John 14: 1-14. Pot holes, Twists, and Turns

            I am sure many of you have heard this reading before. This is quite a popular reading for those occasions when we lose a family member or friend. I have read this passage quite a bit in the last year. But, today, we hear it in a whole different way.

            Today, I want to break this Gospel reading down into two sections. So let’s look at the first section of the Gospel. Jesus is telling his disciples “let not your hearts be troubled.” Jesus is trying to put them at ease because Jesus knows what is about to happen the next day; he is about to be handed over to the authorities. We all know what happens then. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that he is going to his Father’s house and there are many dwelling places. Guess what? Jesus is telling us about the end.

He is telling us about going to heaven and telling us that there is enough room for everybody. He is also telling us that he is coming back to take us to himself; and where would that be…heaven! So Jesus is telling us what is at the end. It is like seeing the end of the race first or reading the last 10 pages of the book before reading the beginning of the story (and I have heard that some people read books that way). So here we have the ending first.

So what is the second section of the story? The second portion of this Gospel is about how we get to the ending and it comes very quickly in the second section. Thomas, we all know about him, wants to know how do we get to that ending…how do we get to the glorious place, heaven, that is Gods house? Thomas says they don’t know where he is going and How can these disciples know the way?

Jesus responds “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” And that is where we all take the proverbial or literal sigh and say AMEN! So let’s do it…let’s say AMEN! But now I want you to think about these words that Jesus says Jesus is the way the truth and the life. That is the way to get to the father’s house. That is the way to get to heaven. But what does that mean? Does it mean that Jesus speaks the truth about God’s love for us? Are we supposed to listen to everything Jesus says and if we just listen then everything will be alright? I we have to do is do what Jesus tells us to do and everything is gonna be sweet because we know where we are going? We know how it is going to end. Are we just supposed to believe that Jesus died and is risen for us to give us that eternal ending?

The simple answer is yes. It is easy to say yes and be done with it. I have said yes to those questions so now I get the happy ending. I want you to close your eyes. Imagine a pathway. It is a dirt pathway and there is this long trellis that goes up and arches over the pathway. They are covered with your favorite flowers and at the end of this path there is a light and listen to these words “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Sounds good doesn’t it? Now open your eyes.

You are in reality. How many of you have had a path as easy as that? Some of us, if not all of us could equate the journey OR the path of our faith as more of a Rocky road with many twists and turns; I bet there would be some pot holes, boulder, hills, and valleys. Our lives don’t go as smoothly as the vision we created. Our lives are full of rough patches when it comes to employment, the beginning or ending of relationships, loss of loved ones, addictions, good and bad choices; and those questions we said yes to; if it is so easy to say yes to Jesus then why do we constantly say...I think I know better?

We all do this at some point because we want our lives to turn out the way we want them to. We want that glorious kingdom on our terms and THAT IS WHERE WE GO WRONG! When Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life” he is saying that even his road was not some lovely path with trellis’ and beautiful flowers. There were people all around that mocked him, scolded him, conspired against him, and flat out rejected him. There were people that made his life so difficult that, maybe we all would just want to give up and quit; say it is not worth all this trouble.

But Jesus did not do that. He did not give up because his calling was to bring God to the earth, to show people how much they were loved by God. He came to show THEM and US to have faith in the God who delivered Abraham, Moses, and all the people of God into a new life; that despite the bad things and the sad things that happen in our lives, there is a loving God here beside us. Jesus came to show us that God’s love brought crucifixion, death, and resurrection to GOD’S ONLY SON so that we all will be transformed and have that glorious ending in our Father’s house with many dwelling place.

Jesus does not promise us an easy way in our faith lives or our daily lives. We all have potholes, winding turns, bumps, bruises, and forks in the road and worst of all we are human. We will make bad choices, Good choices, we will say and do hurtful things to ourselves and others. God calls us in our turning and twisting paths to be transformed by the gift of Jesus; his teachings, his words, and his actions…by his death and resurrection; so that we think about the choices we make, the words we say, and our actions; and we try harder to keep Christ at the center of all that we do: AMEN!

A collaboration Sermon with Robin Litton for Sunday, May 4, 2014

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

 John's Gospel and the road to Emmaus story

            Where do you find yourself today, right now, on your journey of faith?

            What, if anything is different about your life now than two weeks ago? If we are Easter people like we claim to be…people of the risen Christ as we profess and sing about in our anthems and hymns, then what have you been experiencing since meeting the resurrected Christ for these past 14 days?
            Scripture tells us that for Mary Magdalene and the other ladies there were going to the tomb to prepare the body for a proper burial. This was a body in which ALL life was gone; a sad but necessary act of respect, a defeated and mournful task that needed to be done.
            For the disciples, they were locked in that upper room where we heard last week that nothing gets in or out of that room. They were afraid that someone would try to come and kill them. Confusion and loss was the feeling of the day. Where would they go and what would they do? What was the point? What was the purpose? What now? They were confident that this would turn out differently than it has. What went so wrong?
            For these guys walking on the road to Emmaus, scripture tells us they were sad, feeling low, maybe depressed, discouraged, or even hopeless. There was nothing more to be done but to give in to the old system, the old beliefs, the old ways of oppression and pain, loss and fear. Same old, same old and existence would continue in the way its always been.
            But every time there was a new encounter with the resurrected Jesus, fear and awe led the way as scripture tells us their “eyes were open.” See, even as they stood in front of the risen Christ, they still didn’t recognize him at first. These pilgrims, we read, tell Jesus the whole story. Jesus even answers back, “how foolish you are,” he says. But the hopelessness and despair continue with them until the breaking of the bread. Then we hear those powerful words that their eyes were opened and they recognize him. All of a sudden, there he was, right before their very selves…standing right in front of them! Everything for them changed at that moment! Hope was restored and everlasting life has triumphed! Love has won!
            Something like this happened to my wife and I this week. My cousin and her husband and son came from Oklahoma to visit. I had not seen my cousin in, roughly, 30 years almost. My cousin and my uncle, her father, have done a lot of work on the genealogy of our family. I always asked my father who our ancestors were on his side of the family. He always responded that we were related to horse thieves and it would be left at that. I always wondered about it. I had heard some stories about my mother’s side of the family but never my father’s.
            Well, I had one of those eye-opening moments. In our conversation about MY family history, I learned that while my father made a comment to put an end to the questions I had, two of my uncles were doing lots of work to find out who they were; and by association, I could find out who I was. We spoke of how these two uncles would spend countless hours verifying and re-verifying the proof to match family members together and put our family history together.
            And that is when it happened…then came my eye-opening moment. Donna, my cousin, asked if I knew that I was related to a very prominent person. Some might call him a villain and some might call him a patriot…and no IT IS NOT Benedict Arnold. But it is someone, a few people actually, involved in Scotland’s struggle to be independent from long, long ago. I guess now when my step son asks again if I would wear a kilt when he gets married, I will say with pride…YES! But this moment changed what I thought about myself. It changed what I thought about my family. We were not a bunch of horse thieves as I was once told. I suddenly felt a sense of knowing, elation, and I looked at my entire family in a whole new way.
            All this week I have been wondering if this is, basically, how Mary felt when she came to the tomb and encountered Jesus, the disciples as they saw Jesus appear, or these men on the Emmaus Road as they sat at the table and ate and drank with him.
            I wonder if this was the same experience through the Holy Spirit that we feel when we share our struggles with one another, when we pray for help from God, when we pass the peace of God’s love with one another.
            You know, sometimes Jesus does not just meet our expectations. I really wish that Jesus, the carpenter, would come and fix all the things that need fixing. I mean, we have a list; I wish Jesus would heal the people who I know are sick and hurting and lonely. I wish Jesus would swoop in and show his power; eliminating power struggles, bullying of our young people and show them all who’s boss. I am frustrated with people not caring about the lost, the poor who need help just so they can have a decent meal, and people who do not have a voice. I want fairness in the world and I want my God to charge in and lead the way…take no prisoners!
            But that doesn’t seem to be the way God wants to work…and we ARE better for it; because you see that it is in the mystery of our faith that we see God clearly. God didn’t come to Mary only when she was happy, He met her in her vulnerability, in her fear and he comforted her. God met the disciples not in a palace, but he met them in the dark locked room where they were in fear for their lives; where they were broken and in need of Good News f God’s love. God, through Jesus Christ, met the men on the Emmaus Road when they were not just sad, not just disappointed or let down, but utterly and completely hopeless…where there was no hope, no future, no life.
            It is difficult sometimes for us to wrap our heads around the mind of God. That is where our faith comes in. It is where we strive to do the will of God, even when the world tells us that we are going in the wrong direction; that we are the ones out of touch and in need of fixing. God comes to us where we need, in the secret, dark, lonely places of our lives. That’s where we see the risen Christ’s strength and power. It is when we move from the relative comfort of our lives as we know it, to touch the lives of others.
            So what does this resurrection proclamation mean for us? It means EVERYTHING! See, Easter is not the end of the road, not the end of our journey, not the end of the story. Scripture doesn’t stop there…it continues on. Because each and every day we get up and proclaim resurrection, is a new beginning. It is a new chance for us to experience the risen Christ and the myriad of possibilities that God lays out for us.
           It is through this mutual love that the Holy Spirit is unleashed. It is this burst of spiritual energy that we feel from the risen Christ It is so much more powerful that the feeling I had finding out who some of my relatives were; because, friends, it is the risen Christ that open new possibilities that we have only to dream.
            I pray that we all see the risen Christ, proclaim God’s love and experience new hope made sure through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Don’t waste another minute! Search for yourselves; look in the places deepest in your heart. Feel God’s love poured out for you…take the risk. Do not fear, but believe!

So let us live as the Holy Spirit wills of us for indeed we are Easter people…thanks be to God: AMEN!

John 20:19-31

John 20:19-31

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

So it has been seven days since this Good News that Jesus has risen. Has it sunken in yet? Have you gotten over the excitement? Sometimes I think this reading should be read on Easter Sunday rather than seven days after the News that Jesus has risen. I do believe that it is Good to have God’s news and the immediate shock of seeing Jesus and having him identify the people he was close to see that he is indeed alive. It gives us the chance to be shocked as well. It gives us all the chance to experience the tomb being empty as the new beginning.

I also think that today is an important day for reading, maybe even on Easter morning. I believe it is important because we need to look at where the disciples are and what is their situation. So let’s do that this morning; let’s look at their situation. These 11 are sitting in a room and the door is locked. It is closed up; nothing gets in and nothing gets out. I wonder what that is all about? Several theologians have some ideas about the door being shut and I agree with their arguments.

The first one goes like this: They are locked in the room because they hung out with Jesus. They were Jesus disciples. They know all that Jesus taught and so they will carry on the teachings of Jesus. Remember, Jesus spoke out against the Pharisees and Sadduccees. He went around teaching that God is the one who makes people clean. He taught that the traditions that the leaders of the day were teaching was not according to God’s will. He taught that God’s forgiveness was offered to all who sought it; yes, there was God’s judgment but Jesus taught that it was never too late to seek and give forgiveness. Jesus went into the world proclaiming the Word of God. Basically, he was saying that God goes beyond a temple. Jesus taught all these things so there might be the fear, on the disciples part, that they would be sought out and they would be next to endure what happened to Jesus. You know, it’s the “Oh no! I am going to be next” thought.

Then there is this thought: After all that Jesus taught these 11 people, after all they had been through together – I mean, they saw Jesus heal, sit and eat with the unclean. Jesus taught them about God and God’s grace and mercy. They got to see, firsthand, the Son of God going into the world and doing all things that I just spoke of; they were witnesses to the power and Glory of God. They received the New Commandment to “love one another as I have loved you – after all that, when it came to the most difficult part of Jesus’ arrest what did they do? They scattered. They took off and left Jesus to fend for himself. Peter, who said he would never deny Jesus, did exactly what he said he would not do. Sure he followed but when it came to people noticing who he was, he swore an oath that he didn’t know Jesus. So, they could have been locked in this room, not out of fear, but out of shame. Shame for falling short with the Son of God.

Whatever reason they are locked up tight, there is one thing that is certain. Jesus comes to them. There are no doors that can locked or unlocked that keeps Jesus out of this room. There is nothing that Keeps Jesus from coming to them. Not only does he come to them, but he brings them peace. He brings God’s peace upon a room full of people that may have felt guilt or shame for their actions of fleeing. He brings God’s peace to a room full of people that might be in fear of being next to suffer the same fate as their beloved teacher. He brings God’s peace to once again be with those who knew him best, who listened to him, questioned him about God, followed his sending them out into the world by twos to proclaim the love and healing power of God.

I think we can relate to these disciples. I am sure that we have all had times in our lives where we were afraid, scared, or felt guilt from something that we said or did. Our lives are not perfect, which may come as a shock to some; we do make mistakes and sometimes we do things that are intentional. More clearly there are times when we put our wants and desires before considering others. There are times when we have to make tough decisions that are not popular; that may happen in our personal lives, in our jobs, and sometimes in our social lives. We may feel the guilt of feeling happy because we get to keep our job while a friend lost theirs. We may feel scared that our job may be next. Marriages may need to end because of abuse or neglect and there can be the double whammy of shame and guilt.

These are things that make us want to be like the disciples; we might want to lock that door to where no one can get in or out. It might be like a room where the only light that gets in is from a flashlight or candle. These feelings of fear and/or guilt can make us want to be lost or not visible to the world or to God.

But the Good News is that God still comes in that door. A door cannot keep Jesus, the Son of God, from coming into the room to offer us all the same peace that was offered to the disciples. It is that peace that with God, forgiveness, mercy, and love are possible and they are real. They are real because Jesus shows us that they are real. They are real in that Jesus comes to them to bring them peace and show them the scars that he endured through his crucifixion; and despite those nail wounds and the sword piercing his side, that God still offers new life to the disciples and TO US! Those scars don’t disappear, but because of Jesus on the cross and because of his resurrection, God shows us that the scars are not what define us but it is that mercy and love that God shows us and commands us to share with one another that help define us as children of the living and loving God.

I was speaking with someone this week about a friend who was invited to come to church. As he invited the person, the reason for not coming to church was that “I will come to church when I take it seriously.” When questioned as to what that means the friend explained that he still drinks and curses…Obviously he has not heard of the Lutheran Pastor Naida Bolz-Webber who wrote a book about how she curses and yet God called her to a thriving ministry. This person has not heard of a Lutheran Pastor who was a sailor and has seen some of the worst things that humans can do horrible things to one another…such as teenagers killing other teenagers for shoes.

This is not to put that person down. It is to show that we all do things that we may not want God to see. But God comes to us and is just waiting for us to ask God to be part of our lives. God’s message is to NOT let fear and guilt rule our lives. Let the Good News of the resurrected Christ and the teachings of Jesus define who we are and how we act as children of God.

I think this reading may just be in the right place. The excitement of finding the tomb empty may have long gone with the passing of the week. But my hope and prayer is that today’s Gospel sustains you in knowing that God is always there with us; in our good times as well as our worst times and may we all be comforted in knowing this.

Matthew 28: 1-10. God's Promises Kept

            Grace, mercy, and Peace to from God our Father and from our risen Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ: AMEN!

            It is a glorious day isn’t it? It does not matter what the weather; it does not matter if it is raining, snowing sleeting or sunny and warm it is a glorious day! Anybody care to guess why? Call it out loud; of course, because it is Easter.
            We spent the last 40 days leading up to this moment. We got our Ashes on Ash Wednesday, how appropriately named, and we began to follow Jesus; knowing that it was going to lead us to the place that some of us may not want it to lead. Jesus’ journey takes us into Jerusalem where he shares his last meal with the disciples and gives them the Good News that this is my body and blood given for you and he commands them to “do this in remembrance of me.” This past Thursday evening was the night where we were called to that upper room and share the body and blood of Jesus, the Son of God.
            It was in the act of that meal that we digest the gifts and blessings that Jesus taught and acted out in his words and actions and they are passed on to us. It was on that Good Friday where Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sin. He sacrificed himself on the cross for you and for me so that we would know that we are broken; that we make mistakes. We say and do things that hurt ourselves and one another. Jesus shows us that in that brokenness, there is still hope. Because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross there is hope, mercy, redemption, and forgiveness from almighty God.

            We know this because, just three short days later, we all wake up to find that the tomb is empty. Jesus who hung on the cross, was humiliated while hanging there is not where he was laid. There was a major earthquake when the two Mary’s got there. The angel came and told them that the Jesus they knew was gone. Not that the body was taken, but that he had been raised! He invited them to come and see that the Lord is no longer a lifeless body in a tomb BUT THAT HE IS ALIVE! For that we can say ALLELUJAH! It is, indeed something to celebrate! Then the angel tells them to “go quickly and tell his disciples.” They did not waste any time either. They got the word and they were off; no questions, no decisions to be made; they just went.

            Today is a glorious and blessed day because there is one thing that is certain on this day that the Lord has been raised; and that certainty is that God keeps God’s promises. God, through Jesus, foretold of the day that he would be handed over. He does this three times; and each of those times he tells how “the Son of man will be raised in three days.” Today, we see that keeps that promises in the raising of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
            We live in a world where promises are made and not often kept. We live in a world where products are sold with claims to make our lives better, machines to make lives easier, and sometimes people tell us what we want to hear. Today, we read, hear, and are witnesses to the empty tomb. We are witnesses to the promise of God that Jesus has been raised.
            In this promise of God, there is so much more than just a raising of a dead person. In this promise is the fact that God so loves each and every one of us that God sacrificed God’s only Son on the cross for you and for me. In this promise is that despite our brokenness and making mistakes, or doing something to hurt ourselves or someone else, God tells us that we are all valuable and that asking or giving forgiveness as always a possibility. In this promise is the fact that we are SO loved that God will not let death have the last word; in fact, God promises life eternal to all who seek it in living out God’s love for us by sharing God’s love, grace, and mercy with one another.
            Today is the day when God’s promises come to us in the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. It is not the only day that this promise comes to us, because it is in this Gospel of Matthew where Jesus tells us to “remember, I am with you until the end of the age.” God’s promises come to us each and every day.
            So now, that we know God’s promises are true and will last forever, because of this Easter Day. It is fair to say that this day is the new beginning for us in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ and as disciples of the living God. So how are we going to live out God’s promises in our everyday lives? How are we going to celebrate the new life we all have in the risen Christ?
AMEN!

Mark 10:32-34 The last in the sermon series: the change of plans; our plans and God's plan

            So here we are with our last Sunday in the series of change. We have had change of seasons, heart, circumstances, habit, and today we here about change of plans. So how many of us have thought about what we wanted to be when we grew up? Maybe a baseball player, football, rocket scientist; so name some things that you wanted to be when you were growing up? How many of us have had our lives planned out? Jobs, spouses, kids; and out of that planning how many of us have had our lives change from what we planned?

            Isn’t it amazing how much we want things to be the way we want them? I mean, we want things a certain way. Our opinions are formed when we are young by our parents and we understand that things should be a certain way. We are conditioned to seeing things a certain way as well. We like our athletes strong and hulky looking; we like them to be powerhouses, yet sensitive. We want them to be role models and good stand up people. We think the same thing about our heroes too, don’t we? We want them to be chiseled and just the right height, weight, maybe blonde hair, and blue eyes. That is what we see in the movies.

            It is the same in Jesus’s time. Maybe that is where we get our images of heroes. I mean look at Moses; he came to save the Israelites from a life in slavery. He didn’t just walk in and say let my people go. He had the Word of God with him, parted the seas, turned the water to blood to convince Pharoah to let them go. Other heroes like David come with armies and he is a king. Solomon is a king.

            Now imagine what the people of Jesus’ time expect when they hear that someone is coming to save the world. Imagine a people that are under the rule of a government who is occupying their land. So the prophets foretell of this person who is mighty and has brings the promise of God, the power of God, and will rule over all the nations. It would be easy to think that this savior that is coming would be strong, mighty, and bring armies to bear on those who oppress God’s chosen people. It is quite a build-up isn’t it? I could imagine that it would take  a huge army to be able to free the Israelites once again.

            Yet what they get may not be what they expected. They expect a King to be born, maybe a king born in a palace with all the fine linens and the ceremony that comes with the birth of a King. What they get is a king born in a stable; a child wrapped in cloth…common cloth. A child in a stall born of a mother who was originally looking at shame for being with child before being married.

            This child…this king was not the usual king. The information of his coming was not a public notice from the town crier, but it was a private message that came to blessed Mary from the angel Gabriel. The birth of Jesus was not for the Elite, but for the shepherds in the field. The announcement of the birth of Jesus came from an army of angels singing Hosanna in the highest! The angels came to those who were considered lowly…the most unlikely of people.

            The life of Jesus shows us, as well, about a change of plans. Jesus went to the people on the fringes. He went to the unclean and those who were considered unworthy of God’s love or God’s grace. He walked with them, and healed them. He shared meals with tax collectors, He taught people about the love of God. Rather than coming in and brandishing swords and armies, Jesus comes into the world in a way that would seem much calmer and tamer. He brings God’s message of loving our neighbor rather than tearing down and judging.

            This change of plans does not end with a major battle like we might see in the movies. It ends, so we would like to think at a wooden cross on a hill. It was at that cross for those of you who might not remember or know but will hear next week in the reading of the passion, the common criminal. It was shameful to be placed on that cross and die that kind of death. That cross was used to send messages to others who committed crimes and attempted to go against the people in power “Don’t even think about it! Because, this is what will happen to you! It sent messages to families and the public about the shameful actions by those hanging on that cross. We know this by who was at Jesus’ left and right…two common criminals.

In just a few short days, which might seem like a lifetime, we will see God’s change of plans. God steps in to say that this will no longer be a symbol of shame because MY SON will be on that cross…for us (you and me) and for the forgiveness of our sins. At that moment, the cross will be the place where we learn that we are valuable and loved…each and every one of us because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and that cross becomes the place of hope in forgiveness, grace, and mercy from our creator God.

This is one of those times where God’s plan is not what we would have ever thought of yet God thought enough of us to give us the gift of Jesus in the world. So how many of our plans didn’t come out the way we thought and how many times did we say thanks God for guiding me down that different path. AMEN!

 

Luke 12: 22-34. Change of Cirtcumstances

How many of you remember that Song “don’t worry, be happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Then there is another song out by an artist known as Pharrell Williams? It is a pretty good song and it is all about being happy. People are making their own videos about being happy and they are dancing to this song. I have seen Businesses making videos and even churches making videos using this song. The words to the chorus are; “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. Clap along if you feel that happiness is the truth.” Those are some good words aren’t they?

          Today, we talk about change of circumstances. We know those kind of changes; changing jobs, changing school grades, changing teachers, moving to a new neighborhood. All of those are change of circumstances. I don’t know about you but those are not necessarily comforting changes. I think I get more stressed when the circumstances I mentioned a minute ago happen. I start thinking about “what does that mean for me?” is there going to be more work, do I have to change the way I do things, and I surely don’t feel like singing either of the happy songs. In fact, I might sing Swing Low Sweet Chariot…that’s how negative I can get.
          Throughout our readings today there is one theme that I hope you hear. I think it is summed up in the very first verse of the psalm “Bless the Lord, o my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” In first Thessalonians, chapter 5, verse 16 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,” and from our Gospel of Luke “Do not fear little flock, for it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom.” These three verses give us a different way to think about life.
           Sometimes, I think we get bogged down with the idea of what to worry about and what not to worry about. We worry about what to wear, how to come our hair when to get it cut, what food to eat, car to drive, restaurants, stores, and we listen (sometimes too much) to the advertisements on television that tell us what to wear, eat, how to think and so on and so on. I mean the list can get nauseating to the point where sometimes I would rather just stay home than have to make a decision.
          These readings all tell us about one thing; they tell us who to remember in our daily lives. These readings guide us to the person who gave us all these things. They tell us that all the things we have come from God; Our houses, spouses, children, cars homes, incomes… all of that comes from God. Today we are reminded that it doesn’t matter if you eat from Dutch’s Daughter or from McDonald’s you have been blessed with the gift of food. If you drive a high performance vehicle or a car that gets you down the road, you have been blessed with transportation. Jesus points out in the Gospel that these are the little things in life
        Today, though, we are talking about change in circumstances. Maybe it is not about getting a promotion but it is losing a job, a pay cut, a death in the family, or a diagnosis of an illness. It is a little hard to get that kind of news and sing a happy song or say “Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name.” those are times when that is the least thing we want to say or think. I know it’s hard to think that because I am sure that we have all been there once or twice. Jesus gives us words of comfort in telling us that God knows we need the very basic things to keep us going and Jesus says that God WILL provide.
        Jesus knows that we will worry. He knows that we are human and Jesus, at times, feels that worry because he is fully human. He struggles in the world just as we struggle. We know this because in a few weeks he is in the garden and prays to God struggling with about what is to happen. Jesus struggles with sadness at the death of his friend Lazarus; so, Jesus knows struggle BUT he also tries to provide comfort with a little comedy. “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” I bet we all wish we could, but we know that when we spend so much of our time worrying that we can actually SHORTEN our lives. There have been numerous medical studies that say too much worrying leads to ulcers, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and numerous other conditions.
      It does not take away the sting and worry when our change of circumstance is not a positive situation. I do believe that is why God put us here on this earth; to remind us that we are not alone. That God uses us to be there for one another, to help each other out, to give a helping hand when someone needs food or shelter or clothing.
            See Jesus was also, fully divine. Jesus is the Son of God and his circumstances changed within three years. Within three years of his ministry beginning he found his circumstances quite differ ent than what he might have expected. It is one thing to say something is going to happen. It is another to realize that it is really happening. Yet, through his change of circumstances he held onto the promise of God and the love of God; to the point where he commended his soul to almighty God glorifying God with all that was within him, Jesus, through his crucifixion, death, and resurrection.
           So when we have good times, let us always bless the Lord with all that is within us and may we always bless his holy name AND through struggles let us bless God who gives us friends, family, and strangers who helps us out and who we help because we are able and not because we ought. AMEN!

Galatians 5:16-25 and Luke 6:46-49 Jesus is the foundation, the Bedrock

            One of the most important things we learn in Seminary is that each book of the bible must be taken on its own merit. Meaning that it is not a good idea to use one text to prove another, or use one to justify another; but, I think with today’s readings there may need to be an exception. This is week two of our series on change and today we have a change of Habit. How fitting for this to be the topic. It is Lent and it is a time of reflection and changing the way we think about our lives and some behaviors. So, I am going to share one of these with you. It is a very personal type of change. It is the change in eating habits.

            I have been trying to eat better over the last several months. You might want to call it dieting, but I would rather call it “trying to make better choices when I eat. We joined Lock Farm’s CSA last year and we are doing it again this year. I don’t know if any of you have tried it before, but it is not easy. Now, I know it is not specifically mentioned here in Galatians but I do believe it is listed. While eating some foods that you know are bad foods is not listed along with idolatry and licentiousness, it may be under that catch all phrase “and the like;” For me, at least.

            I think it is also important to know why Paul is writing this letter to the Galatians. Paul spent a lot of time in Galatia. He took the time to build relationships with the people. He witnessed how God has been active in his life and helped others to see how God has been active in their lives. I am confident that he told his story of how God called him to preach and teach about Jesus; you know the story, when he was on the road and his name was Saul, the cloud came up and knocked him off his horse and he heard the voice of God say to him, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” He told the story of how from that time on, he was known as Paul and that God called him to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ; he was called to a life of witness rather than persecution.

            What happened next is that it was time for Paul to move on. God called him on to the next place to build and teach about God. As soon as he left some other people claiming to be religious and righteous came into the region and began to tell the people that Paul didn’t know what he was talking about. They told the people that they had the answers and everything that Paul said was not true. They started undoing everything that Paul had spent time building up. It is clear by this portion of the letter that the people must have been saying that it is okay to build idols, it is okay to do all these things that are flesh driven. Meaning drink as much as you want, get angry, fight…do whatever you want because you can. So, Paul wrote this letter saying that it is not okay to do whatever you want if you want to follow Jesus Christ.

            How do we know this? Because Jesus never said it was okay to do all these things. He didn’t “drink till ya drop, do whatever you want because it is your flesh, or hey don’t believe my dad cause he is just being a Father!” I mean, I have never seen that in any Gospel that I have read.

            Instead, Paul is using what he knows about Jesus to tell the Galatians something that he most likely taught them when he was with them. As a witness the Good News of Jesus Christ, Paul knows that Jesus was born, not of the flesh but that Jesus was born of the Spirit. Paul knew that in the waters of Baptism that the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus. Jesus was filled by the Holy Spirit from that moment on. He, Paul, knew that there were many gifts that the Holy Spirit gave to Jesus Christ. He heard it through story and he witnessed it in his own life.

            So what are these gifts that Jesus was given: They were the gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Paul was a witness to all of these; either through learning or personally experiencing it through his own conversion and being a messenger for God. Paul is telling the Galatians that there is a base of information and knowledge to know what it means to know …Jesus and follow Jesus. Paul knows that Jesus laid a foundation for what it meant to live a righteous life. Through Jesus example of living out all these gifts or fruits of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control that this is the very foundation of faith. It is the bedrock…you know that very first layer of building material that goes down to strengthen any structure; to make that structure strong and sturdy so that it can survive almost anything. It is that deeply laid foundation that gives people strength.

            There is only one difference though. This bedrock of a foundation that is laid is given to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is in Christ Jesus all through his life and it is displayed and lived out through him so that we can see these fruits of God’s Holy Spirit; So that, we know that when we are baptized those same fruits of the Holy Spirit are poured, through the water and the Word, into our hearts, minds, and body. They are in us just waiting for us to bring all those out; so that we can live out our lives using these fruits that God has given us. It is true that we need people to teach us as we grow how to use these fruits: and we do, from family friends, and numerous people in our lives…but, our greatest teacher in how to use these gifts is God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.

            Paul is telling us, I believe, what Jesus is saying in our Gospel of Luke. He is telling the people of Galatia that the strong foundation that Jesus tells of in Luke is the foundation that the Holy Spirit of God gives us. Jesus tells us that when we live our lives with the gifts and act out the gifts of love, patience, peace, generosity, faithfulness and self-control, and the others that are mentioned then we have set a foundation in our lives that nothing can wash away. That is the difference between the bedrock of a house and the bedrock of our faith in Jesus Christ; Living our lives and disciples of Christ and practicing the patience, and love and faith that Jesus calls us to live means that no floods, fires, or anything can destroy that: Not one thing can destroy that and that, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, is something that you can bank on because God’s Words are true and everlasting.

            Well, that is all well and fine but we are human. We are made of flesh and bones. There are times, opportunities, and even people that may want us to worry more about the flesh than the Spirit. We ourselves might want to be in control of our own lives or decide “we know what is best.” We, too, can be weak and think that our actions are something we can seek forgiveness for later. When we try to make decisions to eat better or healthier, our willpower to give in to any type of food that is comfort food can cause us to give in because we are human and we make mistakes.

            Paul is telling us all not to give up. Paul is telling the people of Galatia to get back on the wagon of faith and trust in God. Paul knows that we are all weak. He realized his own weakness at his conversion and he knows that we all…not just the Galatians are subject to moments of weakness. Jesus knows this as well. Jesus tells us to act on His Words. He is telling us all that he knows we are weak and that we don’t always listen to the Word of God. Jesus also tells us that it is not too late. He does not say, “You didn’t listen so you are all condemned.” In fact, the regular reading for today would have been the famous passage “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. Not to condemn the world but so that the world might be saved (John 3:16-17).”

            There is time to act on God’s word to love, practice patience, self-control, generosity, faithfulness, peace, and joy. These are the bedrock items that hold us together, bind us, and bond us together as the children of God….Thanks be to God: AMEN!