March 11, 2021

March 11, 2021

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
- Ephesians 4:15-16

Some assembly requires.  We have probably at some point dreaded those words on an item we bought, wondering if this was going to be a little assembly, or take a day off kind of assembly. How much we enjoy this assembly may have to do with our personality as well.  Some among us absolutely love putting things together, getting lost in all the pieces to create something beautiful in the end. Others, just want to appreciate the finished product, and admire the construction without having to be a part of the process.

In the church at Ephesus, and honestly the church in general, Paul saw that there were those people who believed in the work, could do what needed to be done, to evangelize, to preach, to teach, to admonish, to do whatever it was that needed to be done to expand the kingdom of God. Paul also experienced plenty who just wanted God’s kingdom to come, they didn’t want to put in the work, they just wanted to enjoy the benefits of God’s blessings.

Paul’s reminder to this church, and to the church as a whole, is that we all must work together to see the kingdom of God come to fruition.  It is Paul’s calling of us to remember that there is no individual who is of a higher status in the church, but that the church is built on the community of faithful believers who seek to make Jesus Christ the center of everything that is said and done.

Church, this is our message today, and should be our message for the generations to come.  There is nothing that happens in the church or for the kingdom that I have done, or you have done.  We, individually, and collectively, are only doing what we do for the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord, we are just a part of what God has done, and is doing to build the divine kingdom.

The great urging of this passage is to remind us that all that we have, and all that we are, is because of the love of God seen in Christ Jesus, and because of the urging of God’s Holy Spirit. It reminds us that as we move forward, we must also move ever upward to do all that we can for the good of God’s kingdom, for we all belong to God, in the One kingdom that is now and forever.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 10, 2021

March 10, 2021

Pray in the Spirit at all times in ever prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. – Ephesians 6:18

Most of the time we think of perseverance as something placed on the self, that we must persevere in some trial, and with God’s help, we will succeed.  However, the early church focused much more on the community of faith as a whole rather than on the individual’s faith.  So many times, we read the ancient letters and perceive a message to us as individuals, but in reality it is the whole community, working together, that is to do what it takes to persevere in the faith. After all, we are all one in Christ Jesus.

In this verse from the apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus, much is said to lead the community to be at peace with one another, that they would work together, encouraging one another, and reflect in community the kingdom of God. Paul calls for them to put on the whole armor of God. However, if we study the way the armor worked in the ancient world, it did some in protecting the warrior, but the roman design for armaments, was that the entire regiment would work as a whole, that the armor, and shield of one warrior would work alongside the other, that the entire regiment would succeed.

Paul uses this analogy, for the church, and especially for the church’s prayers. They are to pray in the Spirit, for there is One Spirit and One Lord, thus when the community if focused on the work of the Holy Spirit among them, there is unity. Also, they are to preserve in their prayers for the saints – they are to pray for their fellow believers, those who are in community with them, and those who are a part of the kingdom who are far off.  Doing this, I believe, Paul is teaching the church the power of being connected, even if only in prayer, for then we are paying attention to what God is doing among creation, and we can focus on our part for the greater whole.

May we, the church, today, pray in the Spirit, remember the saints, and preserve in our prayer for the whole church as we see the kingdom expand for the glory of God’s name.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 9, 2021

March 9, 2021

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.
 – Psalm 121:8

The Lord, our helper, is the one on whom we need to keep our focus. It may not always feel like it, especially in the times during this past year when we have felt isolated at home. Yet, God has been watching over us.  We have made it this far, we have survived to this day, and we have reason to give God praise.

It’s hard to believe that this week last year, was the last that felt ‘normal,’ it was the last week, before this deadly pandemic took hold of our lives.  There has been many times it seemed like life would never resume. Yet, the psalmist reminds us that when we lift our eyes to heavens, we see the Lord who is our help, watching over our movements.  I’ve thought about the 121st psalm quite a bit this past year, and in this final verse of this short psalm, we are reminded that as we keep our focus on God’s help, he is watching over us. As we may start to go out a little more, I pray that we will continue to do our part to be safe, keep others safe, and know that God is with us every step of the way.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 8, 2021

March 8, 2021

But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; with his wife’s knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and only brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.  “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?  And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal?  How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart?  You did not lie to us but to God!!”  Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. — Acts 5:1-5

I’ve always found this story from Acts to be puzzling.  I’m still puzzled by it, despite the remarks here, which are speculation.  If you have any ideas please share them.  

Incidentally, Ananias is a popular name in Acts; there are three men with that name.  Although this story presents its information somewhat obliquely, it seems that the sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not failure to donate their total proceeds — they had a right to give whatever they chose.  It was that they tried to deceive others about what that had done. 

Luke, who wrote more of the New Testament than any other individual, often wrote parallel passages.  That is, a passage in his gospel might relate to one in Acts or vice versa; or adjacent or nearby passages in the same book might be related.  One parallel here might be the story of the end of Judas in Acts 1:18-19.  There are some big differences — Judas trades money for a piece of land and Ananias does exactly the opposite.  But in both cases the motives appear somewhat confused.  Judas seems to have been motivated by more than simple greed.  Likewise, although greed may have played a part in Ananias’s decision to keep some of the money, he could have done that without the deception.

In both cases the sin leads to a chain of consequences.  Judas’s action harms Jesus and by extension the community of disciples.  Ananias’s action is against the Holy Spirit and by extension the community.  Both stories end in sudden death (two in the second case.)

So here’s what I see in this.  I’m not certain that one sin is worse than another; all sin is sin.  But if there is one kind of sin that is particularly dangerous, it is that which harms the community.  In the early church, threatened as it was, care of each other was crucial.  We find ourselves in a similar situation now, even if for quite different reasons.  Let us be especially sensitive to harm to the community of faith.

Gracefully submitted, 
David Petty

Sam, here: The call for us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to build the community of faith, and to stand against oppression, are all issues that we face as a community. Brian McLaren writes about the unknowing bias’s we hold in his book: Why Don’t They Get It? Overcoming Bias in Others  (and Yourself). Part of building the community in faith is being willing to listen to one another, to understand viewpoints that may differ from our won, and see that which brings life to the community. In doing so, we may all grow, and we may all avoid unknowing harm to those who would be our neighbor.  

March 7, 2021

March 7, 2021

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Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:27

Many who have lived most of their lives in the church, can recall some of the most oft-quoted sayings for Jesus. If, like me, you spent your younger years in Sunday School and doing memorization and speed drills to find verse, you might even be able to quote chapter and verse of many of those familiar quotes. Yet, when we set back and look at how these verse frame the full story, we might notice a few more things.

The gospel of Luke, for instance has Jesus sermon about the true cost of discipleship among a large crowd that had gathered, while Jesus is making his way towards Jerusalem, and we must realize that this is towards the end of Jesus public ministry.  The framing of this sermon teaching us the way out the cost of what it means to follow Jesus. During this time, Jesus is popular among the people surrounding Bethany, and many come to the places where he is staying to hear him speak. Yet, Jesus knows where he is going, and the cost it will take on him. He is seemingly weeding down the follows, to those who are willing to go all the way with him to the cross, to the grace.  They are told they must carry their own cross and follow.

Following this statement, there are small parables speaking of what it means to weight the cost, to know what it takes and to live for true purpose, casting aside that which does not matter (“possessions” – Luke 14:33). Jesus concludes this sermon with the statement of salt losing its saltiness or flavor, and being good for nothing – the reminder that purpose matters in the following.

It is just after this, that we come to another set of parable about weighing cost. As we flip the page to Chapter 15, we find those familiar stories of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son. Here we see Jesus purpose for why he must continue to seek, offer forgiveness, and follow the path the Father in heaven has set for him to become the Savior of the World. Perhaps this framing will help us to remember our purpose in sharing the good news, helping others know the love and mercy of our God in Jesus.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 6, 2021

March 6, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation – David Petty

I am about to do a new thing!   Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? —Isaiah 43:19

Some seed fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold. — Luke 8:8

Seeds are considered to be a sign of newness, but we make a seed grow by planting it in soil that is, well, as old as dirt.  How do we balance the old and the new?  Specifically, how does the church react to dramatically changing times, responsively and responsibly, while still adhering to its established message, one that we somewhat ironically refer to as news?  We worship the ancient of days, but we are called to do so by serving and proclaiming on this day.  And by preparing to serve and proclaim in days to come. 

It’s a big question, and I’m a small man.  But in these truly unprecedented times, it’s big enough that we need to look for answers urgently ... if we believe that church should be more than something to comfort ourselves in our old age.  So here are my ideas, as a small contribution to the discussion.

First, although I don’t believe in jumping onto everything new just because it’s new, neither should we be afraid of the new.  Newness is a gift from God.  It’s a blessing, even if folks my age have a hard time accepting that.

Second, we need to be clear on just what our message is, and what’s secondary.  That means making the hard effort to learn, and making a continuing effort to remember. 

Third, it’s good to notice that history sometimes cycles, so that what seems to be new might be a recurrence of the old, even if in a somewhat different form.  Let me give what I hope is a simple illustration.  For ages storytelling has been a popular means of teaching and sharing information (the Bible provides numerous examples).  Over the past century or two, however, scientific and rational thinking has led to more direct and specific styles of communication.  In recent years storytelling has re-emerged, even if it frequently takes multimedia forms never imagined by the original storytellers.

The first step to solving any real problem is accepting that it’s a problem.  Some people that I love will disagree with me on whether change is a problem.  They will say that the church does not need to change, that people should either accept it as it is or go elsewhere.  I respect that view, but I believe a close reading of scripture indicates otherwise.  What do you think?

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

March 5, 2021

March 5, 2021

Sharing from the congregation – Sue Biggerstaff

Give thanks to the Lord  - Psalm 136:1 

In the book Soul Keeper by Joel Ortberg, he writes about gratitude being linked to the words benefit, benefactor, and beneficiary.  Each word begins with bene which means good in Latin.  

A benefit is something you receive that you recognize as being good.  

Bless the Lord who daily loads us with benefits.  (Psalm 68:19)

A benefactor is the one who bestows good gifts.

Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the father.  (James 1:16)

A beneficiary is the receiver if the good gifts.

Consider the great things God has done for you.  (1 Samuel 22:24)

Gratitude comes when we consider the gifts we have received and the one who gave them.  The devout Jew in Jesus' time would pray "The Thirteen Benedictions."  We think of a benediction (good words) coming at the end of a sermon, but the ancient Jews would pray these in the morning, at noon, and at night.  Each benediction began with "Blessed  are you Lord."  It would then continue with something for which they were thankful.   

The writer of psalm 136 gives us a specific list of things for which he is thankful, and he reminds us that God's love endures forever.  Our list would be very different since we live in a different time period.  Think of the blessings we have today that past generations would never have dreamed about. It should be very easy for us to pray thirteen benedictions since we are the beneficiaries of so many benefits from The Great Benefactor.

Gracefully Submitted,
Sue Biggerstaff

March 4, 2021

March 4, 2021

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
    and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
    shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
    and he rules over the nations. – Psalm 22:27-28

The beginning of the 22nd Psalm, attributed to David, shows the expression of Lament, with the infamous words also uttered by Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me.” Yet, even in lament of one’s own situation in life, we find the reminder that we are called to honor and praise God. For we stand in awe of His majesty.

It is easy for us to want to lament our situations in life, when aspects of life are difficult, but we must remember that no matter the path we walk, Jesus walks with us.  The gospels and epistles teach us that Jesus has walked the difficult path of humanity, and so we know that no matter what we face, Jesus has taken on worse.  The God who cares for us, walks the path beside us, giving us all the more reason to offer our praise.

God cares about the laments we have in life. Despite those circumstances that cause us to cry out, God listens, hears, and is present with us. The psalmist recognizes this pattern of lament to rejoicing, and even in this lament, the claim is made that we must continue to praise God, honor him in our worship, and remember that all belongs to the Lord, who has dominion over everything.

When life becomes dire, let us continue to praise. When life is good, let us continue to praise. In all the in-between times let us continue to praise. In all our life, and with all our life, let us praise the Lord, and let our worship be for His glory.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 3, 2021

March 3, 2021

1 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
    and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
    and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world. – Psalm 19:1-4

As we inch closer to spring, and after experiencing a few warm and sunny days last week, I’m reminded again of the beauty of God’s perfection written in creation. Each season has a beauty of its own, but the blue skies of spring, the fresh smell of new flowering buds, grass, and the sound of birds chirping, remind us that all life is restored.

When the psalmists writes of the “voices that go out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world,” It is the song that creation itself is singing. Creation is telling the story of life beyond death, of a new and coming kingdom that has no end, that sparks creation and beauty, that tells of the enduring love of God to see that things continue onward and upward.

I hope it reminds us of the journey we are on in this season of Lent, as well, that we are onward with Jesus towards the kingdom that is here, yet is still to come, when all life is made new.  I hope it reminds us that Jesus said to his followers; if the people where to stop singing the stones themselves  would shout the proclamation (Luke 19:40).

God’s creation reminds us that we are part of all that is being made new, and we have the voices in which to sing praise to God, let us join with heavens filling the firmament, with God’s praise.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

March 2, 2021

March 2, 2021

Sharing form the Congregation: David Petty

They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this?  And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. —Mark 12:16

A writer whose name I don’t remember has given the following illustration.  A traveler arrived in a very distant land, carrying a large amount of money.   Unfortunately, it was all in the currency of his native country, and he had difficulty being able to exchange it.  So he found himself in a real dilemma.  Unless he could find a way to exchange what he had for the local currency, he would be unable to buy food or any other necessity.

Jesus famously said that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (fortunately, he added that with God all things are possible.)  Keep in mind that by “the kingdom of heaven” he may have been referring to God’s kingdom on earth.  I don’t know that he meant that riches themselves are bad, just that they won’t be worth anything in the kingdom — unless we can figure out a way to make them useful there.

And it isn’t only riches that may not be portable.  Some of our attitudes may not have much currency in the kingdom either.  Our notions of retribution against those who have done us wrong probably won’t have much purchase.  Our successes, and even our good works, won’t give us power.

You can come up with other examples, depending upon your personal baggage.

We are promised, though, that we will have abundance when we get to our destination (for example, Matthew 6:25-33.)  The bad news, I suppose, is that the exchange may not be available in the reverse direction either.  Once we have acquired “kingdom things,” we probably won’t  be able, as per the prosperity gospel, to trade them for success here and now.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

March 1, 2021

March 1, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation: David Petty

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.  The Lord called Samuel again, a third time.  And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”  Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy.  Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” — First Samuel 3:7-9

Samuel, you may recall, was one of Israel’s first great prophets and the last of the judges.  The story of his calling is almost comical.  The boy Samuel is sleeping near the priest Eli, under whom he is training, and three times when he hears the Lord call he assumes that it is Eli.  Finally Eli, who is undoubtedly exasperated from having his sleep repeatedly disturbed, figures out what is going on, and on the fourth time Samuel answers the Lord.

Do you think all of us are called?   Some don’t seem to be called when they are as young as Samuel; some of us are more like Moses, who was approaching 80 when it happened to him.  Still, like Samuel, we may not understand the call the first time we hear it.  I suspect that God will keep calling.  It may help if we have someone like Eli who can advise us.

Even when the call was clear, many of the prophets were reluctant to do what was asked of them.  Moses gave all sorts of excuses; Jonah initially refused.  Samuel was not asked to do anything at the time of his original call, but he was given a very negative prediction about Eli’s sons, and was reluctant to share it with Eli.  Eli, however, encouraged the boy to tell him everything, perhaps because the Lord had already given Eli an idea of what it was about.

When I see all the difficulties that Samuel and others had in hearing and in answering their calls, it’s easy for me to get discouraged.  On the other hand, the fact that they eventually found their way gives me hope.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty

February 28, 2021

February 28, 2021

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20 And again [Jesus] said, “To what should I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
 – Luke 13:20-21

Have you ever heard the term “first world problems.” These aren’t really problems such as hunger, and poverty, racism and those things that actually need to change in the world.  Instead, these the perceived problems of inconvenience. Problems like only 20% battery on my phone, and it’s only lunch time, we are running out of gadgets our iPhone’s can replace, I want to turn out the lights, but the bed is too comfortable for me to get up, I’m so hungry, but I don’t want to leave the house to get food, I’m caught up on all my TV shows and it’s another 2 months before the new season is released,…etc.  There are thousands more like this, of the “problems” we face in our world today.  These are the “problems” that come from us be overly consumed by what is going on in our own little space that we forget that there are real problems going on in the world.

Hopefully somewhere deep inside, someone has hidden a little yeast, a little of the kingdom of heaven. Turning flour into dough is a really cool chemical reaction.  It takes only a little yeast, a little heat, and then something new and wonderful, bread, comes out of something very bland, flour.  If we were going to make bread, we would probably spend some time kneading the yeast into the flour, working it into every part, and only giving it a little rest to rise.  We would likely be active in the process. 

However, as Jesus compares how the kingdom of heaven is working our lives, it’s a lot more passive than we might imagine.  “It’s like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through the whole bushel.”  This is the spiritual reaction of heaven working inside of us.  It’s the tugging, the often unanswered desire to do something different than the world.  It’s the opening of our eyes to see the world in a different light.  It’s the idea that we might not want to be like the rest of the world. 

The yeast works through the flour slowly and steadily changing it bit by bit, until it becomes what the yeast want, though the yeast is miniscule in comparison to the flour, it still works all the flour into itself, and creates dough that can be used and divided and multiplied into wonderful bread.  Bread which give sustenance and life.

In this one line parable, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven Is working in each of us to make something that gives life and sustains life to the world.  You are the working of the kingdom of heaven.  Praise be to God for giving us little which is made much for his glory.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 27, 2021

February 27, 2021

4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial. – Luke 11:4

Forgive us, as we forgive others.  This is a powerful, yet difficult task. It’s true that we all wish to be treated with grace, respect, and dignity; however, it is sometimes difficult for us to return the same to others. The path of wisdom Jesus imparts to his followers in their prayers, to acknowledge God has holy, the seek to do God’s will alone, to have what they need only for today, leads them to also understand that when they are forgiven, they must also forgive.

In Matthew’s gospel, and in the teaching known as the “Sermon on the Mount,” this portion of the Lord’s prayer is the only part to be given greater emphasis or explanation. Jesus tells his followers: 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Let’s be real for a moment.  How often do we truly forgive a person who seeks forgiveness from us?  Often we might say it depends upon the wrong that is done.  Was it an accident, was it on purpose, did it affect us emotionally, physically, spiritually?  The ease of our forgiveness is based upon how badly we were wronged.

Is that how we want our Loving, Forgiving, All-knowing, All-powerful, God to forgive us?  Do we want God to rank our wrong doings according to how badly we went against His Law?

Of course we do!  We do it all the time, we compare ourselves with other sinners, and say: “well at lease I’m not like               ” (fill in the blank).

This never gets us to the heart of the matter, it only puts us in the position of a Pharisee or Sadducee, neither of which were in high regards to Jesus.

Instead, we need to look the woman who anointed and washed Jesus feet with her own tears, weeping in grief over her own sin, her own wrong-doings, and drying His feet with her own hair. 

Do you remember the words Jesus said to her and the guests of the house that night?  Luke 7 recounts the story and we hear Jesus words: “her many sins have been forgiven as her great love has shown.  But whoever been forgiven little loves little.” Then he told the woman her sins were forgiven. What a beautiful thing to hear, that your sins are forgive.  That the wrong that you have done is forgiven.  What love wells up in our souls when we sit and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that we have been forgiven of the wrong we have done.

The call to forgive as we have been forgiven is a call to love as we have been loved.  It’s a call that we need to break down the barriers that we have built up between us and another, that we might find peace, and offer it the same.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 26, 2021

February 26, 2021

…Give us each day our daily bread. – Luke 11:3

As we come to this line of the Lord’s prayer, I must confess it is one of the hardest lessons for me personally to learn.  In the wisdom of Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray, he reminds them that they need nothing more from God, than just enough for today.

As a planner, as a big picture person, I desire to know what coming, to be ready for it.  However, I know that I can’t always know that. The truth of this portion of the Lord’s prayer, is that is moves us towards and infants level of dependency upon God.  When we love and care for an infant, we know that everything they need is reactionary. They’re hungry, and they cry; they need a change, so they cry; they are tired, so they cry. As an infant, we desire for the need of the moment to be met by those who love us.

Jesus is teaching us that God, our heavenly Father, is there to meet the need of the moment; however, we need to rely in that moment.  However, our minds and perceptions of the world have changed as grew, and we like to plan for our future needs, we like to have enough, and leftovers for a rainy day, we like to be self-dependent. 

Personally, I don’t find anything wrong with self-dependance, this is the great hope of life to be able to provide and comfortable life for us and those whom we love. However, spiritually, we still need to learn that all we need is enough for today.

In Exodus 16 when God rains down manna from heaven, or in John 6, when Jesus feeds the 5,000, we see the provision of God to meet the needs of the people in that moment, give us each day our daily bread. And in each of these stories, every person has exactly what they need to fill their bellies.

In our own lives the blessings of God sometimes come as more than we could ever imagine at times.  Yet, there are those time when we sit around and say “I could really use a blessing.”  These are the times when we struggle, when we don’t know what the next step is in this life.  These are the times when we begin to grumble because things aren’t going as we had planned.

It is in times of our greatest trial that we need be reminded most, that we have asked for this day’s daily bread.  Perhaps we don’t need to have an abundance today, we don’t need to plan for the provisions of a day down the road. Perhaps we need to but trust that this day’s needs will be met.

Our daily bread isn’t always the food we eat, but our daily bread is sometimes the money we need, sometimes the spiritual comfort we need, sometimes the healing we need, sometimes the embrace or love we need.  But in all cases our daily bread is something we need.  And I do believe in that old song “all I have needed thy hands hath provided.” God is providing our daily bread, we simply need to trust, and know God will be there also, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows after.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 25, 2021

February 25, 2021

…thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven… - Luke 11:2b, Matthew 6:10

Continuing some thoughts around the Lord’s prayer and the centering of ourselves on the divine, we next need to understand that as followers of Jesus, and seekers of his wisdom, we seek to do the will of the one who is Creator and Sustainer.  The second part of the Lord’s prayer teaches us just that.  It is a call for us to confess to God that it is God’s kingdom and will that we are seeking in the situations of our life. 

The hard part of this, is when we are truly honest, we pray to God wanting our will, our outcomes, and our desires in the situations for which we pray.  The Lord teaches, us however that it is not our will that is done, but Gods. Jesus teaches us this further when we hear him pray in the garden before being arrested. Jesus prays, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

Even though the will of Jesus would be that “this cup” be removed, Jesus knows that his path is not his own, he must do the will of the Father, be the obedient servant, and go the path of the cross. 

God’s will for our own lives can be sometimes difficult to know, however, there is something that is for sure. When we choose to follow Jesus, and learn from his wisdom and truth, we must decidedly walk the path that call us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to pick up our cross and follow him, and live the path that leads to everlasting life. As we walk this path, we do the world of loving our neighbors, and sharing with them the gospel of love, that we all would come to understand that all we have, and especially this life is a gift from God. This gift is used, in the will of the Father, to uplift the kingdom, and build the church, desiring for all to know the peace, grace, forgiveness, and love of Christ.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 24, 2021

February 24, 2021

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.  – Luke 11:1-2

Jesus is asked by the disciples that they might be taught how to pray. Now, in Matthew’s gospel, we find the Lord’s Prayer much earlier in the story, during the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7), however the way Luke frame’s the giving of this prayer teaches us something about the wisdom of Jesus, and the way to follow him.  Prayer is an important aspect of the faith walk, and Jesus spent many hours in solitude, praying, it was his time to keep focus on God’s will, and be prepared for the next step of the journey.

In much the same way, we need prayer in our lives to keep us focused. So often we use prayer in acts of desperation, to complain about how things have gone wrong, or to plead for something or someone to be better.  But let us look to what Jesus teaches us about prayer to understand how prayer helps us become centered on what is most important.

When you pray, Jesus says, you start by acknowledging the one to whom we are praying. In the Lord’s prayer we say: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”

Isn’t that just a wonderful thing to say? That the one to whom we pray is honored as holy, is greatly reverend and respected, and is consecrated and blessed.  These attributes are our first acknowledgement in prayer of the God we serve. When we center ourselves on the one who is creator and sustainer of the universe, and know that God wants to hear our prayers, we know that God who could have created and walked away, cares deeply for all of us. It’s a centering moment that connects us with all that God has done and will do, and acknowledges we are small in the midst of God’s vast holiness. Still, God hears us and spared nothing for us to have access to the divine.

God spared not His own son that we could have life through Him.  God spared not His Holy Spirit that we would have constant access to Him.  God, our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name…

You who brings blessing after blessing, who appeals to our emotions by giving us comfort and grace, who appeals to our minds but giving us understanding and assurance, who calls us to come and love you will all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths, that we would be a people who humbly bow and pray, for you are sacred, but have opened your doors that we might come in and have life everlasting in Your presence.  Truly we bow and say, to Your name, God, be the glory.  Amen.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 23, 2021

February 23, 2021

41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:41-42

The journey with Jesus towards Jerusalem and the cross is a full show of Jesus teaching us the life of the follower, of the true disciple.  It is during this time Jesus ministry is less focused on the crowds and more focused on those who will continue his faith teaching once he is gone.  Fr. Richard Rohr calls this part of Jesus ministry the “seminary of life.” It is a time that the disciples learned the wisdom of Jesus by drawing closer to him.

In the familiar scene above, we find one of those disciples, Mary, whose sister Martha is doing what is expected, attending to her house guests, preparing food, and doing all the chores of a good servant, while her sister Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening, clinging to his every word.

The scene, as well as Jesus teaching in this moment shows us the stark contrast between doing what keeps one busy doing what is expected of them, and letting go of responsibility to be with Jesus, deepening our faith.  Jesus informs Martha that Mary “has chosen the better part,” however, I think that the key word of Jesus teaching is “part.” I believe this scene reminds us that in the midst of the busy requirements of life, doing what is expected ,that we need to take time to be still, to listen to the words of Jesus and receive the wisdom of his teaching. This is part of a balanced, full life in the faith, we must also do the part of working, and doing, especially in loving our neighbor.

Like many of you, I’ve had moments this past year, that I didn’t have anything to do, as well as moments when I had too much to do. Yet, as we seek to find life on the other side of the pandemic, I, as we all, need to remember to find the balance. Following in the path of Jesus and his wisdom means finding time to be still, and in doing so, finding the purpose of the work that is ahead to actively participate in growing the kingdom of heaven.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 22, 2021

February 22, 2021

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

I have always found great peace in Paul’s letter to the Romans.  It is a letter written to those who really have no understanding of the Law whatsoever because they are mostly a gentile population.  Yet, the Romans are also an educated people, and are not unintelligent, so the words that Paul gives them are rich in such a way that help us to understand Paul’s position as a Pharisee and teacher of the Judeo law, as well as his understanding of the righteousness or justification offered by God through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

With this dualistic understanding of Paul we can look at the hope that is offered through the Holy Spirit and realize that it does fill us and complete us in God’s joy and peace, but only as we trust Him (or as some translations say: “believe in Him”).  There is a matter of the heart which requires us to let go of what we know that we are capable of doing to let God have control and let Him give us the peace that is not based on our ability to strive and overcome, but on God’s to save and sustain.  I believe it is this sustaining saving peace that Jesus had as He trusted and was faithful to God the Father that though he would endure the pain and suffering of the cross, God would bring the salvation through such faithfulness.  This is the true fulfillment of the Law, to trust in God no matter the cost and follow Him to the cross if necessary and be led beyond into the true hope and power of the Holy Spirit.

May you find the hope that God gives as you complete your journey through Lent, and find your hope, salvation, and sustenance in God alone. 

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 21, 2021

February 21, 2021

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Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. – Luke 10:20

When the seventy disciples return to Jesus after being sent out by twos, they come rejoicing at what they had done, and were able to do in Jesus name, and for his ministry.  They rejoice at the authority they had received, but Jesus reminds them, it’s not to rejoice that they were protected, but to rejoice that their names are written in heaven.

Some might speculate about the divine protection and why it is seeming evident in some cases and absent in others. Some have speculated that those who have befallen tragedy doing “God’s work” was because they lacked true faith. However, if we truly seek to understand Jesus response to the disciples, we find that it is not always faith’s place to protect. When we think of all the good in faith that was done by the apostles after Jesus resurrection, we may find miraculous occurrences of salvation from death’s door; yet, history tells us that still many of the apostles and follows of Jesus died a martyrs death.

I tend to believe Jesus words to rejoice not in protection, but rejoice that our names are in heaven is to say that it is more important that we focus on what we can do in sharing the gospel of love, the message of hope, and the life of Christ while we have breath to do so. We were reminded on Ash Wednesday (as we are every year) that we are mortal, and to dust we shall return. The greater rejoicing is in what leads us to know the assurance of heaven, having our names written, and knowing we are God’s children in Christ.  Then, we can choose to use our breath to share in the message of gospel, to love God, and our neighbor as God’s own sealing our names in heaven, forever.

Grace & Peace,
Sam

February 20, 2021

February 20, 2021

Sharing from the Congregation – David Petty

He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters. —Psalm 23:2

Randy Travis,  a country singer from North Carolina, was a big star with a very distinctive voice few decades ago.  (He has since had a lot of troubles and is in poor health.)  One of his hits, you may recall, was a song called “Deeper than the Holler.”  (It was written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz.)   The singer says that he is not a great poet who can talk about the sea and the stars, just a country boy.  And so he goes on to sing about his love in terms of things he knows — the holler, the pine trees, and the whippoorwill.

I think Psalm 23 is like that.  It is ironic that the best known of all the psalms is also one of the humblest. Traditionally It was written by David when he was a shepherd boy; perhaps it was actually later as he remembered those days.  It makes no mention of God as a king in elaborate robes or shinning in the clouds or roaring like the sea.  God is simply a shepherd who provides water, pasture, and safety from predators.

Good poets write about what they know; they sing with their own voice.  You and I are not really asked to do more. You (and I) don’t have the theological insight of Pastor Sam; and perhaps you don’t have my love of words.  But you have a heart that can sing to your creator.  Let it sing.

When we look around us at all the poverty, pandemic, and problematic politics, praising God isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.  This isn’t the first time people have felt that way — see the Old Testament.  Somehow, though, they found a voice to sing. 

We should keep in mind that we don’t always sing to God with words; sometimes it’s with actions.  We praise God when we serve God’s church, and when we serve the needs, physical and spiritual, of others.   Just simple kindnesses speak a lot, even if difficult in the era of distancing.  All the ways we serve the Lord are songs of praise.

Gracefully submitted,
David Petty