble ourselves, to support the children of God, to share in the acceptance of Jesus, welcoming all the children of God?  I hope we will continue to find new ways to reach out to those around us, brining hope and light.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 16, 2021

February 16, 2021

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossian 3:12-14

Today is the day before the beginning season of Lent.  A day in history known as Shrove Tuesday, or sometimes “Fat Tuesday,” which comes from the French term Mardi Gras. For many this is the day to eat pancakes, or the rich, fatty delicacies that one might give up for the penitential season of Lent.  Yet, this feasting day is also a time for self-examination, a time to consider what it is that we should repent during the coming 40 days, as well as what might help us to grow closer to Christ between now and the Resurrection celebration of Easter.

Each year, we all probably have our little sacrifices, of chocolate, or alcohol, or the things that might help us to be a little healthier. I tried to give up coffee one year, and failed miserably. After my weeklong headache, I decided some things should never be given up. Considering how the pandemic started in the beginning weeks of Lent last year, we may feel as though we have given up a lot already.  This year, we may instead decide to start taking something on. Finding those things that might help us grow ever closer to Christ.

Paul, in his letter to the Colossians writes about putting on these things: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience… Above all, he writes, put on love, the perfect bond.  The act of putting on, is something that takes effort, or work. Some days putting on these things may seem easy, but others they may be more difficult. However, as we seek to draw closer to Christ, preparing for the Resurrection celebration of Easter, we could, and should find ways to reflect the love of Christ to others around us. 

I invite you to spend some times today, thinking, praying; what can I do, to show more kindness, compassion, humility, love? To whom can I show it? And How will I share Christ?

If we make the effort, put in the work, we might find that we grow in our faith by taking on rather than giving up. I pray you will find new ways to put on Christ’s love as we grow in perfect harmony this season of Lent.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 15, 2021

February 15, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”  And to him he said, “See I have taken your guilt away from you, and will clothe you with festal apparel.”
— Zechariah 3:4

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices, and have clothed yourself with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator....As God‘s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, meekness  and patience.  — Colossians 3:9-10,12

In the Bible a change of clothing often reflects a change in status.  Consider the Old Testament story of Joseph (Genesis 37 and 39-50.)  Near the beginning of the story, when Joseph is reduced to slavery, he loses his wonderful coat.  Later, when he is made administrator of Egypt, one of the first things that happens to Joseph is that he is dressed in fine linen.  Or think of how Elijah, in 2 Kings 2:1-14, carried off in a whirlwind, leaves behind his cloak; the cloak is picked up by his disciple Elisha, who then takes on his mentor’s role.

In Colossians Paul gives one of those lists of virtues similar to the “fruit of the spirit” list in Galatians 5 and the battle equipment list in Ephesians 6.  The primary message, I’m sure, is that these are virtues that a Christian should practice.  But there is an apparent secondary message too.  Paul, good Jewish scholar that he is, is picking up on the old symbolism of clothing.  It is not just that we modify our behavior; it’s that we are transformed — we become a “new self.”   In other biblical language, we are born again; we are charged from a slave to an heir.

On Feb. 17 the season of lent begins.  Some people mark this season by giving up a bad habit (at least temporarily.)  That’s a good idea in itself, but we should not forget the greater symbolism of the practice.  We are becoming, or reminding ourselves that we have become, new selves.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

February 14, 2021

February 14, 2021

To join our online worship serve at 9 am or after, please visit: stmarkknox.org/sermons

But Jesus said, “someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” – Luke 8:46

On their way to respond to a request for healing, Jesus and his followers have an encounter with an unnamed woman who has suffered hemorrhages for twelve years.

This woman, who had been suffering for a very long time. A woman, who had exhausted any money she had going to doctors in hopes for a cure.  A woman, who because of her issue of bleeding was unclean according to the Jewish law.  She was outcast from society, she would have been made to live outside the city gates, she would have had to tell everyone she encountered she was unclean. 

If this woman was married, her husband would have long given her a certificate of divorce and moved on with his life. Due to her condition, it is extremely unlikely that this woman had any children.  Most likely, she was constantly weak and tired due to iron deficiency.

She dealt with constant pain, poverty, insecurities, loneliness. She was one who was considered polluted, untouchable, unlovable.

I wonder how many of us relate to times when we feel unlovable, unforgivable, unreachable?

How long have any of us dealt with our issues of faithless spouses, nerve racking children, overbearing workloads. How many years have we dealt with our issues of unhappiness, depressions , addictions, and obsessions. Issues of low self-esteem, no self-esteem, uncertainty, perplexities.

This woman had dealt with her issues for twelve long years, she was alone, she was someone without any hope.  Yet, here she is hiding in the crowd that is following Jesus to a miracle, and perhaps hoping beyond all hope for one of her own.

This woman was willing to take a chance on something… on someone… on Jesus.

She reaches out and touches the fringe of the garment of the one in whom she believes, has faith, and that she can be healed… and she receives her healing. 

Today, we celebrate the transfiguration, the moment, Jesus is transformed before the eyes, making faith sight, to those who are with him (Peter, James, and John). But for the woman who was healed of hemorrhages, she already knew. It reminds us that even as we see Jesus transformed before us, today, we already know deep down. We know that Jesus is the place where we are healed, where we are loved, forgiven, and set free to worship and praise.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 13, 2021

February 13, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation – David Petty

So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand of the people died, from Dan to Beer-Sheba. — 2 Samuel 24:15

In an odd coincidence, both the year 2020 and the last chapter of the books of Samuel contained a census and a plague.  I don’t think it’s anything more than a coincidence; I certainly don’t think COVID-19 is a punishment for the regular U.S. census.

In the story from Samuel (repeated in First Chronicles) King David orders a census of Israel, despite the advice of his chief of staff not to do so.  Later he regrets this action, and the Lord inflicts the pestilence as a punishment.  David realizes that his own actions have brought the calamity against his people, and the Lord allows him to make atonement.  

According to the account, 70,000 people died.  To put that in perspective, the death toll from COVID-19 in modern Israel was 4,816 as of Feb. 1.  70,000 is surely an estimate, and perhaps an overestimate.  But in any event enough people died to cause alarm. 

It isn’t at all clear what was wrong with conducting a census.  It has been suggested that the census was a intended as a prelude to a universal tax.  Another theory is that David was assessing the size of his army (the census numbers reported in the scripture refer to the numbers of soldiers counted) in preparation for more military conquests.  Perhaps he simply wanted to stroke his own pride in how large his country had become.   

In general, though, the king’s sin seems to have been presumption.  Having reached the point that he was very rich and powerful, he felt that he could get away with anything.  I think he was a lot like the rich fool in Jesus’s parable of Luke 12:16-20, who thought he could build bigger barns and take his leisure.  It’s easy enough when we are successful to believe the logic that what makes us comfortable is what’s right. 

David was not personally affected by the plague, but he saw what happening to his people.  “I alone have sinned,” he told the Lord, “and I have done wickedly, but these sheep, what have they done?”  One wishes all of our leaders would take that kind of responsibility.  One wishes the rest of us would too.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

 

February 12, 2021

February 12, 2021

And [Jesus] woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?” – Luke 8:24-25

We don’t always think we can make it through.  We don’t always believe that there will be an end to these struggles of life that we face.  However, there is a great hope that we have in the One who put the stars in the sky.

We need only to look up, see, and believe that he knows each one by name, and that we will be okay.  It is no guarantee that the struggles, trials, temptations will cease, but it does make it easier knowing that we don’t tread these rough waters alone. We look to the one who says to the waves and the water: “Be still.”

I remember when Sean, our oldest, learned that story in Sunday School.  He was about 3 years old at the time, and we asked him about the lesson he learned, and from this tiny mouth, with great gusto, he said. Jesus told the wave to “BE STILL!” He had learned the lesson that we all need to learn over and again, because at times, the storms of this life can feel overwhelming, but we know the one who calms the storm.

Even when we feel tired, faint, weary because of the burdens in life, Jesus lifts us up, and our God reminds us that we will be okay. We can tell the storms to be still, in His name.

Several years ago, I heard a speaker at Divine Rhythm, an event for college students.  The speaker told us that year about the storms of life, but when they come, never look and complain to God of how big the storm is that you are facing, but look the storm and remind it of how big and expansive God is. It’s not the size of the storm, it is the amount of faith in our God, who is bigger, greater, more powerful, and more full of love than we could ever imagine. 

So, no matter how you feel today, no matter what you might be facing, know that God is watching over you, God is bigger than your storms. Find your hope renewed again in Him.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 11, 2021

February 11, 2021

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. he will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
– Isaiah 40:28

Do you remember sitting out on the hood of a car, or in the bed of a truck late at night, staring up at the stars? If you can find a place way from the city lights, the stars seem to shine even more brilliantly, and their number become countless.  Even though I had seen these stars many times during my teenage years, after college I had a chance to see them from the Southern Hemisphere, and the views were breathtaking.  All the wonders of the heavens looking down from above, and me staring back at it all.

Yet, I’m reminded that Scripture tells us that God knows each of those stars by name, and put them in their place. The expanse of the knowledge of God is that amazing, God knows the name of the stars, and each of us, and knows them intimately.  No matter how miniscule a detail, God sees each one of us, with the same importance.

When Isaiah wrote the words above, he was appealing to the people of Israel. People had lost sight of this expansive love of God for them.  They had been through many trials and seen adversity.  They were removed from their land, exiled and judged as unworthy.  Some, separated from their families.  They were a people who were beat up and ready to give up.   Life had not been good, and so they began to question God, whether or not God remembered them, whether God has seen the plight of their current state.

We may not understand why bad things happen, or why they happen to good and devout people. However, with God’s infiniteness, there is truth, there is love, and there is reason for the faithful to put their trust and hope in Him.

Isaiah calls the people to look up at the stars and remember that God knows each of them by name, cares for them, and put them in their place.  How much more, then, will God care for those who put Him first in their lives? Verse 26 might give us an answer.

26Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

God is still God even when we doubt, even when we are discouraged, even when we feel powerless, beat up, down-trodden.  God, yes, is still God, always and forever.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 10, 2021

February 10, 2021

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:36

The phrase for the crowds of people that surround Jesus, “like sheep without a shepherd” is repeated several times in the gospels.  The phrase also has roots in the Old Testaments appearing in several prophetic books talking about the people of Israel, and their propensity to seem lost or astray. 

The concern of Jesus is that the people lacked any true motivation of leadership. They were subjugated under Rome, and the Roman appointed authorities. The peoples religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees, were said to “not teach with authority.” In many ways the people were often like sheep left in the field to graze and no one to gather and lead them onward.

Now it might be troubling to think of people like sheep, in the sense of following blindly, and simple of mind.  However, the Biblical view of the flock is that of a group, dedicated to the shepherd and the sheep will hear his voice, and they will follow him, and will not follow a stranger (Jn 10:1-5). Therefore, when speaking of the people as sheep, and their leaders as shepherds, the Bible is not being derogatory, but evoking the respect that rural communities, such as those in the Bible, had for the shepherds who tended their flocks in a responsible manner. Jesus, then, as the Good Shepherd, is the leader that will lead his people into the care and comfort of God, portraying the loving relationship with us, that God desires to have with all creation. 

The compassion of such a shepherd, is to lead them to a place physically, emotionally, spiritually, of peace and rest.  Jesus has compassion on us, today, knowing that we are a people who need tender care, who need to be led to the waters of everlasting life, who need to know the love of someone who will take care of us.  The compassion of the Good Shepherd reminds me of the refrain of an old hymn: “God will take care of you, through every day, o’re all the way’  he will take care of you, God will take care of you.”

 May we cast our cares, our burdens, and worries into the arms of our Savior, and know his compassion is with us now and forever, Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 9, 2021

February 9, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – David Petty

You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. —Deuteronomy 11:18-19

These are the things you must insist on and teach... set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. — 1 Timothy 4:11-12

The last time I checked the pandemic statistics, the numbers were somewhat better.  Perhaps they are up again as you read this, but I think that overall there is reason for optimism.  New vaccines are coming out all the time, people have become better at social distancing, and the healthcare system is improving its therapies for the disease.  There is still a ways to go; but although we should not forget immediate concerns, it may be time to start thinking about the aftermath. 

The bad news — the very bad news — is that eventually there will be more pandemics.  The conditions that led to this one, poverty in some areas that gives rise to outbreaks plus rapid transportation that can spread disease across the globe, are still with us.  Perhaps our very next crisis, though, will be something else.

Regardless, we hope that during our present troubles we have learned things, both “practical” and spiritual, that we can use next time.  To do so can be valuable for ourselves, but is even more important, I think, for someone else: our children.

The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of teaching our children.  I believe that, of all the sacred duties we have as Christians, teaching the children is close to the top.  Some of us still have children in our homes; others have young grandchildren or nieces or nephews; or we might have close friends with little ones.  But even if we don’t have children close to us, our example and attitudes during this crisis are important. 

What I am saying is that how we deal with our current situation — our faithfulness, our courage, our service to others, and so on — can set the stage for how those who come after us handle the situations that they encounter.  Undoubtedly, we have fallen short at times, but we can do better in the days to come.

We have been given the privilege of living through a time filled to the brim with peril and with promise.  We have been given a rare chance to provide a very special gift to our children and to our children’s, children’s, children.  May the Lord’s Spirit guide us through all of this.  As the old hymn puts it, “Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the living of these days.”

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty 

February 8, 2021

February 8, 2021

When Jesus went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. – Mark 6:34

Priest and author Henri Nouwen describes the very life of Jesus as being a life of compassion.  Nouwen calls the life of compassion a “path of downward mobility,” claiming that Jesus chooses pain, rejection, persecution, and even death.  This in rather contrast to what most people pursue as “upward mobility” toward power, authority, influence, and wealth.  Jesus did not reach down and lift up the poor from above.  Instead, Jesus became poor – he suffered with or Jesus lived with compassion.  It is only, according to Luke, through the crucifixion and resurrection that enables redemption, and indeed relief from suffering for all humanity.

The compassion that Jesus shows, is in a stark contrast to what we often believe to be compassion in our society today. Most of the time, when we talk about having compassion, we mean that we should do something from our lofty estate, for someone else, who is “less fortunate.”

We say we are being compassionate because we volunteer at the soup kitchen or donate money to help natural disaster victims, and don’t get me wrong, these are all very important acts as Christians. We should use the blessing that we have to help those who are in need. But, in our Christians vernacular, these acts of piety, or acts of charity, and they may be done because we have a heart of compassion. Or these acts may be done because we empathize and understand the reality of the world that we are a part of is also where the marginalized are living. 

We may have our hearts broken for the refugee, and for the deported, and want to rise to action.  All of this, in the call of faith, is also important to who we are as we represent the love of God. However, compassion, the kind of compassion that Jesus shows in this miracles and teachings of his life, are is the embodiment of who Jesus truly is for all human kind - for all human suffering.  This is the compassion that looks for a way to be justice and mercy as God’s people; by going and being like, being with, and suffering with those people, just as those people suffer. Not everyone is called to go and do this, some are simply called to have mercy and show charity and piety.   But to borrow from Henri Nouwen once more: Compassion means going directly to the people and the places where suffering is most acute, most propionate, and building your home there. God’s compassion is total, it’s all-in, is absolute, is unconditional, is without reservation or hesitation.

Having the compassion of Jesus, or that Jesus teaches, we then choose to suffer the way others suffer, we embrace their pain, their marginality, and maybe even truly walk in their shoes.  Through faith and compassion we hear Jesus say this suffering is also shared by God; who chose to suffer the greatest of losses to bring humanity the greatest of joys.  Our faith is founded in the stories of Jesus ,in sharing in the experience of knowing that we have died with Christ, and we have also risen with him to live a life of compassion for all, and with all who suffer. In suffering, however, we find hope. A hope renewed in the everlasting life we have in Jesus our Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 7, 2021

February 7, 2021

For those joining our online it is available beginning at 9:00 a.m. – stmarkknox.org/sermons

For those who will be joining us in person, 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary, please remember your mask and your social distancing.

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
– Luke 7:11-13

Tucked in the scripture after the Luke’s account of the Roman Centurion’s faith and the healing of his servant is another healing story. Jesus enters a small town called Nain, which is more of village, near his home town of Nazareth.  His disciples are with him, amazed by the things that Jesus has already done, full of life, and having their faith in him increase each day, and with each new sign.  A large crowd has gathered around Jesus, and what we see is an episode of life, of celebration and witness, and then coming from the opposite direction is a second procession, one that is an episode of mourning and of death.

Where we meet Jesus is in this collision of life and death.

The gospel tells us, Jesus sees the widow, mourning for her son, and has compassion on her.  The word used for compassion, here, is only used 3 times in Luke’s gospel, and this is the first, (the other two are found in the parable of the good Samaritan, and the parable of the prodigal son). 

For this woman, whom Jesus has compassion, this is at least the second death that she has experienced in her life, and is almost assured death for herself.  In the first-century society, a woman would depend upon her husband, his brothers (if he had any), and her sons to provide for her, to sustain her life.  She now not having a husband, nor a son, is doubly vulnerable and would live only by the alms that would be given out of mercy. Her very life, now depended on the mercy of others.

Jesus sees this woman, and has compassion on her.  The word compassion, here, however is a little bit deeper than what we normally would think.  “Com - passion” literally means to suffer with, the word here tells that Jesus felt her pain deep within his gut.  Jesus, in his depth, and in his heart, is truly suffering with this woman who has endured one of the most difficult of all human experiences, and fully empathizes with her loss.

Perhaps, Jesus is thinking of his own mother, and the loss she will later experience?

Regardless, this compassion that Jesus feels motivates another miraculous sign.  One greater than we have seen to this point.  We might contrast this with the Centurion, who was a man of faith, but whose servants ask for a healing from Jesus. We might even point out that this miracle has very little if not nothing to do with faith, and is not even asked for, but Jesus is prompted simply because of his compassion for this woman.

Jesus feels deep in himself the despair of this woman.  Much like Jesus feels the deep despair of sin with each of us, the despair of the separation between God and humankind. At this moment, Jesus, out of compassion raises the dead son back to life.

Jesus compassion alone brings the dead to life.

Faith and compassion grows in us as we grow as disciples of Jesus. We allow our hearts and minds to be filled with the good news of God’s love.  We celebrate the great abundance of life we have been given through Christ; and then, when we are bombarded with mourning and death, we let Christ’s compassion rise to the occasion in us, to call out to death and offer life in Jesus name.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 6, 2021

February 6, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation – Sue Biggerstaff

Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  - Acts 20:28

This month we celebrate the 65th anniversary of St. Mark.  In doing so, we need to remember those who have passed through its doors and kept the faith.

When a small group of people decided that a Methodist Church was needed in the Rocky Hill area, they went to work to make it happen.  The first congregation met at the Rocky Hill Elementary School on February 26, 1956.  They then obtained land on Northshore Drive to construct an educational building. They moved into this building in September of 1958.  With a growing attendance, more space was needed, and a sanctuary was dedicated on October 11, 1964.  The church was named for St. Mark because his gospel is known as a gospel of action.  Our founders were definitely people of action.

Over the years we have seen many changes to the building and grounds.  Some of these include an extension to the educational building, the purchase of land on both sides of the property, and the addition of the St. Mark Memorial Garden.

Another change that was barely noticed over the years was the name.  From early documents and pictures, the church was named St. Marks Methodist Church.  At some point, according to bulletins, it became St. Mark's.  Finally, at an unknown date, it became St. Mark.  According to one report, a former minister commented that the church was not St. Mark's but God's. Thus the apostrophe was eliminated.

As the years have passed our church and grounds may look different, and our name has changed a little, but our mission remains the same.

 Rev. Larry Carroll expressed it this way:

 "We are a pilgrim people.  We like our spiritual ancestor, Israel, are also moving, growing, changing, becoming. Becoming the individuals and church God wants us to be is our goal.  So long as we are faithful to this task, God provides the necessary resources to overcome any obstacles. This is a promise from God through Jesus Christ."

This past year has been difficult because we could not come together for fellowship and worship.  Perhaps it has been a time to remind us that we are the church.  We are the ones who spread the good news.  We are the ones who carry out the Great Commission.  Our founders were people of action.  Are we carrying on their mission? 

Gracefully Submitted,
Sue Biggerstaff

February 5, 2021

February 5, 2021

Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. — 1 Peter 3:8

As you might know, the ‘W’ in the designation of motor oil (for example, 10W-40) stands for “winter.”  Unlike water, which quickly turns to a solid at a certain point when chilled, motor oil gradually thickens as it gets colder.  At some point, though, it becomes so thick that it prevents the normal movement of the parts around it (“freezes the engine.”)  On the other hand, if it gets very hot, it can become so thin that it no longer sticks to surfaces, and fails to lubricate. The optimum temperature varies depending on the specific oil.  Most motor oil is a blend (multi-grade oil) designed to adapt to a wide range of temperatures.

The SAE number (Society of Automotive Engineers) of an oil is a measure of its thinness: the higher the number the thinner the oil.  The W number (“10” in 10W-40) is the SAE number at the freezing point of water, 32 degrees Fahrenheit.  The second number (“40” in this case) is the SAE number at the boiling point of water, 212 degrees Fahrenheit.  A “perfect” oil would maintain the same “thinness” over all temperatures — about 25W-25.  In our climate, 10W-40 usually works well.  In harsher climates, though, you might need a different type of oil.  You might even need to switch oil as the seasons change.

Just as adaptability in you motor oil is good for your engine, adaptability in Christians is good for the machinery of God’s kingdom.  We should strive for, among other things, those virtues that promote adaptability: tolerance, forbearance, patience, selflessness.  Because the stress of our daily lives distracts us so much, we need to pray often for the Spirit to guide us to these things.

However, there is inevitably a limit to an individual’s adaptability, as with an oil.  For that reason, it’s good to have others available.  For that reason, we need to be in community with others whose gifts are different from our own, and whose collective gifts —a “blend” if you like — are much greater than our own.  It’s why John Wesley frowned on solitary Christianity; it’s why connectionism is so important to modern Methodism; it’s why Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

I’m thankful to be part of such a community at St Mark.  I look forward to seeing you all again.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

February 4, 2021

February 4, 2021

…God will take great delight in you; in love God will no longer rebuke you, but rejoice over you with singing.  - Zephaniah 3:17

There is no doubt in my mind that music isn’t an important aspect of life.  There is evidence all throughout history of musicians, lyricist, and others who use sound waves to convey a message to their audience.  The sounds of melodies and harmonies come together and find a way to meet our soul where it is, and perhaps even take us on a journey.

A good song, even if we have never heard it before, has a way of telling a story that our soul can understand, it will often have highs and lows, and can even take us to new places we have never been, all without physically moving.  The late professor Ellsworth Kalas said of the old hymns of Charles Wesley and his contemporaries “could even, for a moment, take us to the heavenly realm that awaits when this life is over.” 

Music plays a vital role in every aspect of our lives; as we are nurtured and soothed as children, as we rebel in adolescence, as we seek peace and acceptance in young adulthood, as we cherish our faith and life in older adulthood, and as we seek the peace only God can give at the end of life.  In all things, music is there. 

The prophet Zephaniah who lived and prophesied in the days of King Josiah in Judah tells of how the Lord will wipe everything off the face of the earth, how the people are called to repentance, and how every nation on the coastlands near Israel will be judged and wiped out by the remnant of people who remain. Even Jerusalem will be judged for its unfaithfulness.  However, at the end of all of this judgement comes restoration. 

This is how many of the prophets saw God working; warning of destruction, repentance of God’s people, judgement of the unfaithful, and restoration.  Yet in the restoration, Zephaniah calls The Lord our God a “warrior who saves.” Zephaniah understands God on multiple levels, as the one who creates all things, who can destroy all things, who is righteous, yet merciful, who is mighty yet brings salvation.  And in the restoration, this God delights in singing over the restored with great joy.

Every day we hear songs on the radio, in the places of commerce, at the workplace, perhaps even in our homes as we work.  Different music can take us to different places, however, perhaps the best songs are the ones that remind us of the restoration of God, that take us to the place where we long for nearer to the heart of God.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 3, 2021

February 3, 2021

Jesus said to them, “why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts.?”
– Luke 24:38

‘Seeing is believing’ is an old idiom we think might come from ancient times, however, the first known recording of this idea happened during the mid-seventeenth century.  The idea expressed here is that one needs concrete, physical evidence to be convinced that something has actually happened. 

When we think about the faith of stories from on old, we often find that people believed what they were told. Or at least that is how it seems, but if we flash forward to now, we find that people are exactly how they have always been.  There are some who will believe everything they read on the internet, and there are some who are always skeptical.

I won’t ask that you identify where you might fall on the spectrum, but with the speed in which certain stories, and especially those internet pictures called ‘memes’ can spread, we all might be tempted to believe many things that may or may not be true.  Much of that depends on how much we trust the source, or at least the one that shared the item. 

The point is all items seem to raise questions by some or many, and everything becomes a matter of debate, but what about our faith? The disciples were together after the resurrection, and according to the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John even the news of the resurrection, though it was foretold by Jesus caused them to have some doubts.

Even when Jesus appeared with them in the locked upper room, still fear and doubt overshadowed what they saw with their own eyes.  It wasn’t for some, until they could see the marks of crucifixion and to touch the body of Jesus did they truly believe. It was just seeing, it was having the physical in front of them, which gave them the true belief in what had happened.

Since such time many have produced doubts of such events, but over and again we realize that If such events had not occurred, what else would have caused so many to endure torture, and death at the hands of their oppressors? Even when we fear the powers of our world today, or have doubts, I call us to remember what Jesus said to those disciples long ago, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (John 20:29).

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 2, 2021

February 2, 2021

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” – Matthew 14:31

I hope that we recognize the above verse from the time when Jesus calls Peter out of the boat to walk on the water. Jesus is already walking on the water on his way to meet the disciples. They fear he is a ghost, but Jesus tells them it is he. Peter responds by saying, “if it is you, call me out on the water with you.” Jesus calls him, and Peter steps out of the boat with great faith and begins to walk on the water.

If we could end the story there, it would seem to be a great call for people to have faith, to remove any doubt, and trust in the calling of Jesus to go wherever it is that Jesus tells our hearts to go.  This could lead us to do many great and wonderous things in the name of Jesus for the kingdom that is already and not yet. However, that is not the point of the story, nor where the story ends, and we all know what happens next.

Peter sees the dangers of the waters and the waves, loses sight of Jesus, allows his doubts to overcome his faith and begins to sink. 

I’ve heard many pastors and preachers want to scold Peter for his lack of faith, or believe that Peter was being scolded by Jesus, but the way that Matthew records this scene, I don’t know if we can accurately translate “ye of little faith…” to be a reprimand, but an acknowledgement of the internal struggle – the desire to believe in something greater, and the dark reality of the world around us.

We may think of doubt as a detrimental to faith, but doubt can also have a way of helping balance our faith. Doubts might call us to search deeper in the scriptures, pray more fervently, and make sure that what we are doing is from God, and not our own desires, or the desires of another pushing us. Doubt and faith, in balance, help us to understand the reality of our calling to love one another as Jesus has first loved us. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, our hope is found in the one who has overcome the world, not with power, might, and sword; but with forgiveness and reconciliation.

The kingdom of God is one of peace. It often takes a lifetime to find it, but the peace of God is ready and available for those who seek it out in faith, letting go of the doubt, and choosing to keep their eyes on Jesus.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

Worship Update (Reopening: FEB 7, 2021)

We plan to resume our in-person worship service on February 7, 2021. We will have one service at 10:00 am.  In addition, the online service will continue to be available at 9:00 am each Sunday for those who wish to remain a part of the online community for any reason.

A few things you will need to know as you plan to worship in-person with us.

1.      Everyone present must wear a mask (we will have some available if you forget)

2.      When you arrive please “check-in” with the ushers. (We are required to keep an accurate account of everyone present. )

3.      Many of the pews in our sanctuary will be roped off, please do only sit in an open area, and we will do our best to keep 6 feet distance between family units.

4.      Tithes and offerings may be left in the offering plates located at designated areas in the back and front of the sanctuary – you may leave these as your enter or as you leave.

I greatly look forward to seeing you in the Sanctuary Sunday! I hope you have a blessed week, and find ways to be blessed by blessing others each and every day!

Grace & Peace,
Sam