A day of questions ...

      When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." So he went with him.
     And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
      While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
[Mark 5:21-43 NRSV]

      1) If you believed that your daughter was on the edge of death, would you beg "anyone" for help who just might be able to save her?
      2) If this "someone" said yes, would you be willing to be seen in public leading them to your house knowing that everyone would be talking about you behind your back and that it might even cost you your standing within your community?
      3) If you had been slowly bleeding to death and someone happened to be walking by you whom you "believed" had to power to heal others with just a single touch, would you be willing to reach out in secret to touch the edge of their clothing?
      4) If you then heard them asking who had touched them, would you be willing to expose yourself and your condition to everyone else within the community?
      5) If you had been present when this child, who was believed by everyone else to be dead, was awakened and began walking about, would you remain quiet and tell no one? Even if it was your child?

      When God, through the actions of others, touches our lives and brings us healing and hope, do we say that we are lucky? Do we tell everyone that God has come to our personal aid, or do we brag to everyone about our good fortune? When we see the kind and helping actions of others, do we understand that each one of us is called upon to be the very living and active hands of God in this world?

Change for a dollar ...

For if the eagerness is there,
      the gift is acceptable according to what one has
      — not according to what one does not have.
          [2^nd Corinthians 8:12 NRSV]

      In Paul’s second letter to the faithful community of Corinthians he is encouraging them to strive for what he calls "true faith." For Paul, and for many of us even today, the concept of true faith is found not in those who know all the correct words and practices. Rather true faith is to be found in those whose hearts have been opened to the point that they are willing to embrace and encourage those who may appear to be different.
      Some faith communities have become so "closed" that they believe that only they and their brothers and sisters are among those chosen by God for salvation. Some people are able to walk past those who are in need of help and encouragement. They do so because they believe that to reach out to the "other" is to defile themselves and therefor lose their place in God’s promised eternal reward. 
      For some of us the true Kingdom of God is seen when we reach out in love and compassion to those who are in deep need. I would encourage each and everyone of us who read these words to also visit the You Tube sight and watch a video that has made a great difference in my life. It might just help you see more clearly who are our sisters and our brothers, it is called "Change for a dollar": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DXL9vIUbWghttp://www.you

Steadfast Love Forever

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
Lord, hear my voice!
      Let your ears be attentive
      to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
      Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
      so that you may be revered.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
      and in [the LORD’s] word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
      more than those who watch for the morning,
      more than those who watch for the morning.
O Israel, hope in the LORD!
      For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
      and with [the LORD] is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
      from all its iniquities.
           [Psalm 130 NRSV]

      Most of us have warm memories of being deeply loved by either our grandparents or our mothers and fathers as very young children. However, for some of us as we grew up our parents may have become like the police who are constantly on watch for those who break the rules. If we did break one or more of their precious rules, then they would become the prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner all in one.
      Some individuals also have this same image of God. They do not believe in the loving and caring God who sent Jesus to teach us, guide us, and encourage each one of us to develop a truly deeper relationship with God and with each other. Some of them also do not believed that Jesus was willing to take on our punishment so that the "letter of the law" could be fulfilled and we could then be forgiven by God.
      The reality is that we either understand that there are those who do love us in spite of our short comings and failures, or we believe that no one is ever capable of loving another individual so much that they are truly capable of forgiving them. As for me, even when one of my grandchildren breaks a "rule" I’m more concerned about their safety that I ever am about weather they get punished. I truly do believe in God’s steadfast love, and I also believe that it is forever.

Compassionate Community

David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. 

Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
      How the mighty have fallen!
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
      In life and in death they were not divided;
      they were swifter than eagles,
      they were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
      who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
      who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
  How the mighty have fallen
      in the midst of the battle!
  How the mighty have fallen,
      and the weapons of war perished!
  [2^nd Samuel 1:17, 19, 23-25, 27 NRSV]

      How do we respond when a loved one has "passed away"?   It is never the same for everyone.   Each lose of a loved one is different and somehow unique and special.  Sometimes it can be a true blessing when our loved one has finally received blessed relief after their long term suffering with a terminal illness.   However, most often it is the tremendous and overwhelm grief of an immeasurable lose during an unexpected time.
      But for some of us the most painful and saddest services of remembrance have been the passing of an individual who has been forcefully taken from their loved ones as a direct result of battlefield engagements.   Most individuals who have served their country in the military have been changed in many ways, but also most of them have survived while growing stronger.   Some individuals have not survived their experience in combat.  While we honor their valor and their fortitude, we deeply grieve their pain, their suffering and their lose.   We should also remember that while those that have passed are now at rest in the loving arms of their Creator, those who have been left behind are still with us.   They are grieving their lose, and they should be offered our care and our compassion.
      If we are truly a caring and compassionate community of faithful worshipers of God, then we should be reaching out to all of our sisters and brothers who have lost loved ones. When an individuals within our community has suffered lose, then we need to reach out to them with the same compassion, understanding, and love that we would want for ourselves when it is our turn to say goodbye to a loved one.

Big things from small seed

     He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."
     He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
     With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.
[Mark 4:26-34 NRV]

      The example that Jesus is using in this parable is noteworthy because the seed of the mustard plant is indeed very small when compared to the size of most other commonly massive plants. As a general rule the seed of almost any plant is excessively smaller than the full grown adult plant. But then we can be sure that Jesus is not really talking to the people about the art of growing crops or plants. So what do I see in this lesson?
      Most of our social and religious practices begin as a simple tiny idea; a thought. This is how human society is developed or how a culture is altered. Thoughts and ideas are expressed and the community will either cultivate them or they will be rooted out. In every collection of humans (a society) there will be those who are most comfortable with the way that the society was structured in the past. They will guard their societal structure from change to the point of ripping out those who will not conform to the established rules. For them "no change is acceptable."
      The illustration that Jesus used was not a wild vine that would overpower and chock to death the natural environment, but rather he was talking about a plant that would truly add value to the established community. However, there are always those who want their fields and lands to be free of all other plants and ideas. They feel that they have the right to guard "their world" from change of any kind. But the real truth is that this is God’s world, and we will only be here for a short time.
      What changes within our "community / world" are we being challenged with? Are we so sure that the changes are going to allow the others to establish a better relationship with each other and with God? And if it is true that "Each day God is doing something new," then why are we so afraid of change?

Open wide your hearts

As we work together with him,
we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.
For he says,
     "At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
       and on a day of salvation I have helped you."
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!

We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you.
There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours.
In return — I speak as to children — open wide your hearts also.
[2^nd Corinthians 6:1-2, 11-13 NRSV]


     What does it really mean when we are asked to open wide our hearts? I’m sure that the author is not speaking directly to encourage any one of us to have "open heart surgery." I’m rather certain that what the author is trying to encourage those who read these words to do is to embrace those individuals who are around us; those whose paths have crossed ours.
     It has always been far to easy for humanity to form exclusive families, clans, or even nations. Many individuals have even been encouraged to gather into exclusive racial or ethnic communities. But it is my belief that the author of these words is encouraging all readers to remember that we are all a part of God’s creation. Be careful here, for I am not saying that there is not a special bound to be found within families, and I’m certainly not claiming that it is inappropriate to form a deeper relationship with individuals who share special bonds with us. Rather what I have heard this author tell us is that we should be careful about judging others before we really have a chance to know them.
     The ones who are different from us may also be able to help us understand the true depth of our own beliefs. Sometimes we may even be blessed by the talents and skills of those who are different from us. I know that there are individuals who "rub me the wrong way," but then I remember that I should stop and consider how often I have rubbed others the wrong way.

Stronghold for the Oppressed

                                    The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
                                               a stronghold in times of trouble.
                               And those who know your name put their trust in you,
                            for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
                                                        [Psalm 9:9-10 NRSV]

     For most of us, when we find ourselves being "oppressed," our first feeling is that we are the only individual who has been "singled out" for such belittlement, rejection, abuse, and true oppression. It is usually not until we have a chance to watch a good friend of ours also become the focus of such attacks that we begin to truly understand that the act of oppression is real, and that it’s not just us who is being attacked.
     If the another individual who is being attacked is different from us, then we ourselves might fall into the trap of joining the attacking force. Or we might just be thankful that they are not attacking us, and so we do nothing. But if we have come to understand that God is the true source of the power to resist such attacks, than we just might even find the strength to speak up in defense of the one being attacked. We might even find the will to help those who are attacking to learn that there is a better way for all of us to treat each other and especially those who are different.
     Yes, I do know about being someone who is different. When I was still in the elementary grades of school, I had a stuttering problem. By the time I was in Jr. High, I had stopped talk all together in public as much as I could. In Sr. High my speech therapist was able to help me overcome this condition. But while in the High School I once saw a kid having a problem with bullies. I just smiled, thanked God that it wasn’t me, and began to walk away. It was then that one of my closest friends reminded me of how I was bullied because of my stuttering. I turned around and told the bully to walk away. Since I was a "good" Tackle on the High School football Team, and four other team mates were with me ... he walked away. The victim thanked me, and ever since then I’ve noticed that maybe God was using me to help those who were be oppressed.

[Bullying Picture from www.SafeNetwork.Org ]

The challenge of Goliath ...

     It seems strange to not be preparing Bulletins for this coming Sunday’s service of worship, but then I’m retired now. So I’ll have to get used to it. Still, I’d like to share a few thoughts about the reading this week from the Hebrew Text [1^st Samuel 17;57-18:5, 10-16] ... the story of David and Goliath.
     Tradition tells us that the Army of Israel has been stalled upon the battlefield. A giant of a warrior has challenged any Israelite warrior to personal combat. None of the Israelite warriors is able to challenge Goliath, and so the Israelite must wait until someone is willing to come forward to confront this massive foe.
     Sometimes within our own lives we find ourselves challenged to stand up to either an individual or a task which seems to be far beyond our ability to handle or over-come. How is it possible for us to face a bully; someone who is mean spirited and yet massive in size, abilities, or wealth? Is it even possible for us to risk our own future or safety for the sake of defending someone else? This are only some of the real questions which race through the thoughts of an individual who is either confronted by or witness to a bully in action.
     We also know that there have been down through history individuals who have raised up to met the challenges. Some have done so in defense of themselves, but the most noted ones are those who have discovered the courage to face such challenges in the defense of those who could not defend themselves. We call this individuals heros, but the reality is that they are the ones who have answered the challenge given to all of so long ago ... do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
     If we were being challenged ... if we were being oppressed ... if we were being threatened, wouldn’t we want someone to help us? That’s what God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is asking us to do. We are expected to help each other ... all of our sisters and brothers.

“How Long will you carry that stone?”

This will be my last sermon with the Pottersville UMC and the RWJohnsburg UMC.  I am retiring from ministry.  It has been a honor serving here and with other congregations, but it is now time to rest.  It is time to allow the next generation to take on the task of leading worship.  I will continue to post my reflections and thoughts, but this should be my last offical sermon that I will be sharing.  May God continue to watch over you ... and now my final sermon:

The young man quietly steps up to the small lectern, the one reserved for the liturgist.  The large Bible is already open to the page from which he will read.  He takes a deep breath, most likely to calm himself before he begins to read from the scriptures.  He does not tell us what book he is reading from, nor are we told the chapter and verses; these will come later, when the pastor will share with us his thoughts on the scriptures.

“Early in the morning [Jesus] came to the temple.  All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them.”[i]  The young man’s voice is clear and strong, he seems to have practiced this reading many times.  While the young man is reading this passage, the pastor walks across the chancel and sits at the head of the steps while two men from the choir come to sit at his feet.

“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them.”  At this point the young man has to raise his voice for there is a commotion in the central aisle for the nave has become the scene of a brief drama.  Two ornately dressed men are dragging a woman who is desperately pleading to be released.  Behind them are several men carrying boxes.  They stop at each pew and begin handing out small rocks as the two men throw the young woman at the feet of the pastor.

“… [T]hey said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.’  Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women.  Now what do you say?”  Now I’m holding a stone in my hand and the choir has joined in with the two men passing out the stones.  Over and over they are saying “Stone her!  Stone her!”  When the last of the stones are handed out, everyone stops and looks at the pastor.

“They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him.  Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.”  As the pastor bends over and draws on the ground with his finger, the choir begins once again in a low voice which is close to a whisper, “Stone her … stone her … stone her …”

The young man’s voice is strong as he reads loudly part of the next verse above the choir’s chanting, “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, …”; the choir is silent now, the pastor slowly rises up and says in a clear voice, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

My hand aches, and it is then that I realize that the stone I’m holding in my hand is biting into my flesh.  I’m squeezing it as hard as I can and it has become hard for me to see.  I’m fighting back the tears that want to run down my face, and I know that their threat is not because of the pain in my clenched fist.

Just as the young man begins to read the next passage, I realize that there is not a sound in the entire sanctuary.  “And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.”  As the young man continues to read, the others, with the exception of the young woman, leave the stage.  “When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.  Jesus straightened up and said to her …”; the pastor now looks directly at the young woman and speaking with great warmth, “Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?”

In a small voice the young woman answers, “No one, sir.”

The pastor looks her deep in the eyes and says, “Neither do I condemn you.  Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”

As the woman quietly walks away; the pastor rises and steps to the center of the chancel.  He slowly looks at everyone in the congregation, and then asks all of us a profound question, “What are you going to do with your rock?”

During his time of reflection and proclamation he points out that John 8:2-11 is not a part of the Revised Common Lectionary, and he also points out that this congregation at this moment in time very much needs to experience this passage.  There are many thoughts that could be delved into using this story as a starting point: once again the religious leaders are testing Jesus and looking for a way to undermine his ministry among common people.  Maybe this story could be used as a beginning point to challenge the very concept of a male-dominated societal structure, or maybe this story could be used to reinforce the idea that only God has the right to judge people and their actions.

Our pastor chose to use this story and its dramatic presentation as the starting point for a discussion about holding on to a grudge.  The woman in the story was guilty of the crime charged against her, and the punishment called for was one that her society allowed at the time.  No one in this story came forward to claim that the woman was innocent.  Even the woman herself failed ever to claim that she was innocent.  In fact, at the end of the story Jesus tells her to go and sin no more.  She is indeed guilty of the crime charged against her, but Jesus does not believe that the punishment of being put to death is a fitting punishment in this case.  Maybe it’s about the woman herself, or maybe it’s because Jesus knows that the leaders were only asking for the death sentence because they wanted to be able to trap Jesus.  Either way, Jesus has once again decided that he would rather hope for the future and therefore be willing to extend mercy and love into the present.

We are asked to think about how we may sometimes hold onto a grudge when we feel that someone who has done something wrong seems to be “getting away with it.”  He points out that there are even some people who take such great joy in making it their personal “business” to see to it that the guilty ones are punished.

The pastor is right when he points out that even when the guilty are punished, the wrong is never removed; all actions have consequences, and the past can never be undone.  But he also points out to us that there is nothing even more important to come to grips with.

As I hold that stone tightly in my hand; as I contemplate at whom I will symbolically cast my stone, I can hear the pastor reminding us that when we pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples we use the words, “and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”  Now the stone in my hand has taken on a new meaning.  No longer is it an object of weight to be used as a weapon against another; now its weight is reminding me of the countless times that I have failed to keep myself from sinning.  How can I refuse my brother or sister the forgiveness that I have so ardently begged God for?

The pastor is right.  This congregation, at this time, is deeply in need of hearing this message of forgiveness.  We are not only in need of personal forgiveness, but we are deeply in need of understanding that we have been called to forgive each other.  There is still more to hear from the pastor.  He is reminding us that there is a relationship between forgiving and loving.  It is easy for us to forgive those whom we love, and it is a sign of love when we forgive the other.

In my pocket today, I still carry a small stone.  At the start of each day, I pick up the many objects that I will place in my pockets.  Among them I find a small stone, and I am reminded to pray for the strength and the wisdom to forgive those people I see sinning that day.  Later, when I reach into my pocket for a coin or my keys, I will find that same small stone and I will be reminded of this special sermon and the love that we are challenged to show to each other.  At the end of the day, I will remove the many small items from my pockets and place them on my dresser.  Among them will be this small stone, and it will remind me to pray that I will never cast my judgment upon another.  Maybe your stone can do the same … and it might even remind you that you have been forgiven.

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[i] John 8:2-11 – The New Oxford Annotated Bible NRSV.  New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

A house divided will not stand …

In our reading this morning from the Gospel of Mark (3:20-35) we heard Jesus telling those who had gathered around to hear him share his teachings and his thoughts, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”[1]  Now at first blush this seems to be an all too simple statement that is so very obviously true, however I am going to ask that we look a little deeper into this thought during this time of reflection.

Jesus and his disciples have attracted such a large crowd that even the scribes have come down from their seats of power within Jerusalem just to deal with this “outsider” who has somehow gathered crowds larger than their’s were.  The scribes have decided that if they are to turn the crowds away from Jesus and back to themselves, then they will have to directly attack the credibility of Jesus himself.  In the presence of the crowd they clearly state the claim that Jesus is only able to cast out demons because he has within himself Beelzebul.  They have claimed that Jesus himself is working with the Devil.

Rather than choosing to either ignore them or to simple deny their claims, Jesus speaks directly to the issue by pointing out that even the Devil is not so incompetent as to work against his own directives.  Jesus also very subtly redirects their attack by pointing out that if someone wants to attack the holdings of a strong man, then they first must tie him up in a manner which will keep him from defending what is rightfully his.

Jesus then turns the attack directly against the scribes by pointing out that all manner of sin can be forgiven.  However, those who attack and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit are guilty of an eternal sin that can never be forgiven.[2]  In this encounter with the scribes, we do not hear any other response from them.  The dialogue now shifts to the real meaning of family.

The mother of Jesus has come with the brothers and sisters of Jesus.  They are not able to directly get close to Jesus and so they call out to him.  When those who are gathered around Jesus hear their calling, they tell Jesus that his family is calling out to him.  The answer that Jesus gives may at first seem disturbing. 

In all honesty, I know that I am hard-wired to the sound of my mother’s voice and my sister’s voice; if they call out to me … I will respond.  In fact, during our time of worship I always make sure that my cell phone is turned off.  However, right after our time of worship I will check for missed calls, but during our time of worship my attention is focused on God and you.

But once again Jesus has another point to make in this encounter.  Jesus is dealing with what many of us call “a teachable moment”; for there is now an opportunity to advance a deeper understand of the truth in the lessons he has been teaching.  It is my personal belief, and the belief of may others, that we as Christians are part of a family.  And that means that each one of you here is a sister or brother to me.  You are not some stranger who should be challenged, questioned, or feared.  You and I are supposed to be a part of the Family of God, and as such we should always be offering each other the gifts that we share within our biological families.  We should deeply care for one another.  We should honestly respect one another.  We should truly share with one another.  When one of us is hurt, we should cry with one another.  When one of us is blessed, we should celebrate with one another. 

Will we always agree with one another?  I doubt it.  My own sister hardly ever agreed with me.  My own children do not always agree with me.  But the true reality is that we are still deeply in love with one another.  The true reality is that we look forward to seeing one another.  I am looking forward to the promise that Paul gave in his second letter to the Corinthians; “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”[3]  I am looking forward and praying to be with all of my brothers and sisters in the presence of God.

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[1] Mark 3:24-25 NRSV

[2] Mark 3:29 NRSV

[3] 2 Corinthians 5:1 NRSV