John 18: 33-37 Two Kingdoms and the importance of Location.

            Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: Amen!

            What is the most important part of buying a house? It is the same word three times. The most important consideration that I have heard is “Location, Location, Location!” That makes sense, we want to be in just the right place when it comes to where we live. We want to be in that place that suits our needs. Some people like to live in the city…feel the hustle and bustle, attend events, and be able to get around fairly easy. Some of us like living in the suburbs where it is quiet. There are some stores but not too many. It might take a little while to drive to get somewhere. There are many factors that go into finding that one perfect…or near perfect place to live.

            Today’s reading of John speaks of a particular place…a kingdom, in fact. Jesus has been arrested, really the term is handed over, and he is take to Pontius Pilate. The chief priests take Jesus to Pilate, the Roman Authority thinking that if they tell them that Jesus says he is King, then Pilate will step in for Rome because Rome is in control of the region and any threats to the Roman Empire will be dealt with. So, Jesus is taken here in the hopes that the Romans will deal with him.

            Pilate asks Jesus that all important question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” It is an important question with many implications, depending on how Jesus will answer. What really got me thinking this past week is Jesus’ statement “my kingdom is not of this world…” His Kingdom is not of this world! Some of you might be asking why this would astound me! It seems like a “no brainer,” doesn’t it? Some of you might be thinking that, of course, it is a no brainer because Jesus is the Son of God, right! That is so simple that even our young people could get that one!

            But sit and really think about what that means. Jesus, a King, has a kingdom somewhere else…not of this world. What other world is there. And I am sure you might be saying, duh, pastor, ITS HEAVEN!!!! If we are to look at it in the black and white terms, it would be an easy answer. There are two kingdoms, the one on earth and the one in heaven. Pretty cut and dry; you have this one kingdom here and the other one up there.

            But like all things, it is not as simple as it sounds. It is not simple because we recognize Jesus as God’s Son, right? Our Gospel of John tells us who Jesus is: “in the beginning was the Word…and the Word became flesh.” We have a Trinitarian faith; meaning, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, right? This whole thing becomes complicated because Jesus, God’s Son, is in this Kingdom. Jesus is not in some far off Kingdom. Jesus is here, in the flesh, right?

            The mere presence of Jesus in this world brings that, what seemed to be far off kingdom, into this world full of earthly kingdoms. Jesus is in the world. That line or whatever the border was between the two kingdoms is no more. There is no border because Jesus is in the world. This is where the two kingdoms intersect; that kingdom that seemed so far off is now in the world.

            But what does it mean? For the people of Jesus’ time, there were these two kingdoms. God was in this far off place and basically said, “Hey, I am giving this to you to take care of. Here ya go!” And almost from the very beginning it went downhill from there. The humans…the people that God put on the planet began doing things for themselves. God talked to them and gave them laws to follow, told them what to do, and gave them food to eat when it seemed like they would starve. Some people became powerful rulers and started abusing their power. They believed that God gave them the power and in the Roman’s case the leaders thought they were elevated to the status of God.

            The people living under this power were not treated very well. We know the story of Cane and Abel. One exerted power over the other. Stories keep going like that of rulers keeping the people in line and the people crying out to this far off God. It seems fair that they would think that God is far off and they might wonder if God is even hearing them at all!

            That is where this other Kingdom intersects the earthly kingdom. Jesus is now in the world. He brings this Kingdom into the world of earthly. This kingdom that he brings is something very different than what people are used to. Because, in this kingdom that Jesus is from is the heavenly kingdom. It is a kingdom that brings healing. Healing for those who have cried out to the Lord for their prayers to be heard. Healing for those who are suffering from starvation. He brings healing for those who are considered unworthy of God’s love (by human definition), and he brings the gifts of mercy and forgiveness. It is the mercy…God’s mercy for everyone who seeks to know God and want to be a part of God’s kingdom.

            And, of course, there is forgiveness…God’s forgiveness that is offered. Jesus is pointing out that God’s forgiveness is offered to all who seek it; whether it be the oppressed or the oppressor, This Kingdom that Jesus is the king of is one that allows and invites all to God’s table of forgiveness. We know that to be true because of the communion table which we are all invited to receive that forgiveness. This Kingdom of Jesus is offered to the people of Jesus time and place who are crying out to the Lord and who seek God to be with them.

            This Kingdom of Jesus intersects with us as well. We know all the things going on in the world. We are reminded, every day, of people wielding power, abusing their positions, hurting each other…neighbors, family members, friends. I am sure we have all experienced that hurt and pain in our lives, at one point or another. And it is not easy living in this earthly kingdom. Sometimes we have to make tough choices! Sometimes, we are the ones doing the hurting.

Today, this other kingdom that Jesus speaks of is with us just as it was with the people of Jesus’ time. We are witness to this dialogue between Jesus and Pilate, we cry out to the Lord for God’s intervention in our own lives in some way shape or form. We listen to God’s word through the words and actions of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. That same mercy and forgiveness is offered to us and for us. It is offered to others just as it is offered to us. We spend time in this world that Jesus talks about in our worship and fellowship times, our ministries, Sunday school, bible study, choir…you know those places where we lift one another up in support and prayer, fun and laughter and tears and hugs.

            The kingdom that Jesus talks about is in the here and now. They intersect through our baptism, and through the sacrament of Holy Communion. It is the Kingdom of God’s love and protection, God’s Kingdom of grace, mercy, and healing. AND, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ it is the kingdom of eternal life. The question can then become, “which kingdom do you want to spend most of your time?” Location, Location, Location: Amen!

Mark 12:38-44: Giving your whole life to God! It can be scary, but oh, so rewarding!

            This past week we had an incident in our home that to some may be considered devastating and for one of us it was. I told you in a sermon a few weeks ago that my wife has certain areas of expertise in our marriage; specifically, that she was the keeper of the calendar for the family (in addition to her church calendar, all appointments, and meetings); and I was…key word…was the technology person in the house. Ever since she got her new phone which is the same phone (Android) operating system that she had before, our calendars would not sync. We used to be able to look at our phones and see each other’s calendar and life was good.

            This past week, I decided to take a look at why it was not working. I went into my phone and I would look at things and then go to her phone and look at the same things. I got to this one step of deleting what is called cache memory. I deleted it on my phone first and nothing happened, so I did the same with hers. Then I got to this one other part of memory. I got a warning on her phone and mine, so I decided I would try it on my phone. Deleted the memory and my calendar was still there with all the stuff still on it…sounds okay right? Do you know what is coming next…That’s right! I deleted it on her phone and her entire calendar disappeared! Every appointment was gone! Gone! Usually it saves it all to our Google account calendar, but her phone didn’t. Everything was gone! Needless to say things were a little tense around the Litton household for a few days trying to figure out how to get all this back…if we could get any of it back.

            I believe that this story in our lives relates directly to our Gospel reading this morning. In particular, this story of the widow in the temple. Jesus is watching people put money in the Temple treasury. It was a part of what they did and who they were. He watched as rich people put their money into the treasury and everything was going along smoothly; until he saw this “poor widow.” When she comes up, Jesus takes notice! So much so, that he calls the disciples to come over because there is a lesson here, there is something to teach them something. Jesus sees it as more than a teaching moment. To Jesus it is an incredible witness to something much bigger.

            To get to that something bigger, we have to look back at the beginning of this Gospel reading. Jesus tells the disciples to “beware of scribes in Long robes…” and to be honest this passage can make some of us who wear white robes in worship a little nervous. These scribes and people who wore the robes were in a position of authority. They were born into their positions as priests and scribes. As we talked in our bible study this past week, these were not people called to their vocation, they were born into it. They obeyed set the rules and dictated who was in and who was out. There was an expectation that they were given high places of honor. It opened up the door to some abuses by the very people born into those positions. It opened the door to some being treated less like valued human beings and God's children.

            With all that in the background, here is this woman coming up to the treasury to put in these two coins! It might sound like we would want to prevent her from doing that, doesn’t it. We know the back story on these priests and scribes and we might want to tell her to keep it because she will need it more than the temple. We might think we are being compassionate to her to say, “Stop! They are just going to waste it!” We might even want to think that she is not smart for putting these coins in! After all, it is her life savings! It is all she has! After she does this, there is no more! “All she had to live on,” Jesus says. If we believe that is exactly what we would say to her and try to prevent her from giving, then we are missing the bigger picture as well.

            The bigger picture is not that she gave two coins into the treasury. The bigger picture is that she gave her entire life, not to the treasury, but to God. She was a faithful woman who, regardless of her wealth or poverty, gave her entire life over to God! Those two coins were only the symbol of who she was. She had more than two coins to give in her worship of God. She was more than money. She was a living, breathing child of God. She was a person who had a heart, who had blessings, who made mistakes, who had some down times as well as good and she gave it all over to God.

            This bigger picture is realizing what exactly it was that she put into that treasury. It was her body and soul, it was her heart…her life, death, and everything in between depended and rested on God because it was given to God. It did not matter what some in the temple would do with what she put in because that wasn’t the point. The point was that her entire life was given over to God and relied upon God’s promises to her. She would now have to rely on God for everything.

            I don’t know about you but it sounds like she has put herself in a pretty vulnerable position! It is a pretty vulnerable position when you have to rely on others for everything. My wife felt extremely vulnerable when all those calendar dates disappeared! It is a helpless feeling to have that important aspect of your life…those things that you are so responsible for and feel that responsibility suddenly gone is not a good feeling. I don’t know if you have ever experienced vulnerability, but it can affect your trust in others, decision making processes can be called into question, and can cause us to do things we normally would not do.

            While a calendar does not compare to one’s entire life, it is an example of the vulnerability that we may have experienced in our lives. In contrast, imagine doing that with your entire life. Imagine taking everything you are…I am not even talking about money…just who you are; every breath you breathe, every word you say, food you eat, decisions you make…all of who you are and say “I am giving all this over to you, God. It yours and I will do with it what you ask. I rely on you to guide me in everything I do.”

            That is not an easy thing to do. There are parts of our lives that we want to control. We want to have control over some aspects of our lives. Sure there are some easy things we can give over to God. But it is not easy to give everything over to God. It is not easy because it means that we have to give up control. It means we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to what God wants us to do and to spend time with God, getting to know ourselves (warts and all) to acknowledge our gifts and acknowledge where we fall short. It means allowing ourselves to be vulnerable to call ourselves sinners AND knowing that God’s Son, Jesus died for our sin. It means allowing ourselves to acknowledge that amid Christ’s death on the cross is the promise of God’s forgiveness and that we are to live out that forgiveness with one another.

            This “poor woman” shows us how blessed we really are. Despite her poverty, she teaches us all the promises of God that God works through all of us to teach us of the love of God, the uneasiness of vulnerability, the power of forgiveness, and God’s promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. AMEN!

All Saints Day: John 11:32-44 Anger amid promise

            This past week while my wife and I were at the Gym, a gentleman who knows we are pastors and who talks to us quite a bit asked a question. Up to this point, he has never engaged us in religious questions, but as we are exercising, it happened! He said “Can I ask you all a bible question?” I have to be honest that these are some of the times that pastor’s live for. We get all excited about the question that is to come. I am about to pass out because the amount of exercise we do on Mondays but I perked right up, waiting for this question.

            I was not disappointed by the question. He said, “Is it in the bible that God does not give you anything you can’t handle?” Now, if you are in a room full of pastors, you would see people wanting to chime in immediately. It can look pretty amusing but there were the two of us and I must say that I was quiet for a moment. This question called for a time to think, first before speaking.

            This question has a lot to do with today’s Gospel reading and this particular day that we celebrate; All Saints Day. Our Gospel reading begins with Mary confronting Jesus. Mary is not happy; she is grieving, obviously! She wants Jesus to know that in her grief there is anger. The statement that she makes is that she knows that if Jesus would have been around, Jesus could have prevented this death! To be clear, Mary is a woman of faith. This is the same Mary who washed Jesus feet with perfume and dried his feet with her hair. She knew what Jesus has done in the past; and her faith tells her what Jesus could have done…had he been there.

            I think what is important in this passage is Jesus’ reaction. Jesus saw her weeping. He saw her grief and he saw the grief of everyone else that was with her. Jesus reaction was not to punish her, or say words to her that would put her in her place. JESUS was “greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved.” That is putting it a little politely. Our English translation does not do Jesus reaction Justice. The Greek words are the same words used to describe anger. He wasn’t deeply moved, Jesus was angry! Imagine, the Son of God angry!

            So why would Jesus be angry? Was Jesus angry because of Death? What was death to Jesus and the people of his time? Death was the end. There was nothing after death; all the people knew was that when there was death that was it…nothing more or less. Death seemed to be more of a punishment because it was the end. It was almost like Satan had control over death because of its finality! Look at what death did to Lazarus’ family. This death tore the family and friends apart. Look at their faces! They are weeping and wailing. They feel the sense of loss, this hole in their heart where Lazarus once occupied space is now gone.

            So, Jesus is angry about all this. He is angry because of the finality that Mary and Martha see. He is angry at the appearance of Satan having control of death; AND, he is angry at how death tears apart the family. He is angry at seeing the pain on their faces, the tears that are being shed for their loving friend and brother. He is angry because Jesus is not only fully Divine…fully the Son of God, but he is also fully human; sharing the emotions of God’s children for the loss of a friend.

            He is so moved that we read a little further that “Jesus weeps.” Jesus’ emotions well up in him and he experiences the same loss that Mary, Martha, and all his friends experience. HE feels the hole in his heart, the memories that he shared with Lazarus, for now, are only that…memories.

            But Jesus does not get consumed with his grief and the grief of others. Jesus goes to the tomb. He wants to go in and Martha says that Lazarus has been dead for four days. It is important to know that Jewish customs believed the soul left the body after three days and he has been gone four days; so, there is no way he is coming back. And she tells him that the stench is there because he has been dead for four days. Jesus does not let that stop him. Jesus enters the tomb and is going to show Martha the Glory of God that was promised because of her faith. He prays and lets out his cry for Lazarus to “come out!”

            By God’s glory and the love of God Lazarus emerges from the tomb. “Unbind him and let him go,” Jesus says. This death of Lazarus that seemed so final, is no longer final. Death that seemed to be controlled by Satan has lost that sting, and that hole that was once in the heart is no longer. Those tears wept for a dead man are now tears of Joy in his raising.

            I think we can relate in some ways to this Gospel. We know what it is like to lose a loved one. We have lost people special to us. We have felt that hole in our hearts, we have experienced the physical and emotional pain of loss. We have been through all these emotions that come with the loss of a loved one. We feel it when we lose members of our congregation as well.

            So I go back to the question asked by the Gentleman this past week. “Is it in the bible that God only gives us what we can handle?” The question implies that if we lose a loved one that God, somehow, thinks we can handle it. It even implies that God would allow this to happen because we “can handle it.” That is not the God that I know! We have here in our Gospel reading a display of Jesus being angry because of death, because of the pain that it causes in those that are left behind. We see Jesus, the Son of God weeping just as we weep for our loved ones, weeping for the memories left behind when we would much rather have the person. This also means that getting angry is normal.

            While we do experience the emotions and physical pain of loss; we witness God’s promise displayed that death is not the end. Jesus went into that tomb where death was present and smelly. He went face-to-face with death and refused to allow the sting of death to be the last word. Through Jesus, God promised to remove the stench and darkness of death and bring new life. God’s promise of life is first witnessed here in this tomb of Lazarus; but it will be promised to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the promise of being released into new life…unbound by the sting and stench of death to experience all of God’s glory, love, and light.

            Today, we celebrate all the saints who have gone before us. Especially those who have joined the heavenly choir within the past year. We do not presume to take away the pain and sadness of their loss. We celebrate their life of ministry, their life of love and light in our lives and in God’s Kingdom here on earth. It is the day where we mourn the loss, but fondly remember their impact on our lives, the funny stories, quirks, sayings; but most importantly we remember how much they are loved by God and by us. And, we do look to the day when we will be at the great banquet together that has no end…AND there won’t be any need for gyms or diets: Amen!

            

Mark 10: 32-45, Weakness and Strength; The cross...more than a symbol!

            I have to confess that I added three verses in to this Gospel reading for today. Typically, we would only be reading verses 34-45. I added the first three (32-34) for a very important reason. If we don’t hear those first three verses, then we cannot get to the cross. Meaning, these first three verses place Jesus and his disciples in a very important location on their journey.

            They are on the road to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is South of where most of Jesus ministry takes place. Jerusalem is the place of the temple. It is the place where the pilgrimage is made to the temple to worship God; AND it is the place where Jesus will be arrested. And on this road, Jesus tells them the story that we and they have heard before. “The Son of man will be handed over…” We have heard the story before. He told the disciples this two other times.

            But there is something more to this story than the other two. Jesus is a little more graphic when he proclaims his impending death and resurrection. Jesus says, He will be condemned to death, he will be mocked, spit upon, flogged, killed, and then be raised,” on the third day. It is more graphic then the other times. It raises the question as to why this is so important that Jesus needs to be so graphic.

            There is a good reason for Jesus being so graphic. After telling the disciples the first time Mark 8:31), Peter tries to rebuke Jesus…doesn’t want to hear it. The second time he tells the story (Mark 9:31), the disciples are arguing about who is the greater disciple. So now we are at the third time. I could imagine Jesus is a little exhausted of them not getting it, but his third telling is telling the disciples and us just how big a deal, how important this really is. Jesus is saying that this is not something to just glance over, but he is telling us all to “take it seriously!”

            It is often said among teachers that in order for a student to comprehend something, they have to be told several times…the same message several times; in the hopes that it finally sinks in and the student is able to grasp the information. We know here that it does not necessarily work. We know that because, now, James and John want seats of privilege. They want to sit by Jesus side, “one on the left and one on the right.” It seems like these disciples just don’t get it!

            There is a reason that they don’t get it. They are products of their world and their culture. Let’s look at what it is like in their time. First, they are occupied by the Romans. The Jewish people are not a free people. In fact,,, they are located in the geographic center of the known world. They are, literally, in between two massive empires. They are always being conquered by a group from the North then a group from the south. This particular time it is the Romans. They are not free to live by their own rules.

            They are under the thumb of the Romans who wield the power. Power…an interesting word. Last week, I spoke that having stuff meant power, wealth meant voice, and these things were not used for the good of all people. Power was used over people. It was used to oppress people. It was a way for some to get what they wanted while others suffered. Wealth, voice and power were strength. If you did not have any of those, you were nobody; you weren’t worthy of the time of day; let alone being treated fairly.

            So the disciples and the people of that culture may not have expected Jesus to say what he said. With the understanding of how power worked and how it was used, it would take a mighty powerful person, a king…a Messiah to come in with all the power and force needed to overcome this occupier. They would be right in visioning a “Lord” who would use opposite and overwhelming power to come in and just obliterate the Romans. It would seem to make sense!

            This Messiah Jesus does not fit any of that vision. Jesus tells them that he…the Son of Man, will undergo this degrading death. Jesus will not bring an army, but will be handed over. Jesus will undergo mocking (who does that to a King?). He will undergo flogging (that is not fitting for a King), and be beaten, spit on, and killed. Jesus will become a victim of this oppression, power lorded over and be killed. What is the point to all of this?

            Jesus is telling the disciples that the culture that they are used to is not God’s culture. He is teaching them that the power does not rely on how much one can be oppressed. Power is not about who has more wealth or stuff than the other person. It is not about how small we can make people feel because they don’t fit the standards of the culture; Jesus is teaching us all that the worldly culture is not God’s culture.

            Through his teaching, Jesus shows us that God’s culture is caring about our fellow brothers and sisters. It is not about who gets to sit where so that they can wield power; but it is in the service to others where God and God’s culture is truly experienced. When the Israelites were freed from captivity, God did not send an army to obliterate Pharoah’s people. God did put up barriers so that the Israelites could get away free from that bondage of captivity. In times when it looked like they would be consumed by war, God served God’s chosen people by protecting them.

            Jesus, God’s son continues God’s culture of serving. HE does this through teaching about God’s love, he shares meals with people who are considered unclean and outcasts. He heals the sick, raises the dead showing God’s compassion to all of God’s children and creation. Jesus shows that this life of service in God’s name, does not allow the power that they “think” they want; because service to God’s children and God’s creation goes against the very foundations of the earthly kingdoms.

            SO, what is the point to all of this? First, it is to show that God calls us all in service to one another. Serving in God’s name is not easy because it means that all who serve in God’s name will go against what the world thinks is the show of power; or the use of power. It means that God’s call is one where we may encounter the harsh words or actions of the community and the world.

            Secondly, we are shown that the cross means strength. While Jesus must and will go through this suffering and then be nailed to a cross, it is for God’s good reason. It is the reason of a ransom. We have heard this word before. In television shows we know the ransom that is to be paid in order for someone to be released. We tend to look at the ransom as the “price” that is to be paid. However, in this text, the ransom is the actual freeing. Through Jesus shameful death on the cross we can find strength in that Jesus’ death on the cross is actually our being released…our being redeemed so that we do not have to give in to the perceived cultures of the day. SO that we know that God’s power is in releasing us from the bondage to sin. It is God’s way of showing us the grace and love of God. It is God’s showing us that God’s power in this cross (this degrading way of death) and the flogging, mocking, and killing of Jesus is humbling knowing that it was done for us; but also strengthening in knowing that God went to this extreme to show us how loved we really are.

            There is strength in knowing that God will not and does not let this be the end of the story; for in this death comes the promise of everlasting life. In this action is God’s strength showing us that death does not have the last word; but that it is God who has the last word: AMEN!

Mark 10: 17-31 What is lacking? a tough question to ask.

            Okay, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You know what time of year it is. It is that one time of year when budgets are being prepared, the finance committee is doing its work, the council is getting ready for the annual meeting; so, let’s talk about the dreaded “M” word: that’s right, I am talking about Motivation!

            This is typically a reading that can be used when we talk about planning for the upcoming year. It is the story of this person who asks Jesus “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Up to this point we don’t know anything else about him, other than his question is a serious one. We know that his question is serious because Jesus does not challenge him on the question. Jesus does challenge him on the title of “Good” teacher. That can send us in a whole different direction, but for now, let’s concentrate on this man asking the question.

            What we know about him is that through a major part of this story, he is keeping all the laws. He is keeping the commandments; honoring his parents, not stealing, not committing adultery, not “defrauding”… he is doing all the good things and by his own admission, “I have kept these laws since my youth,” he says. Again, Jesus does not challenge this man’s righteousness. He truly wants to know what it is that he has to do to “inherit eternal life.” This is a serious person with a legitimate question!

            So what does he have to do? “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,” Jesus says. You lack one thing…have you noticed which commandments that Jesus rattled off in his question to this man? Jesus asked him about commandments four through ten. The first three, which are about our relationship with God, were never mentioned. This man’s relationship with God never entered the conversation.

            I would suggest that the focus of the conversation is entirely on this man and what he has or has not done. It seems pretty simple. I have kept these seven commandments, I have done my part, and so what do I have to do next to make sure that I can have eternal life! We know, after Jesus’ response that this man has built up wealth. “He had many possessions,” scripture says. Having stuff and wealth was big in those days; if you had stuff you had position and you were noticed. IF you had wealth, you were sought out and you had a voice. It meant that you had status and status defined who you were.

            Jesus is not making it easy for this rich man. He is not making it easy, because amid this wealth, status, and voice; Jesus is telling him to go, sell, and give to the poor! That is not so easy to do. Just give all this up! All this that I have worked so hard for… “You want me to give up everything I worked so hard to keep?” All that focus on maintaining his stuff and acquiring his wealth…his identity…all that is supposed to be sold and given away! That goes against what the world and what society still holds to be true. Money and stuff does mean status, voice, power, and identity! We know it and we see it. We also see how hard people work to keep their stuff…we work hard to keep our stuff because we earned it, worked hard for it, and dag gone it is ours.

            So what is this one thing that the rich man lacked? The first three commandments were never mentioned. “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other Gods. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your Lord God. Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy.” What this man is lacking is a relationship with God. This man’s motivation was on keeping the things he had; to the point where his relationship with God had suffered. His motivation for status, wealth, and identity put up a barrier that blocked him from his relationship with the God who created him.

            We have something very much in common with this rich man. The more things change, the more they stay the same. We can relate to this man in the things that we have worked for. We have things in our life that become barriers to our relationship with God: our status, our position (or keeping our position at work), employment concerns and making sure we can provide for ourselves and/or families, broken relationships…we know all the kinds of things that can keep us from experiencing a full and faith-filled relationship with God as individuals, and as the church. 

            In the church we experience declines in attendance. We live in a world that in many cases wants to deny the existence of God. Many churches have building issues, struggling ministries, and so many other things that can distract us from our relationship with God. We, as church, can become so motivated about the preservation of the institution of church that we may not see that the community is changing, the needs of the community are changing, and we find ourselves lacking that “one thing.” This is not uncommon, but it is also not something to take lightly.

            We need to remember that in order to inherit eternal life, someone still has to die. Jesus Christ went to the cross; that alone, is not a place of wealth or status. Crucifixion was a cruel way to die. I was considered degrading and a place of example. Meaning, if you step out of line, this will happen to you and you will be shamed! Jesus went to that cross so that we will be inherit eternal life. For it is through the death AND resurrection of Jesus Christ that God’s promise of eternal life is given to us.

            It does not mean that we are to rely on that alone. For instance, it does not mean that we run around and expect that because of this then anything goes, “and God already gave it to me, so I am good to go.” That is what Dietrich Boenhoeffer defines as “cheap grace.” God’s grace was not cheap. It was at the expense of God’s only son, Jesus. And it was for you and me.

            It can be a “motivational factor” in how we live out our lives as individuals, as children of God, and as the church. It is not an easy question to ask ourselves, “What do I lack?” It is not an easy question for the church to ask of itself. It is not easy because it causes us to go into some history, which might be great and make us want to go back to that point. It may also mean we re-visit some struggles; but the point is not to dwell in them, but learn from them!

            The point is that we stay motivated on the cross and our relationship with God. We remain in communication with God in our prayer life and in our asking, God what do you call us to do? Help lead us and guide us in those times when our motivation is lacking, when our faith is struggling…when we get caught up in our own stuff that takes our focus off of God’s calling for us in the world. We motivate each other in our faith lives together to help each other through the tough times and celebrate the Good times. AMEN!

            

Genesis 2:18-24 "It is not good for man to be alone..." "ish" (man) and "Isha" (Woman)

            I want to point out to you something that is glaringly different in this story of the creation of Adam and Eve or as it is called in the Hebrew the Story of “Ish (man) and Ishah (woman).” In the very beginning of Genesis, there was the creation story. All the things that God created and the verse would end with the phrase and God saw that it was (finish the phrase for me). That’s right “Good.” All this creating and it ends with “and God saw that it was “Good.” Now we get to the second chapter and something that God created ended up being “not Good!” That sounds kind of weird that all the sudden, God would say it is “not good,”

            To be clear, God is not saying that man or “Ish”is not good. God is saying that it is not good for man to be alone. God wants to give man a helper a partner. When we hear the word “helper” we might tend to think of the helper as a personal assistant; maybe someone to do the things we don’t want to do. We might think of a partner as in something a little less than ourselves; a partner in name but I make all the decisions. Well, I have got some bad news if you do think that way. The term “helper” holds a lot more weight and means a lot more than what we would think. Because in the other books of the Old Testament, God is referred to as “helper.” Later in Genesis, God is helper, 1 Samuel, Isaiah, and in so many other places throughout

Scripture; So, “helper” carries some divine weight and so this helper or partner is not just some assistant.

            So God determines that God will create the partner for man. He begins creating out of the dust. He creates this one creature, low to the ground, big giant paws, and with a big fury mane…man says, he is dressed like a king- king of the forest…Lion. He gets to the next animal and this one is higher, long legs, little bit of a mane, and with a long tail...it says Nay!...man says, horse. Next one comes along and it is big and round, black and white, mooooves pretty slow…man says “T-bone, dinner, and man says…cow. He gets to this pink big and round one, low to the ground and looks like it will eat anything and man says…breakfast! God keeps creating and none of these seem to be able to be the partner that God or man has in mind. Each creature is able to do some things but just not what was needed in that special partner.

            God caused this man to fall asleep. Our scripture says that God took a rib from the man and created and brought this creature to man. I think one of the things that highlights the importance of this rib is that the Hebrew word for rib is “rashi.” This word has been used to describe a rib, but it can also be used for the word “side.” Would it change the story if we used the word side, instead of rib? Either way it is a part coming out of the man’s body, but using the word side can drive home a deeper meaning of what is being created by God. A side of man, coming out of that man to create this woman or “or ISHAH.”

            Adam knew what was happening and knew the importance of what God did. “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!” This man found that helper that would help him get through the world and be in the world together. It was as if man said to God, “That’s what I’m talking about!” Ish or man knew that being alone and working in God’s creation was not going to be easy and he would need some help. She will be able to work with me and do some of the things that need to be done. She is a person that I can relate to and talk with, reason with, share my joys and challenges with, and this person will understand and we will work together to figure all this out!

            This points to two things that God is showing us in this Genesis story. First it shows us about relationships. IN the first chapter of Genesis, we see earth related to sea and air, day related to night, sun and moon. They were all in relationship together! They are not dependent upon each other but taken together and in relationship to one another they are good. But when this man is created and there is no one else that creates lonliness and that is not good. It is not good because it deprives “Ish” from being able to share experiences. He cannot talk to the animals, they cannot reason with him, speak in a language that he understands, or help him with difficult questions or tasks. They might be able to help in some ways, but not in all ways.

            The introduction of ISHAH makes this possible. Because man now has woman, they are now in a community together. They are now able to share, talk, work, reason, question, rejoice, mourn, and live and grow in relationship together. This is not necessarily about a marriage, it can be, but is largely about forming a community together.

            The second thing that God shows us in Genesis chapter two is that we are different in our gifts. As I said earlier that the word “Rashi” is used for rib and side. This means that out of man came a side that even the man may not have known he had. There were gifts that he was unaware that he possessed and it is through woman that those gifts are now present and revealed. For instance, my wife is really good at some things in our family and I am good at others. I take care of the tech stuff in our household and she takes care of the family schedule (with kids and grandkids).

            It is not unlike the church community. Each and every one of us possesses different gifts and talents; some are better at construction, some teach, some govern, some work in the tech field and some work in the fields. Just like that man and woman, we are a community…together! While we have different gifts and talents, we share them with our brothers and sisters in our congregation, social ministry, property, and all other aspects of the church in proclaiming the Goodness of God. It is who we are called to be so that no one is left alone; because God says that being alone is not good!

            Today is the day we acknowledge that we are not alone and we welcome all who come in the doors as well as reaching out to the community outside the doors. It is the day we say that we are here for one another to pray, help in need, laugh, cry, so that no one is alone. It is the day that we celebrate our community, our differences, our gifts, and our praise for the God who created us AND the God who redeemed us through Jesus Christ, God’s Son on the cross. It is through Jesus Christ that we experience God’s love and God’s message that we are all valuable and loved in God’s sight. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, there is forgiveness, not just for ourselves, but for all of God’s children. Through that sacrifice, we remain God’s community and in relationship with one another.

            May we celebrate our differences, may we reach out to our brothers and sisters in the local community and the global community. It is GOOD for us to be here together. Thanks be to God: Amen!

            

Mark 9:38-50 Be yourself

            I like to sing. I don’t think it is any big secret. Our mother taught me and my siblings how to sing. We would listen to her and she would teach or make us sing in the church choir. She taught us the joy of singing. My wife jokes that she married into the Von Trapp family because we all sing. At one point in my life I wanted to sing professionally, and sometimes still think of it. There was a problem with that. When I would sing, I would try to make my voice just like the voice of the singer. I wanted to sing just like, or EXACTLY LIKE, that singer. It became a problem when I would try to sing a song from a singer who had a raspy voice. I would make my voice raspy and I would end up with a sore throat and getting sick from it.

            In our Gospel reading we are faced with somewhat of a similar problem. “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name! Doesn’t that sound like the disciples are telling on this person? When you think about it, doesn’t it sound a little like middle school? “We tried to stop him because he was not following us.” More of this telling on the one using Jesus’ name! What does some of this mean? Are the disciples trying to be the enforcers of Jesus’ teachings? Are they trying to protect Jesus? Are they trying to keep their own positions as disciples? Could it be that one of them might get kicked out because this person is using Jesus’s name and casting out demons? It could be all of these things.

            I can’t blame the disciples for their actions. Who of us might want to stop that person for fear that they have some insider information that we don’t have. Maybe this man has a special gift that they, the disciples were not given. That could mean that they are out of the group. OR, it could mean that they don’t measure up to Jesus’ expectations and may be cast to the side. It can be a pretty scary thing to go through this journey with Jesus, every step of the way so far, only to find that there is someone out there that is using Jesus’ name and has something you may not have.

            It sounds as if there might be some jealousy going on in and among the disciples. After all, these disciples spent the time and effort to learn what Jesus was telling them and witnessed all the things that Jesus had done. In this very same chapter, Chapter 9 vv. 14-29, there was a child who needed a demon cast out and the disciples could not do it. Only Jesus was able to cast out the demon. Now here is this other person who has not been following and he is doing the very thing that they could not do just a short time before! I could see there being jealousy and especially after last week when the disciples were arguing which one was the greater.

            Jesus is telling the disciples that it is not a competition! Jesus does not want them to stop anyone from spreading the name of Jesus or God in the world. When people do things in the name of Jesus, it can and many times does, have a profound effect on a person. Jesus is telling them that this man doing things in Jesus name is not a bad thing because it will bring people closer to God. It will bring him closer to God. The more he invokes the name of Jesus, the more he learns about Jesus, gets to know Jesus, AND the better the relationship becomes with he and Jesus; to the point where he can say no evil toward the Son of God who blessed him to help others.

            We can get caught up in that competition feeling. It is easy for us to want to “be like” someone or something else. For example, we might want to be like the “mega church” down the street. The "Mega church" down the street is in the process of this major building program, their parking lot is full every weekend. It is a traffic jam just for me to get home on Sunday afternoon. We see those big churches that have television screens and television shows. I mean, you look at it and can’t help but ask “what are we doing wrong?” We get caught in the “well their beliefs are not ours so they must be wrong!” Just so you know, we pastors, can get caught up in it as well. We are not immune! We feel like it is a competition for souls or more butts in the pews, to be blunt.

            But Jesus’ message today is that we are not in competition. It took me a long time and a few voices to tell me that when I sing a song, “stop trying to sound like…there is only one artist (insert name) and you are not it!” Be yourself and own your own voice. We don’t have to be like any other church (insert name) because there is only one like that and we are not it!

            And that brothers and sisters is Good News! We don’t have to be like anybody else. All we have to do is be ourselves. Proclaim God’s love and healing in the name of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ! We are called to teach the Word of God, share the Word of God through our words, actions, and relationships. The bottom line is that we as Christians are all in this thing called life together! It is not easy, it can get downright nasty in this world of putting down others; but we are all called to proclaim the word of God together.

            I hope that you find this a little freeing. It is freeing in that we are unique in God’s eyes. We are not the same and, therefore, we bring a variety of experiences into our worship space, we lay our burdens at the foot of the cross in many different ways: BUT we all believe and rely on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the forgiveness of all our sins, not matter what denomination we belong. We rely on the promise of God at our baptism to hold onto us and never let go. We all cling to the abundant mercy of a God who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Regardless of how we worship, we are not that much different when you look at it from that point of view.

            It can be freeing in other ways. It means that we can share ideas of where God is calling us and work together doing God’s work in feeding the hungry, providing shelter and clothing to the homeless, and reaching out to the unchurched. This past week, I spoke with a world renowned Pastor who specializes in Christian education, Rev. Dr. Rich Melheim. He offered some very simple ideas to grow into a deeper relationship with God and with one another, all using the name of Jesus as our center. One of those practices that can enhance our lives and relationship with God is to share with each other …and our children our highs and lows. Something very simple can give us the freedom to try something new and different, all using the name of Jesus. It is not something the disciples did and yet can bring us closer to God and one another. God’s love, sacrifice, and mercy are not competition events. These things that God offers are free to all who seek to know about God and grow into a relationship with God.

            Jesus calls us to lift up those who invoke the name of Jesus for the sake, and in the hopes, that we all grow into a greater, deeper relationship with God. And like the man in our Gospel reading we are called to go out and invoke the name Jesus in our words and in our actions: AMEN

            

Mark 9:30-37 "Talledega Nights," Facing fears

            Please pray with me: May words from my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer: AMEN!

            I never thought I would be asking this question but yet the Holy Spirit compels me to ask: Have you ever seen the movie ‘Talledega Nights?” It is a movie about this man whose father was a race car driver. He was also a drunk as well as many other things. His son, Ricky Bobby, adored him and held onto his every word (Disclaimer: it is not a movie for young children). When his father left him, he uttered this phrase, “Remember son, if you’re not first, your last!” Ricky Bobby held onto that statement. HE grew up to drive race cars and he was good! He won a lot of races.

            I think this movie illustrates, rather well, what is going on in our Gospel reading this morning. Jesus and the disciples are on the road, again, and Jesus keeps talking about his death and resurrection. The disciples are afraid to ask what it means. They are not understanding that Jesus is the Son of Man. They are still not getting exactly who this Jesus is and why he keeps saying this. What are they so afraid of? It is something they just don’t want to hear? It could be because of their relationship with Jesus. IS it too depressing? Could be. Is it that they are afraid of asking what might be perceived as the “stupid question?” Could it be that they are afraid of the knowledge that they might gain? It could be all of these.

            Whatever the answer is, they are afraid and that is clear. Their fear doesn’t allow them to go down that path. Their fear prevents them from boldly questioning Jesus about what it means, how would it happen, who would do this, and why it might be necessary. They just seem to block it out and start a whole other discussion to change the subject.

            As they are walking, they are arguing about themselves. They are arguing about who is the greater; which one is the better disciple! I can imagine them trying to “one-up” each other; “I delivered the baskets when we fed five thousand! Oh yeah, I collected more left over fish! And the arguing goes on and on. They are now focused on themselves and what they did as opposed to what Jesus is going to have to go through.

            Does it sound familiar? It doesn’t sound too much different than where we are in our society today. In this movie, Talledega Nights, Ricky Bobby goes through this accident on the race track; he was not injured but thinks he is. The life that he had of always being first is turned upside down because he goes through this and, now has to face the possibility he won’t be first. He has to face his fear of being second or third…or last.

            This is what we see in this Gospel reading. Fear is taking over and controlling what the disciples are doing; how they act, what they say, and where they are focused. They are being stretched to something beyond their comprehension. Fear has control over them; it is preventing them from asking questions, from seeking guidance. Their fear is so powerful that it is not allowing them to even approach the subject of faith! That is how much fear has control.

            Does that sound familiar? Just like the disciples we can get too caught up in fear. Our world holds that same Ricky Bobby mentality “If you’re not first, your last!” we hear it all the time. Society expects everyone to be the best or strive for that thing on the really high pedestal called “perfection!” We set goals that are so high for ourselves and others that we see that goal as the more important thing to attain in our lives; its because of the fear that if I don’t get this then I must be a failure, if I don’t get that job, I have failed, if I can’t afford this then I must not have made it (whatever that means)!

            This fear that the disciples felt in asking can be our fear. When we think of it from the church perspective, how many times do we talk about a changing world but are afraid to try something new? I am not a big fan of change and when the church went from the LBW to the ELW, I was not a happy camper. It was a fear of that change that made me really question what was going on in the church. How many times do we not try something because of being afraid that it won’t work?

            I believe the concern is that it may change my faith and this is where the Good News comes in. Sometimes fear can be healthy. It can help us make decisions that otherwise could be dangerous to ourselves or others. It can help us refrain from doing something that may have a lasting impact on the world. It can also be unhealthy. It can prevent us from fully experiencing our faith in Jesus Christ. It can prevent us from asking the question of “God, what are you calling us to do? Who are you calling us to be? It can prevent us from reaching out to our neighbors to recognize and celebrate the different gifts that we all have been blessed with. It can prevent us from gaining a greater understanding of who God is and who Jesus is in our lives and experiences.

            God calls us to a life of releasing our fears. We don’t have to be afraid of whether we are first or last in this world; It is not our pride or fear that makes us who we are. It is the claiming of God through the waters of Baptism, it is the promise of God to accept us just as we are, and it is the sacrifice of God’s only son on the cross that claims, reminds us, and heals us to make us whole, to make us precious in God’s sight, and that makes us whole as the body of Christ.

            Today, Olivia Grace Yingling will be claimed by God and God’s promise will be made to her. Her parent’s and Godparents will promise, and we will promise to walk with her and help her. When she has fears, family will be there to support her. We will be here to support her, walk with her and be God’s feet and hands in showing God’s love for her; so that fear will not contain her faith, but the promise of God and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross will strengthen her faith, so that she can step out in the confidence of a loving God who loves her just as she is. And, it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ on that Easter morning that heals us of fear and/or pride and promises eternal life: AMEN!

            

Mark 8: 27-38 (Primary) Holy Cross Sunday...Tongues, helpful and harmful

            In 1994, I had a teacher in Community College that was also a prosecutor at the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office. I expressed an interest in wanting to work there as I had just been honorably discharged from the service. He helped me get an internship position with the department working for him. I respected him greatly and we worked well together. I got to work on this really big case. As part of this big case, there was one suspect who was already in jail. It was discovered that this person was actively seeking someone to kill this prosecutor. It was all over the news that this death threat was made. Needless to say, I was worried that my mentor would be killed; and to be selfish, I started trying to figure out how to stay far enough away so that I did not get hit if this happened. I was scared, to say the least.

            Today’s readings carries a very serious theme. As I prayed over the readings, I noticed that the theme had to do with tongues, you know the thing in your mouth. The tongue is a pretty important organ. It has thousands of taste buds that act as nerves and connect directly to the brain through the nervous systems. The tongue detects flavors of salt, sweet, bitter, and sour. When eating the tongue is strong (to help with chewing). Then there is the other function of the tongue, speech. In the case of speech, the tongue is more flexible and acts in concert with the ears.

            When we read the Gospel reading for today in Mark, we hear Jesus using his tongue. He uses it to form the words of questions. One of the most important questions to his disciples, “who do people say that I am?” He listened to their answers. “Some think John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the prophets,” they answer. Then they are asked the ultimate question, “who do you say that I am?” Peter speaks up “you are the Messiah.” What incredible words to come out of Peter’s mouth. Peter is making a declaration that is bold and can potentially get him in trouble. He, Peter is declaring that Jesus is the one that God has sent into the world. He IS saying that Jesus is the Son of God.

            It would be nice to sit back and take all that in. It would be great for us to be able to hear Peter’s declaration and everyone goes home nice and happy and rejoicing! But that is not what happens. Jesus begins to speak again. This time he tells them how he, the Son of Man, will undergo suffering, rejection, and death. Jesus uses those words…uses his tongue to describe that this “Messiah” will have to undergo these three things. Those are not necessarily words that I want to hear! Can’t we just stop with Peter?

            But we can’t. Jesus doesn’t hold back. He lets the disciples know what is going to happen, whether they want to hear it or not. Jesus keeps right on talking; and, in fact, he tells Peter to stop talking because Peter wants Jesus to say around. He wants to continue on this path of learning and being with Jesus. He and the others have been in this relationship for quite some time. They don’t want him to go anywhere and Peter wants what Peter wants; I can’t blame him. IF the Messiah was physically with us for a long time, would we want him to stick around to help and guide…to use his tongue and his speech to help guide us and keep us on the straight and narrow?

            Just as much as we would want him to stay, Jesus points to what must happen, suffering, rejection, and death. We know how that story goes and where it goes from here. Jesus continues and it is Judas Iscariot who uses his words to plot with the leaders to have Jesus arrested. It is that very same Peter who uses his tongue and his words to vow to stay by Jesus’ side but in the end, denies knowing…rejects… Jesus three times. It is the crowd who gets stirred up to use their tongue and their words “Crucify him, Crucify him!” that brings much of this about.

            In our second reading, we hear the author saying “how great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire.” The author goes on to say with the tongue “we bless the lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.” We don’t need to look too far to see that. It is right in our Gospel reading. It is exactly what Peter is doing. “Lord I want to stay with you, you are the Messiah; I swear to you I don’t know this man!”

            It doesn’t get much planer than that! It is quite clear that Peter may not be the best example of a loyal follower. He makes those statements…he uses his tongue to craft those words of love and then later uses it to craft the words of rejection; because he does not want to suffer the same fate as Jesus!

            I know it sounds like a third person story but we are not far from this very story. We do some of these same things. We make statements and then say things that contradict the statement we just made! We do it in our personal lives; for example, let’s say you or I have met up with someone you have not seen in years. You’re chatting and the other person says, “We need to get together!” you respond “oh sure yeah call me and we will make it happen.” And we walk away; intentionally not getting the person’s phone number or saying to a friend “I am not going to call them.”

            It happens with our faith as well. Someone you might admire or hold in high esteem says something that goes against your faith, how many times do we use your words to stand up for your faith? How many times do we use our words to say that I DO believe that Jesus is not an imaginary person but real and in my heart, in my words, and in my actions? How many times do we say I am sorry that I fall short but ask God’s forgiveness every day and place myself at the foot of THIS CROSS that we celebrate today? Sometimes we find it is better to say nothing than start an argument.

            That is where the Good News comes in. Jesus does not claim that it will be easy to proclaim…to use our tongue and our words to speak God’s Truth in that Jesus Christ was sent to die for us; you and me. It is the grace and mercy of almighty God that Jesus said that “three days later” he will be raised so that death is not the end; that death means no more words to say because God is the one who has the last word on all things.

            And it is God who promises everlasting life; so that we use our words to witness to the grace and mercy of almighty God. It is God who raises Jesus so that Jesus continues to use his words to invite, teach, and promise that whoever gives up their life (through words and actions) to God will have life abundant and eternal.

            Jesus does not promise a life of ease when we declare Jesus, the Messiah. He does say that it will be difficult at times. He does say that it takes courage to believe in God, to follow Jesus teachings, and to put our entire lives, words and all, into the hands of the one who created, shows, grace and mercy, and forgives. There were more threats that came toward the office, prosecutors, and some even came my way from defendants. I felt called to do my job and gave it 100 percent despite the difficulties.

            Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to do the same. We are called to step out in our love for God, in our witness to the Goodness and glory of God. We are called to proclaim God’s mercy upon this cross for us; to acknowledge that we fall short but that God does not give up on us or any of God’s creation!

            This day of the Holy Cross is our witness to the love that God has shown each and every one of us. It is here where we meet to hear the words of God’s Son giving of his body and blood for you and me. It is where we lay our burdens at the foot of this cross, at the rock of our salvation; AND it is from here we go to witness our forgiveness and may we share God’s forgiveness and love, with others: AMEN!

Mark 7: 24-37 Could this be a teaching moment for Jesus and for us?

            It feels good to be in the Gospel of Mark again. In the Gospel of Mark, there is always this sense of urgency. We know this because one of the most prominent words in Mark is the word “immediately.” And so with this word, immediately, we could tend to think of things being rushed. Almost like a skimming is necessary if you think about it as a journey. So we may hear stories and think “yeah, I know what that means. Jesus feeds 5000, got it, heals a leper, two guys lower this other guy into the house through the roof, Jesus heals him, raises a dead girl and lets move on.” It would be easy to get that sense of rushing around; after all, it is the shortest Gospel and is packed with many stories AND little detail.

            We may even think the same of this morning’s stories of healing. Here is Jesus on the move! He is trying to get some peace and quiet, doesn’t want anyone to know where he is and that does not work. This lady finds him. She is a syrophoenician woman. She is from the other side of the tracks; outside the Jewish faith and, dare we say, a gentile! She throws herself at his feet and starts begging for him to heal her daughter. He flat out rejects her plea! Why?

            Well some think he is doing this to test her faith. That might be the rush answer; the quick answer because this Gospel has Jesus always rushing around. Even the Syrophoenician woman “Immediately heard about him” and she rushed in to plea to Jesus. So, we could think this is just another testing story and move on, right?

            Lutheran Theologian, David Lose, poses another possible answer as to why Jesus answers so coldly. Possibly, Jesus doesn’t fully understand God’s mission for him or God’s view of the world. We know Jesus to be this perfect, divine being from the moment of his birth. In our Gospel of Mark, the book begins at his baptism. So we know this Jesus as being anointed by God, thrown into the wilderness to be tested, and coming out of the wilderness. Jesus goes through the world healing people and teaching; but this teaching and healing is to the people that God had chosen, the People of Israel.

            So Jesus is pretty much “preaching to the choir.” He is travelling to parts of the land where they know the customs, they know the laws of Moses and they know the practices and what is required to live within the law. Jesus is doing the divine things throughout the Community and land that God gave to the people of Israel. SO, it would make sense that he knows what to do when he is in that community. He knows what to do to proclaim God’s community from the inside.

            Just as Jesus is fully divine, he is also fully human. His human nature may not fully realize that God is calling him to go outside the immediate community; to go to the people who don’t know God or never heard the Word of God uttered in their midst. He may not realize that God is calling him to the people from “the other side of the tracks,” those Gentiles to teach them about the love of God or heal them to demonstrate God’s abundant love and mercy.

            Could this Syrophoenician woman be teaching Jesus? What a concept! She is teaching him that God’s vision of the world goes beyond the border region of the Jewish people. She is teaching Jesus that all those Good things that he is doing is for everyone, despite community borders, nationality, economic status, race, color, creed.! She is teaching Jesus that the stranger is just as welcome as the insider!

            This is not a story to just rush through as are finding out. This is one of those stories of Jesus encountering his teachable moment. This Gospel reading is one of those times where we are called to slow down and read…re-read, if necessary, this encounter to grasp that this is one of those times where God is reaching out to a broader community, region, and people.

            That is one of the beauties of this Gospel reading. This story of Jesus and this woman could be revealing a different part of God’s character. God is reaching out to people who have different traditions, languages, practices, gifts, and experiences and, through this story, God is inviting these people into a relationship with God; to reveal a God who created everything, shows mercy in the forgiveness of sin, promises to never abandon, heals, and claims them so that there is nothing that will separate them from God’s love and promises eternal life.

            I think we can all learn from what God is teaching and who is God using in this lesson. God is using this woman to teach us about hospitality; inviting people to hear the word of God. You never know who is outside these doors waiting and wanting someone to invite them in to hear words of Good News; that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the forgiveness of everyone’s sin. God is teaching us to stretch our understanding of God’s vision of the world; that God’s Good News is not just for us here in this sanctuary, but that it is for everyone!

            It is not just about the people who are outside these doors either. Hospitality is also for those inside the sanctuary. I know of a person in another congregation that had been attending her church for years. After about three years, someone asked her if she would help with a youth project. Her response was “I have been waiting for someone to ask me to help. I have wanted to help for so long but no one ever said they needed help.” She has been running the youth project ever since.

            This teaching isn’t just limited to this woman. Jesus Continues on to heal a deaf mute. Jesus teaches the community and us that God’s Word… God’s invitation extends to those with disabilities as well. A society that would write this person off is taught and we are taught that God’s invitation is open to all people, at any time.

            So, the question may be “how do we invite? Who do we invite?” The answer is pretty simple in the question of who to invite. Invite friends family, people you know who have not been here in a while. Invite a stranger you have never spoken to; maybe someone you see having a difficult time. The question of how do we invite can be easy as well. The most and best way is to ASK! Studies show that most people who begin coming to church is because they were invited by a friend, through direct contact, or family member.

            Another way is to use media to advertise. Some of that can be just as easy. IF you have a facebook account; check in before church. When you get here check in with your location and type an easy message of “getting ready for worship.” Or, something to invite your friends. Other ways can include door hangers, advertisements.

            Today God uses this woman who pleads for her child’s health for God to reach out to the broader community. God calls us to reach out, as well, to share God’s love and mercy with the larger community: AMEN!