The Kingdom of God here, now!

When I was first exploring my call to ministry, it was suggested that I play a little "Bible Roulette."  I opened me Bible, without looking at it, and put my finger down on the page - and it was this passage from Nehemiah.  "Ezra the Priest brought the law before the assembly... and read from it... from early morning until midday...   One of the verses that is omitted from this reading says, “he stood on at a wooden podium... and opened the book in the sight of all the people...  and when he opened it all the people stood. "  And further down,  "And they read from the book clearly and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading."  And my first response was, "Oh Lord, does this mean what I think it means?"  

Does this all sound familiar?  When I opened the Gospel book, you all stood to hear the reading.  Now I am standing at a wooden podium giving an interpretation of the readings so that all can understand.

This first lesson takes place approximately 500 years before the life of Jesus.  In our Gospel lesson (500 years later) – once again the people have gathered to hear the Word of God being read.  

Today, 2000 years later, the people of God are still gathering in churches around the world to hear the Word of God being read.  The tradition continues and the story is still told – over and over – with interpretation for the time.  There are thousands of churches reading these lessons today.  And an interpretation (the sermon) being given - chances are very good that no two sermons will be the same.

Now we have a history lesson, this is God’s doing because I have an aversion to history.  But in the case I think its important to connect the pieces.  Ezra and Nehemiah are both characters out of the post-exilic period; the Babylonian exile.  After Cyrus the Persian king overthrew the Babylonians in 539 BC, he allowed the Jews to begin going back to their homeland.  

The first wave went back, taking with them the holy vessels that had been stolen from the temple.  Their job was to rebuild the temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian king.  They accomplished that task, but they had problems in carrying over their worship practices into the living of their everyday lives.  

So Ezra the priest felt called by God to go to Jerusalem and restore the law.  His task was to restore the temple worship and help the people to see how this affected their everyday lives.  This was the second wave to return from exile.  

The third wave consisted of Nehemiah, the governor, whose task it was to rebuild the city wall around Jerusalem.  Each returning group met resistance from the people already there.  

In our lesson today, we find Ezra reading the law from early morning until midday.  And those that are assembled are men, and women, and those who could understand - probably older children.    Now understand that the law had not been read in that land in over 70 years.  Chances are that very few people there had ever heard it read.  They most likely had heard tales and stories passed down word of mouth.  

But on this day, most people were hearing the law read for the first time.  And it says that the people wept when they heard the law.  Why did they weep?  Because the Word of God touched their hearts?  Because they knew that they had not been following the law?   Probably.  But are they condemned by their leaders?  No, as a matter of fact they are told, "Do not mourn or weep, for this day is holy to the Lord."  They are told, "Eat, drink, give to those who have none, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

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In our gospel lesson, Jesus also is reading from Holy Scripture. Jesus has gone to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, as was his custom.  This is not something new, it is something he always did.  The people knew him, they watched him grow up, and they’ve heard him read before...  But this time it's different, this time he's been gone, and they've heard reports, strange reports, about him.  He opens up the scroll and he reads.  It is a nice familiar text - one they've heard many times before - and they wait for his teaching, his understanding of this text.

And his first words are, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."  And they're not sure what to make of this.  You see, following his baptism and his temptations, Jesus now understands that he has a purpose.  And that purpose can be found is the prophetic scriptures of the Hebrew people.  He understands that he has been anointed by God, he has received God's Holy Spirit.  He understands that the anointing of God is always given for a purpose.  It is never given just as a feel-good sensation or for one's own personal enjoyment - it is given for the fulfilling of a task.  Now Jesus knows exactly who he is and what he is to do, and this scripture spells it out in full.  

• He is to preach good news to the poor, be they monetarily or spiritually poor.  
• He is to proclaim release to those who are held captive, be it physical or emotional imprisonment.  
• He is to be the instrument of healing, to the blind, the crippled, the deaf.  
• He is to set free those who are oppressed in every land or state.  
• He is to proclaim the fulfillment of the Lord's purpose here on earth, during our time - not in some far distant idealistic future.

Jesus is proclaiming his purpose in life.  He is also telling the people what it takes for the Kingdom of God to be present in our lifetime.  Jesus was uniquely suited for this purpose.  He knew who he was and he understood what that meant.   He also understood that this was just the beginning of a new paradigm on earth.  He knew that even though this was nothing new, since it had seldom been practiced on earth, that he was to be the example - he was the one to demonstrate - exactly what God meant.  Jesus' purpose was to demonstrate that the far distant idealistic future was here, - now, - in our lifetime.  

Jesus proclaimed it then, two thousand years ago, and he proclaims it now, here in our presence.  You see, when the church gathers for worship and for fellowship, the aim should not be to make its members feel good, but to equip them for putting into visible form the Kingdom of God in their daily lives.

Obviously we're not all called to go out and preach the gospel or heal the sick in the way Jesus did.  Paul reminds us of that.  We are all part of the body of Christ.  But if each one of us does our part - worship regularly, fellowship with those who love Christ, reach out to those within our sphere of influence - God's kingdom will be manifest here on earth.  

One way we can do this as Christians is to stay attuned to the needs of the people around us.  If someone mentions a personal concern to you, they are quite often reaching out for help - for comfort - for understanding.  If someone mentions a particular need, offer to stop and pray, right then – or offer other kinds of help that can be beneficial in the given situation.

So often we say something like, “I’ll keep you in my prayers.”  And we forget how much more powerful it is to stop right then, take their hand and pray for them - right then, not in some distant future.  I used to do that - all the time.  And somehow I've gotten out of the habit - often saying, "I'll add you to my prayer list…"  And I realize that in doing that, I'm perpetuating this idea of the Kingdom of God as being somewhere in the distant future.  But when I stop and pray with the person right then, then the Kingdom of God is present - right then - in that very moment. 

I like what James says in his letter to the 12 tribes, "Are any among you suffering?  They should pray.  Are any cheerful?  They should sing songs of praise.  Are any among you sick?  They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them…" 

As members of Christ's body here on earth, we are called to do these things.  It doesn't take fancy words or special knowledge.  What it does take is a belief that God can do all things, and through him all things are possible.  We simply open up our hearts to let the love of Christ come in, and allow Him to work through us - sometimes in spite of us…

God calls each and every one of us to be a part of His Kingdom here on earth.  And God will use you for his purpose.  When people see you, will they say, "I want to be like that", or will they say, "Don't let me be like that…"  - it's your choice  --  how will God use you?

Moses stepped out in faith

God said to Moses, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”  Exodus 3:12

I really identify with Moses.  He was older than I am when he was called by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Holy Land.  He made all kinds of excuses why he wasn’t the right person for the job.  And when he asked for a sign, it came only after he stepped out in faith.  Reluctantly, Moses did what must have seemed to be a fool’s errand, and he faced challenges, and hardships and opposition.  But Moses wasn’t alone.  His brother, Aaron, was sent with him as a companion and a partner.  When God calls us, he will provide the means to accomplish his purpose.  

New Years Day - The Holy Name of Jesus

Today is the Holy Name of Jesus - 8 days after his birth this child was circumcised and given the name of Jesus.  

I’ve often taught that the gifts of the Spirit were given to us for the purpose of blessing others and drawing them to God.  We see that this Jesus was a gift of the Holy Spirit, given that all people might be redeemed from sin and adopted as children, and made heirs of the Kingdom of God.  January the first is such an appropriate time to consider this naming of Jesus.  As we begin a new year, let us renew our commitment to God and to the spread of the gospel message that Jesus is Lord, past, present and eternal.   

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.  Numbers 6:24-6

Scriptures appointed for today to meditate and ponder:

When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman... in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.   Galatians 4:4-5

 After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.  Luke 2:20-21

By Grace alone?

“God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places.  By grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”   Adapted from Ephesians 2:4-8

Paul was really big on salvation by grace alone.  In this he seems to be somewhat at odds with James, the brother of Jesus, who was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.  When you read the letter of James, he focus on work.  He says, “Show me your faith without works, and by my works, I will show you my faith.”  We have been saved by grace alone.  It is by our belief in God, our faith, that we receive that grace.  At the same time, if we have indeed have accepted what Jesus has done for us, then it should be visible by what we do for others.  We have been saved for a reason, so that through us, others might be fed, or clothed, or visited; so that others might see the hand of God at work in the world around them; so that others might also come to know the salvation of Jesus Christ.

Out of a Believer’s heart

Jesus said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” ...  When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some asked, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?  John 7:37-38, 40-41

When I read this scripture this morning, it was almost like a slap in the face.  My first thought was to sneer at the scoffers and then I realized that I have, on more than one occasion, allowed some little idiosyncrasy, some little flaw, some little minute detail distract me.  The most recent occasion was in viewing a ‘prophetic painting,’ and rather than looking at it with the eyes of Jesus, and seeing his presence there, I was finding some little flaw that distracted me from his message to me.  We are spiritually connected to God/Jesus, but we are also human.  And there are going to be times when that human side of us oversteps the spiritual.  My prayer today, “Lord, I am a believer.  Please let those streams of living water flow out of my heart that I might see you and worship you in spirit and in truth.  Amen.”   

Focus on Jesus

Lately I have been using “Jesus Always” by Sarah Young as my morning reading.  Today’s reading includes the following: “Many Christians are defeated by focusing mainly on less important things - the news, weather, economy, loved one’s problems, their own problems, and so on.  Granted, in this world you will have troubles, but don’t let troubles become your primary focus.  Remind yourself that I am with you and I have overcome the world. I am nearer than the air you breathe yet I am infinite God.”

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Too many things compete for our attention in this world today, and way too often we do focus on the sensationalism spewed out by our ‘news’ outlets.  It’s too easy to shake our heads and allow our blood pressure to rise at the atrocities inflicted upon one another and pronounce judgments on others for their actions or beliefs or whatever captures our imagination.  

I’m not saying that people shouldn’t be held accountable for things they do or say, but we all too often allow ‘Satan’ to draw us away from focus on God’s goodness to an evil self-righteousness that only hurts ourselves more than others.  We forget that God does not want our anger.  He wants our compassion.  Micah 6:8 says, “What does God require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”   So I offer up the following prayer for the people of God:  

Come, Lord Jesus!  Be our guide and our focus.  Help us to find your way amid the maze of false paths laid out by those who would draw us away from your loving presence.  Send your Holy Spirit as our guide and your holy angels as our protection.   Amen.

Living for Christ

“To me, living is Christ and dying is gain.”  Philippians 1:21. 

In this passage (Phil. 1:21-30)  Paul wrestles with the idea of dying to be one with Christ or living to spread the gospel message.  Even though his desire is to die and be with Christ, he understands that his purpose is to help others come to a fuller understanding of a life lived in grace.  

By remaining in this life as an encouraging agent, Paul is doing God’s work.  Through sharing his struggles, he gives us an example of what it looks like to follow Christ.  It is not always easy, but we are assured that the prize is worth the effort.  Christ himself is the prize, and Christ himself is our support.  We are never alone in our struggle.  Christ will always come alongside of us to share our burden.

Living forgiveness

Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them.  Romans 14:3. Paul is responding to a problem in the Roman church.  Some people believe that they are better than others because of their practices in the faith.  He makes it clear in this passage that we are not to pass judgment.  Different people are at different places in their walk with Christ, and that’s okay.  

Some of us may honor the Lord in different ways and that’s okay.  Paul reminds us that we don’t live to ourselves but to the Lord.  When we died we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.  And our Gospel lesson tells us that we will be judged according to the judgment we have passed on others.  One of the hardest things a Christian does might be to learn how to be non-judgmental.  We must remember that forgiveness is from God and is always to be passed on to those we meet. 

Reflection on Psalm 119:105 - Word of God

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.”  There is a reason why more Bibles are sold every year than any other book.  It not only talks about eternal salvation, but it lays out a plan for living out our lives here on earth.  It gives examples of both right and wrong ways of doing things.  It also points out that even when you don’t do everything exactly right, you can still be acceptable before God. 

    At ordination, an Episcopal priest declares that they believe the Bible to contain all things necessary to salvation.  Sometimes when I don’t have a clue about what I’m supposed to do and I yell out, “Oh God, what now?”  God’s word can be comforting.  It can be challenging.  It can place you in God’s presence and help you see that path God has chosen for you to travel.  And it is always time well spent reading and contemplating God’s word.

Making All Things New

The centerpiece for the Easter season readings is always the reading from Acts.  During this 50-day period from Easter to Pentecost, we have the opportunity to look at exactly how the disciples (now apostles) were affected by the death, resurrection, and post-resurrection encounters with Jesus.  They went from being a quivering mass of humanity hiding in the upper room, afraid of the Jews, to become bold witnesses for the risen Lord.

So let's start with our Gospel reading, which comes first time wise.  All the other gospels cover the last night of Jesus in one chapter or less, but the Gospel of John uses 4 chapters to tell everything Jesus talked about during this last night on earth.  This reading is from the first chapter in that upper room narrative.

First Jesus washed their feet, then predicted his death.  Judas left the group and now Jesus tells his disciples, "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

(Reminds me of a song - And they'll know we are Christians by our love by our love, yes they'll know we are Christians by our love.)

Jesus had just given them an example of loving one another through the foot-washing.  More than anything else, it's an example of finding new ways to reach out to one another, but it doesn't end there.  We are to go on looking for ways to be Christian to one another (and as we see in the Acts lesson, to those who are not [yet] a part of us.)

So in our lesson from Acts, we have the 're-telling' of Peter's visit with Cornelius (a Gentile).  We don't necessarily have a good time line of these events - this may have been a few months after the resurrection, but (more likely) a few years.  Peter is defending his actions to a group of the apostles and believers in Jerusalem.

Let's start with Cornelius -- he is not a Jew - he is not a "Christian" (follower of 'The Way'.) -  Chapter 10 tells us that Cornelius was a Roman soldier - He was raised like other Roman citizens with the tradition of multiple gods like Jupiter, Apollo, Venus, and Mars.  But he has heard of this God of the Jews and he has been led to believe.  He was described as devout - he prayed daily and he gave generously to those in need.  And Peter, through his vision, came to understand that he was to accept Cornelius and to call no person unclean or profane.  This was a new idea (to be considered) - a new thing (to deal with.)

And when Peter spoke to Cornelius and his family and close friends, the Holy Spirit descended on them just as it had on the disciples at Pentecost.  And Peter tells his fellow apostles and believers, "If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us, who was I that I could hinder God?"

In other words, God is still doing a new thing - he is accepting people who have no previous experience with the Jewish religion.  That was a big thing at this point - the disciples believed that in order to follow and accept Jesus, you HAD to be a Jew.  And God was branching out and bringing others into this new sheepfold.  In Chapter 10, verse 16, Jesus told the disciples, "I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.  I must bring them also.  There will be one flock, one shepherd."

And I think this has a lot to say to Christians today.  Every time we want to limit who can be a member of this church, remember that Jesus gives us a new commandment and the Holy Spirit can lead even those from other faith traditions into knowledge and those who differ from us into belief.

How often do we hinder God by deciding for ourselves who God likes and who God dislikes?  In the Revelation to John, we hear a loud voice saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals.  He will dwell with them; they will be his people and God himself will be with them."  God is dwelling with mortals - humans - - - not Jews and not Christians - - -  All people.

How often in the gospels do we see neighbor and family being redefined?  From the Good Samaritan, to the story of Lazarus and the rich man, from entertaining angels unaware, and to the blessing of those who reach out to the poor, the hungry, the sick and those in prison.  God readily accepts the disenfranchised, the outcast, the untouchables.

One of my favorite movies in recent years is "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."  There is a lot of interplay between characters, concerning acceptance and rejection.  If you don't know the story, a group of retirees from England decide to travel to India to live because it is cheaper and their retirement funds will carry them further.  The young hotel owner, (Sonny Kapoor) played by Dev Patel, is something of a dreamer and an optimist.  He often quotes his favorite "saying," - - "Everything will be alright in the end.  If it's not alright, then it is not yet the end."

In our reading from Revelation, we hear, "And the one who was seated on the throne said, 'See, I am making all things new.'"  God is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end"  When we look around in our life and at the world around us, quite often it's not alright.  All you have to do is listen to the news on any given day to know the depth of evil that permeates this world.  God is not finished with it yet.  God is still working behind the scenes to bring about his kingdom on earth.  (Sometimes, I might wish he were a little more up-front about it.)  But God is not through - and He does promise that it will be alright in the end.

Things that are not so good happen in this world.  I have a friend who's 11 year old nephew died two weeks ago following a horrible 4-wheeler accident.  Nothing evil about it, but very poor judgement on the young boy's part.  Where is God in this?  He is holding that young man in heaven in His loving arms.  And He is working here on earth behind the scenes to bring about healing in a family torn by grief.  He is drawing them close - to one another and to God himself.

Remember, God is still working in and with all of us. - And if you look at the world around you and find that it is not alright, then remember, it is not yet the end.  God will make all things new, and when he says, "It is finished!" then it will be alright.  Amen.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday - When we started out this morning, Jesus at the height of his ministry.  He was ushered into Jerusalem with Hosannas ringing out.  People gathered, singing and crying out to him and they spread branches and cloaks on the ground.  As foretold in scripture, Jesus - Messiah - was riding into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey.  

And in four short days, it all changes - he is hunted down and arrested, tried and convicted, and finally put to death.  I don't like my heroes to be beaten - defeated.  My heroes are supposed to go on being heroes - not hunted down like a common criminal.

So, Lord, what part do I play in this travesty of justice?

I hear the voice of Jesus - it speaks to all of us across the centuries.

"Judas, do you betray me with a kiss?"

How many people have I betrayed, Lord, as I have casually drifted through this life?  Who have I wounded as I struggled to get ahead, or have my own way?  Is that the reason you had to die - to pay the price for my sin?

"Peter, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times."

How many times have I not stood up for what I know is right?  How many times have I overlooked the opportunity to share your name, your love, or your mercy?  Where is the grace that I should have shown to others?  I also hear the rooster when I forget you.

"Father, forgive them - they don't know what they are doing."

How often do we walk through life, without a clue about what we are doing or the effect it has on someone else?  How many times do we forget to think about those who come after us?  And can we, like you, forgive those who have wronged us?  What an example to follow!  How many times have I wanted to condemn instead of forgive - in both small and large things - things affecting me?  Or self-righteously things I only see or hear from afar?  Forgive me, Father, for the pain I have caused in others.

"Today, you will be with me in paradise."

Ahhh, here is the promise.  James and John asked to be seated at Jesus' right and left in his kingdom - and although they would drink the cup Jesus drank, suffer here on earth - in paradise they would be with Jesus - just as the thief on the cross would be with Jesus - just as you and I will be with Jesus.

"Into your hands, Father, I commend my spirit."

Can we, like Jesus, put our faith in God? -- Trust that He will take care of us and receive us into that heavenly kingdom?  Can we, like Jesus, give it all to God?  Father, take this life and make it whole.

These were sound bites from the man they had grown to trust, to love even. It didn't mean much at the time - but as time went by, they began to understand and to realize the great love that God had for them -- and that Jesus exhibited as he walked that way -- the Via Dolorosa -- the way of suffering and sorrow.

This week, I invite you to meditate on this journey and ask God what He wants you to know and understand about His great love - a love that transcends pain and death - a love that transcends suffering and loss - a love that transcends time and space to be as real and present now as it was 2000 years ago.

Come, Lord Jesus, fill our hearts and our minds that we might glimpse the love that suffered and died willingly - so that we might find peace and strength in the presence of You, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

My brother or sister or mother.

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  Matthew 12:48b-50

I know that Jesus was not rejecting his family with this statement.  At the same time, I do believe that he was offering hope to those who are alone.  When family systems break down, regardless of the reason, God provides an alternative for us.  There are people in this world who find their hearts going out to those who have been abandoned.  These are the people that God has called to be family to those around them.

One of the greatest gifts I have learned in this life, is that I don't have to do it all myself.  But I do have to remain open to God's call to reach out at those times when I am the tool God chooses to use in a given situation.  I have to recognize those times when I can be mother, or sister, or friend to the person God places in my presence.  God, who would you have me reach out to today?

** The Rev, Dr, Rhoda Swanner Montgomery, rector of St Thomas in College Station died yesterday. May the Lord bring her into the greater family of his presence as he comforts those left behind.  Rhoda was a year behind me in seminary.

Our churches reflect us, and hopefully, Christ

Jesus said, "How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  Matthew 12:34b-37

Jesus was talking to the scribes and pharisees who were looking for reasons to denounce him and had accused him of casting out demons by means of Beelzebul. Our churches today are sometimes faced with this same kind of vindictiveness.  I remember the first vestry meeting I ever attended as an ordained person: I sat in wonder at how a person who had listened to the gospel that morning could utter the things that came out of her mouth - totally contrary to the message of our Saviour.  What was she thinking?  She was so into her own agenda that she totally forgot we were a church that claims to follow the teachings of Christ.  Our churches should always reflect, not us, but the Christ we follow.

When problems arise in our churches today, are we part of the solution?  Or do we contribute to the problem?  Some day we will all stand before God and we will have to give an accounting of our actions.  Are mine always good and right?  No. I can get as incensed as any one else at the injustice I see. I often have to remind myself that Jesus is my model.  I try to remember that he is my savior, and not I myself.  And I try to remember that Jesus calls me to try to work with those whom I disagree with so that in the end, His glory will be seen by all.  He calls us all to that kind of examination of conscience: that the things we do reflect His place in our lives.

Adopted by God

All my life, I have felt like I was being judged against some plumb line and found wanting.  And just like Amos, God took me from teaching and set me a task to minister to his people.  Even then I have looked back to that plumb line wondering if I measure up.

But glory of glories, in our Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul says, “He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will.”  And I know what that means!

 

I have been on a journey since Christmas.  A journey of discovery, to find my family of origin.  All my life I have cared nothing about history.  If you mentioned history to me, my mind shut down, didn’t want to go there.  It held nothing for me, didn’t exist for me.  I was adopted when I was 11 days old.  That is the day history began.

 

So I have a basis for understanding what Paul is talking about when he talks about “adoption as children of God.”  I was adopted into a new family and loved and cared for as if I was their own.  It wasn’t until after Mom died, that God plainly told me that He was my father and called me into his household.  He also told me if I wanted to know about my family to read the Bible.  It was only then that history began to be important to me – and then only Biblical history.

 

Over the last 30 years, I have grieved the loss of the mother who gave birth and who gave me away.  I went through various stages of grief: anger, guilt, depression and finally acceptance as I acknowledged the calling God had placed on my life.  It is only recently that God has placed a longing in my heart to find closure, and I began my search not knowing if my birth mother was alive or dead. 

 

Over the past two months, as I petitioned the court to unseal my records and as I searched through the DNA matches, my thirst for history – my history – came alive.  Knowing my mother’s name was Lillie, and finding a positive DNA match for an uncle, I was able to identify my mother and track my family history back several generations.

 

Using the information gathered through Ancestry.com and internet searches, Sam and I left Thursday to search for my mother.  We came up dry on Thursday – no luck at all.  So we went to Palestine and spent the night with some old friends.  We visited and laughed and prayed and enjoyed the fellowship and support and encouragement we found there.

 

We went back on Friday to begin our search anew.  This is when all my skills learned through teaching math and being a police officer and pastoral care all came together.

 

I had already decided that my mother must be in a nursing home somewhere.  The first place we visited gave me a clue – we went to a nursing home in a different town and that is where we found her.  I was trembling as the nurse took me back to where “Miss Lillie” was having lunch with a friend.  The moment I saw her, I had no doubt that she was my mother.  I visited with her for about 10 minutes.  I doubt that she would remember it the next day, but it was monumental for me.  To be able to gaze at her and say, “This is my mother” was simply amazing.  This was a gift from God

 

As adult beings, we are formed by more than our DNA and our environment.  We are also formed by the love God pours out on us and our response to that love.  Here in this letter to the Ephesians we are reminded that we have been adopted into the family of God.  We are reminded that Jesus Christ died to redeem our sins.  Wisdom and insight are given that we might know the depths of his love.

Sometimes we are fighting issues involving physical, emotional or spiritual pain, or disabilities, or inadequacies. Sometimes it is hard to remember that God has a plan, and that plan includes us.  Sometimes it is hard to wait for the fullness of time in God’s plan.  We want to bull right ahead and force issues instead of waiting for God’s timing and God’s plan. Just like this search for my mother…  I had considered doing a DNA test, but just never seemed to get around to ordering the kit – the time wasn’t right, or maybe I didn’t want to open up that Pandora’s box – but then I was given a DNA test kit as a Christmas present from my son and daughter-in-law – and it was God’s timing.

Our lesson says, “when you have heard the word of truth. . .”  The word of truth as I visited with my mother was that this woman had given me birth, and then unselfishly given me up, so that I might be adopted into a particular family to grow up in the knowledge and love of God as demonstrated through that adoptive family.  The environment I grew up in and the church family I called home were instrumental in bringing me to where I am today.  

Our Psalm today begins, “I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. . .  Mercy and truth have met together.”  After the turmoil that has resided in my heart at times through the years, when truth was found, there was mercy also.  In the fullness of time, God has brought it together for me and I have seen his glory in the face of one who had the courage to bear a child and give her over to the Lord’s loving care.

I have believed in Jesus Christ and been sealed by the Holy Spirit and that’s all it takes.  God has a plan and a path for each of us to travel.  This is the pledge God gives us – we are redeemed by his blood, forgiven our sins, and adopted as full members of Christ’s body, co-heirs with Christ of the kingdom of heaven.

How compelling a message for a whole generation of children who have been "cut loose" by parents through adoption or divorce or misfortune, or simply those who have sprouted their wings and flown away! How amazing to remind ourselves that no matter what our family system may be, we are not alone – never alone, but have been adopted as precious children of the Creator of the universe, our gracious heavenly Father!   Amen

 

Lifted Up

From today's reading:  And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”  John 3:15

I'm sure the disciples were asking, "What is he talking about?"  All the way through - He gave his disciples hints about what was going to happen.  But things were going so well and they didn't want to think about any unpleasantness.  

On top of Mount Nebo in Jordan, is a cross made of a serpent on a pole remembering what Moses did in the desert:   "So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live."  Numbers 21:9

In the case of Moses - looking at the serpent on the pole was the cure for those bitten by serpents - they would look upon it and be saved.  In the same way, Jesus is the cure for our sinfulness - anyone looking upon the image of Jesus lifted up on the cross and believing in him will be saved.  As Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise."  Jesus says that to each of us -  
 

Like Nicodemus, many of us initially come to Jesus at night - when the world seems darkest, Jesus is the one who can shine light into our darkness - and Jesus is the one who can see us through that darkness and bring us out into the light.  He bids each of us to come - see him and trust him and know that he watches over us.  

They have no wine

The steward called the bridegroom and said, "Everyone serves the good wine first... but you have kept the good wine until now..."  Jesus did this, his first sign in Cana of Galilee.  John 2:9-11

I love this reading.  I connect with it on a number of levels, but one thing stood out this morning when I read the passage.  Jesus never did anything half-way.  He didn't make just a little wine, but had six stone jars filled - each holding 20 to 30 gallons.  That's a lot of wine - 120-180 gallons of wine,   This party could go on for days.  The other thing was the quality of the wine - it wasn't just wine, it was very good wine.  The steward was appalled that it had been saved for last when people were drunk and couldn't appreciate it.  Jesus shows an extravagance in providing for this couple whose party was about to come to an abrupt end.

Likewise our God is an extravagant God who delights in his creation and in those whom he has made.  He delights in providing for his children and in showing them mercy.  I occasionally thank God for a parking space or a green light and I remember a seminary professor who did not believe in "the God of the parking space."  I don't want to belittle God, or make us seem like puppets where every action is controlled by God.  That's not the way life is.  But occasionally, when something breaks your way, it doesn't hurt to remember that if God clothes the birds of the air (Luke 12:24), then He cares about the details of your life, too. 

Most loving Father, I give you thanks for the small ways you enter into my life.  Help me remember your loving presence in those times when life is tough, when things don't always go right.  The pat on the shoulder, the green light, the sudden awareness of time or place are daily reminders of your love.  Grant us the grace to be a blessing to others so that they, too, may become aware of Your presence in their life.  Amen.   

Epiphany - Wise men seek Him

Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, ,"  Matthew 2:1-2

Magi - wise men - astronomers - who were these men who came from the East?  And why did they care about this baby born in Judea?  Mystery surrounds this little tidbit of Jesus' life that appears only in the gospel of Matthew.  We don't even know how many there were, scripture doesn't say., only that there were three gifts given.

There is a reason for the saying, "wise men seek him, fools fear him."  And that might be the point of this passage of the gospel.  We are wise when we go out of our way to seek Jesus - for He is the one who can bring peace to our soul, and true meaning to our life.

Because God chose for Jesus to live life as a common man, He understands the trials and tribulations of the common person, the struggles we face every day.  Because Jesus lived as one of us, we can take our problems to Him and He will understand.

The Magi recognized that this child was special and they went out of their way to find him.  We are also called to go out of our way to find Jesus.  In one of my favorite cartoons, Family Circus, Billy is praying in church, he has his eyes closed and is picturing God on his majestic throne in heaven.  The next panel shows Billy kneeling at his bedside picturing Jesus as a baby in the manger, and Billy says, "It's a lot easier to pray to Baby Jesus that to God."  It is okay to see Jesus in whatever form is easiest for us to relate to; for me it's the teacher with dusty feet walking the road, touching the people and listening.

Lord Jesus come, fill our hearts and listen to our ramblings, for you are the one who cares.  Amen.

You are the potter...

From today's reading:  Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Our lessons for today are full of apocalyptic images – the heavens torn open, the mountains quake, the sun turning dark, the moon without light, stars falling from the heavens all speak of the end of time.

Yet even amid of these images of destruction, our lesson from Isaiah ends with “you are the potter, we are the clay, the work on your hand.”  This is a reminder that God created us and is intimately involved in our life.  A potter molds and forms each piece, and sometimes he crumbles it up and starts over to remake that which will be good, useful or beautiful.  He glazes it and fires it to make it strong.  God's presence and involvement in our life is the sign of his faithfulness

 

So even though we do things in this life that God disapproves of, he is faithful to guide us back into his presence, and through his son, Jesus Christ we are redeemed, forgiven and restored.  So this Advent, be watchful - keep alert to His presence, and seek opportunities to serve him in this world.

 

Lord, open my eyes that I might see you as you are present in my life and to proclaim your coming to a world in need of your love and mercy.  Amen.

 

Promises from God

Deut.34:1-12. The Lord showed Moses the whole land...  And said, "'this is the land of which I swore to Abraham,,, I will give it to your descendants'... But you shall not cross over there."

At bible study the other night, one person commented, "that's not very nice, to show him the land but not to let him enter into it."  I would like to argue that it was a very kind thing that the Lord did.  

When Moses began this journey with "the children of Israel," he was 80 years old.  After 40 years of wandering in the desert, he is now 120 years old.  It has not been an easy task of leading this collection of vagabonds.  He has argued with them, he has kept them in check, he has taught them to be a family and given them laws and rules to guide their behavior.  He has judged between them when disputes had divided them. And he has mediated between them and their God.  

As a parent with grown children, I can tell you that it is not easy raising a family and that is exactly what Moses did - for forty years.  (These days we hope our kids are out of the house in 20 years.). Moses is tired and as they approach the promised land, he knows the journey is almost over.  His job was to bring them here.  It will be some else's job to help them become established in the new land.  

As a parent, I can also tell you that more than anything, we want to know that our children are going to survive, that they are going to succeed in life.  We pour our heart and soul into our children and we want to know that they are going to be okay when we are gone.  That is the gift that God gives to Moses:  "you have been a faithful shepherd, doing your best to shape and form these your children.  This is the land they will inherit.  Well done, good and faithful servant."

Moses died there and the children of Israel entered the promised land under the leadership of Joshua.  As a parent, that is all we can do - give our kids the tools they need to live life to its fullest, and trust the Lord to be with them as they continue the journey.  Shalom.

Being good stewards in the vineyard

Based on readings from Matthew 21:33-46, Exodus 20:1-20, and Philippians 3:4b-14

I want you to think about what it is that you are proudest of in your life.  Is it something tangible?  A new computer or tablet, a new car, your house, your job, your grades in school, your spouse or kids?  Or might it be something subjective?  Your attitudes, or knowledge or a talent or ability, maybe your birthright or status in life or the community?  My husband always claims he’s proudest of his humility.  If you know what you are proud of, I want you to keep that in the back of your mind.

 

Our first lesson – Exodus 20 – the Ten Commandments is somewhat familiar.  The Ten Commandments were the firsts laws handed down from God on the Holy Mountain.  They can be divided into 2 groups that Jesus so tidily summed up  -  Love God, love your neighbor. 

 

The first group (commandments 1 – 4) tends to our relationship with God – the vertical.  Our covenant tells us our responsibility to God; we are to love God only; we are not to entertain or idolize other gods; we are not to use his name improperly and we are to spend time with him every week. 

 

This law about keeping the Sabbath is actually a bridge between the laws describing our relationship with God and our relationship with others.  It’s the beginning of how we are to live our lives here on earth.  We take time to rest – to re-create – to commune (or communicate) with God so that we can begin the new week with renewed vim, vigor and direction.

 

The rest of the laws have to do with our relationship with each other here on earth.  Honor your mother and father – they were co-creators with God in bringing you to life.  Without them, you would not exist.

 

You shall not murder, nor commit adultery, nor steal, nor bear false witness, nor covet anything belonging to your neighbor.  (Now I could spend the rest of the sermon elaborating on these commandments – but I’m not.)

 

Now, I admit that I have made fun of those 6 hundred 15 laws that a righteous Jew was supposed to follow.  When you think about it, a lot of those laws dealt with the same kinds of things that today’s laws deal with.  Would anyone here like to give a guess about how many laws there are in America today?  There are whole libraries dedicated to stating and explaining the laws that have been passed by the national and state legislatures.  The reason we have to have laws is because there are always people who are going to do things that end up hurting others – and without laws there would be chaos and anarchy. 

 

In a perfect world everyone would be kind and courteous to everyone else and we would need no laws.  Problem is we don’t live in a perfect world.  When I taught school, we usually ended up the year with many more rules than we started with – because each time a student would do something (that we had not anticipated) that injured someone or caused some kind of trouble or disruption, a new rule would have to be made.

 

At the first of this sermon, I asked you what kinds of things you were most proud of.  In our second lesson we hear Paul talking about the things he is most proud of…  He's proud for being a born and bred, card carrying, law-abiding Jew, righteous under the law – he makes a long list of all the things that as a Jew he has a right to be proud of.  Many of these qualities set him apart from the crowd and in Jewish circles placed him above the average person.

 

But Paul, following his conversion, has come to realize that it doesn’t mean anything.   He now understands that in the grand scheme of things, at the end of his life, it is not going to matter.  Paul has learned that it is the love of Christ that is of utmost importance and he declares that he doesn’t want the kind of righteousness that comes from pride and the law – but only that which comes from faith in Christ. 

 

And then we come to Jesus – and to one of those parables that is somewhat discomforting – an allegory that challenges us. 

 

I read a number of sermons expounding on how this parable makes sense to the people of that day – but it goes deeper than to say “oh, there were lots of absentee landlords in Israel at the time of Jesus...” The Hebrew people had a collective memory of their history and their scriptures.    In a way of explanation let me offer the following: 

 

If I were to begin, “Jesus love me, this I know,___”

How about “Holy, holy, holy. ______”

And “Amazing grace,  _________”

You folks know these – you’ve sung them over and over – now you have three tunes rolling around in your head.  That’s the same way the Jews were with the Psalms – they knew them because that was their hymn book, songs they sang over and over. *

 

Likewise you know many of the Old Testament Bible stories – as the first lesson was read, you might have thought of Charlton Heston standing on the mountain holding the tablets of the commandments.  If I were to mention, “the Garden of Eden” or  “Noah’s Ark,” you know what that is about – and an image probably comes to mind.   If I say, “Joseph and the many colored coat,” you know it – an image comes up - or David and Goliath.  Likewise this parable Jesus tells begins as a familiar story from scriptures. 

 

For the people Jesus was talking to (the chief priests and the elders and Pharisees), the image of a vineyard was that kind of thing – It‘s from Isaiah 5, and I’m going to quote it for you.  “Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard:  My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.  He dug it and cleared it of stones and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.”

 

This sounds very much like the parable we just read from Matthew.  It is a story about God – and the land he had provided for his people – with everything they needed for life – and the people are the grapes – not the good grapes God expected but wild (sour) grapes.  It was a song of the unfaithfulness of the people of God.

 

Now when Jesus tells this parable, it is not the produce itself that is found wanting, but those who have been given responsibility to tend the vineyard (the leaders).

 

The thing we find interesting as we examine this parable is the patience of God.  He sends his slaves to collect the portion of the harvest that belongs to him.  When the tenants beat one, stone one and kill one, the landowner doesn’t immediately rush in and punish the tenants.  He sends more slaves to collect the tithe owed to him, and the tenants treat them the same as they had the first. 

 

So the landowner sends his son, the heir to the property.  And the tenants seem to think they can kill him and then the property will be theirs.  Because they have worked the field and harvested the grapes, they have decided they are entitled to the entire harvest, forgetting that it was the owner who cleared the land, planted the fields and built the fence, press and tower.  We see the patience on the part of the landowner, for he is willing to give the tenants a chance to do the right thing – not just one chance, but multiple chances.  Notice that Jesus leaves the parable there – he does not complete it.  He poses the question, allowing the religious leaders to draw their own conclusions  -  and they do – out of their own flawed reasoning.   

 

Today is the beginning of our stewardship season, and this is a story about stewardship.  How well do we tend this corner of the garden that God has given us? As new tenants of the vineyard it means we are the ones responsible for producing new fruit and presenting it to God.  How are we going to be different from the original tenants?  It is now our turn to give back to God from what he has given to us. 

 

This says so much more about the way we are to live our lives and conduct our affairs. How do we tend our vineyard?  God created this wonderful place for us to live and he filled it with all good things – all the things that combined with the knowledge and wisdom and willingness to work – can be used to provide us with a really good life.  Are we careful with the things that God has given us?  Do we tend this vineyard and take care of those things which God has provided for us?  Do we give credit to God for those things which make our life worth living? 

 

So what kinds of stewards are we of those things that God has given to us.  Do we give back to him from the first fruits of our bounty?  Do we honor that which God has given us?  That’s a question that each one of us has to answer for ourselves. 

 

There was a time when Sam and I were “C and E’ers” – we only attended on Christmas and Easter – if we happened to be in
Alvin on those holidays.  God began working on each of us individually and eventually we moved back to Alvin and began going to church on a regular basis – every Wednesday night to choir practice and every Sunday to church.  And I have to say it was more about singing in the choir and making music than it was about worshiping God.   

 

I’d like to be able to say that there was some moment of enlightenment or inspiration that was the beginning of the change in me – but I don’t recall any.  I just know that somewhere along the way of faithful attendance, I quit watching the clock and started listening (really listening) to the sermons.  I started hearing things that rang true, that made sense, that inspired my imagination. 

 

And the first time they talked to us about filling out a pledge card, my reaction wasn’t really that great.  That was my hard earned money and we had a family to feed.  The first time I really remember Sam and I sitting down and talking about any real kind of “donation” was at a marriage encounter weekend.  It was a powerful experience of the love of God shone to us through other loving couples.  There was no upfront cost for the weekend, but one of the talks dealt with giving.  As Sam and I wrote about this separately and later talked about it, we both decided that we wanted to give – not only to cover our own costs, but also to cover the cost for another couple to attend.  Over the years I did work up to a tithe, but it didn't happen overnight.

 

As I've grown in the Lord, I have come to realize that God has indeed always given me the things I needed – he has found amazing ways to take care of me.  And I have found that if I return to him out of the bounty he has provided, he manages to do wonderful things with what I provide, regardless of size.   What we give to God should always be our response for the faithfulness of God to provide for us.  And what I have learned is that God’s faithfulness always trumps my own meager efforts.  Amen. 

 

 

* From a sermon by Randy L Quinn